For Young People
How we can support you when you leave Year 11
During your time in Year 12 and 13, we will be in touch at regular intervals to check that all is well with your chosen Post 16 pathway, whether that is college, sixth form, training, an apprenticeship or job.
Contact Us
You can contact us on 0161 621 9400 or complete the form on the Contact Us page. Alternatively, you can speak to us on the live chat feature.
There is no rush – we can help you over a period of time. Not everybody feels ready and you may have other barriers or problems to overcome. It’s likely that we can help, or we know a person who can, so please do contact us.
If we have been contacting you to find out your current situation, you can fill in the simple form here to let us know if you are fixed up.
What if I’m at college or sixth form?
If you would like career guidance or support with looking for part time employment, it’s likely that you will have a college guidance team that you can approach. Please ask at Student Services. If you are at risk of dropping out of your college place, then please do contact us.
What if I’m in an apprenticeship, training or a job?
We’re happy to help if you are unhappy in your current situation and would like some help. Please do contact us. We can offer out of hours support so you don’t have to take time off.
What if I have an EHCP?
We work with young people in Oldham and Rochdale with Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), providing career guidance and transition support to Post-16 destinations and beyond. We track Year 12 and 13 students and assist those who become NEET, focusing on those with EHCPs. For individuals up to age 25, we offer career guidance if they become NEET and have an EHCP.
Below are details of the Local Authority SEND Offer for young people with additional needs.
So, what are the options for me?
As well as the usual options of sixth form, college, apprenticeships and jobs, there are also additional opportunities of provision. These include personal development opportunities and training which can help to build confidence and are a good stepping stone to your next stage.
On our Opportunities Padlet you can find out more.
Information for Parents/Carers
I’m the parent/carer of a young person age 16 – 18 (Year 12 and 13)
If your child isn’t currently in employment, education or training, we can help you and answer your questions.
I thought my child had to remain in education for two years after school (Raising the participation age)?
The government encourages all young people of this age group to participate in some form of learning, even if that is on the job. However, this often doesn’t work out for all young people. Please do not be afraid to let us know if your child isn’t participating; we are here to help them at their own pace, with whatever is holding them back.
What happens to my Child Benefit if my child leaves education or training?
Your Child Benefit may have stopped. We understand that this is a huge issue during the cost of living crisis. You could get extended Child Benefit for up to 20 weeks if your child is 16 or 17 and is registered with the local Careers Service – which happens to be us here at Positive Steps!
Full child benefit will resume once they return to learning. This can include local training provision, not just colleges and sixth forms.
What if my child is ill, or just not ready to do anything?
At Positive Steps, our staff have decades of experience in working with young people in this situation. Not all young people are in a position to hold down a college place or a job or apprenticeship. This may be due to physical illness, mental health issues, lack of confidence, unwillingness to leave the house and engage with the world – too many reasons to list here. We fully understand this and when we contact you, we are doing so to offer help. We can visit your child at home or in the local community, or in a more anonymous way if that works better. We can talk to them about personal development opportunities to build confidence, offer guidance and support to access mental health services and we can also support you as parents and carers. Nobody knows your child like you do – tell us how we can help them.