The Rescue Pack is for careers advisers, parents and students receiving their GCSE’s and other Level 1 and 2 results. Inside the pack you’ll find details of the options available after results day, employability skills and help and advice to find a job.

Download your free Results Day Rescue Pack now.

Sponsored by YMCA Training.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service is recruiting now for its Rushmoor Prince’s Trust Team programme. The Team programme starts on Monday 26 September 2011.

Is it for people like me?

The Team programme is for UK residents, within Hampshire aged 16-25 who are unemployed. It’s free and will not affect your Jobseeker’s Allowance. It’s ideal for those whose lack of confidence or qualifications are holding them back.

What happens on the course?

Among other things, you will:

• be part of a team of 15 people for this 12-week full time course
• take on community projects of your choosing
• have an action-packed residential week
• get two weeks’ work experience.

What’s in it for me?

• Practical skills that help you in a job and in life.
• Belief in what you can accomplish.
• Career advice and help with job-hunting and your CV.
• The chance to make a difference in your community.
• A nationally recognised qualification.
• Improved chances of moving into a job, education or training.

How to apply

Contact the Prince’s Trust Team to arrange an interview.

Office: 023 8062 6706
Mobile: 07918 887865  (Text TEAM and we will call you back)
Email: princes-trust@hantsfire.gov.uk

More information about the Prince’s Trust Team programme.

What happens next?

If your exam results are not what you expected:

• think about retaking some of the subjects if you didn’t get the grades you were hoping for – you could consider going to college to do this
• if your results or grades are lower than expected, contact your chosen college or university as they may still offer you a place
• if you are wanting to go to university but your results aren’t good enough to get you into your first choice university you can also enter the ‘clearing‘ system which gives you the opportunity to gain a college place before the academic year starts.

Useful links:

• UCAS
• Clearing
• Guide to A-Level results day

Above all don’t panic – you still have plenty of options. Contact your local Youth Support Services team for advice.

Ofsted wants to make some changes to how it inspects children’s services, to make sure that they do the best possible job of helping local children who are at risk of harm, or who need someone other than their parents to look after them. This is a great opportunity for you to give your views and help change how things are done.

The survey will be open from the 27 July until the 30 September 2011.

More information can be found on the Ofsted website.

Have your say

You can take part in this survey online or you can download the consultation document, which is available in two formats, and fill the questionnaire in by hand or on your computer.

Make sure you read the Young Person’s Guide before filling in this survey.

Useful information

• Ofsted’s letter to young people
• Ofsted’s consultation website
• Young person’s survey on inspecting local authority children’s services
• Young person’s survey online form

For more information visit Ofsted’s consultation website. If you have any questions or need some help completing the survey, please email: newLAinspection@ofsted.gov.uk

Top tips for summer holidays

1. Plan early, involve the whole family and plan each week’s activities ahead. Talk through with your children what the budget is roughly and discuss where you can go on holiday or what you can do that is manageable. It’s ok for them to know that there are limits to what they can have, but do acknowledge feelings of disappointment.
2. Think about what activities are available in your area, some of them are free and/or at low cost, for example visit your local library and look for adverts of events. Many libraries hold events such as story time and arts and crafts days. Look out for discounted activities before the holiday starts.
3. School holidays are long so try to avoid doing everything in the first few weeks.
4. Look up the Family Information Directory (www.fid.hants.gov.uk) for events being held in your area.
5. Don’t expect your teenager to want to spend the whole holidays with you – they are likely to have their own plans with friends and you will need to speak with them before arranging things that include them.
6. You don’t have to provide constant entertainment. It’s ok for children to feel bored at times – it will encourage them to come up with their own ideas. They need unstructured chill-out time just like adults do.
7. Remember to look after yourself and find time to relax/recharge.
8. This can be an unsettling time for separated parents with routines being altered and negotiations around childcare and holidays. Try to discuss the holiday period in advance so you can both make your own plans.
9. Aim to encourage the children back into a routine in time for going back to school.

Useful websites:

• http://familylives.org.uk/advice/running-a-household/holidays
• www.parentchannel.tv/video/preparing-school-holidays
• www.hants.gov.uk/extended-services_coordinators
• www.hants.gov.uk/childrens-centres-search

During the events will be hearing the views of people with autism and their families about the help they have had so far, and what would help make their life better. It is also important to hear the views of those working with people with autism, especially about good working practices and ideas of how services can be improved.

The Autism Strategy is in response to the Government making a law for teenagers and adults with autism to have better help to live happier lives. This law is called the Autism Act, 2009. The Government has also written a guide about how teenagers and adults with autism and their families can be helped to have better lives. 

We are holding six events across Hampshire in June 2011. For those that cannot attend, there is also an online questionnaire or you can request a questionnaire by post by calling 01962 847946. Once the strategy has been drawn up, it will then go to public consultation.

The dates and venues for the drop-in events, are:

• Waterlooville Community Centre, large hall, Monday 6 June, 10am – 12noon
• Wells Place, Eastleigh, Nightingale Room, Tuesday 21 June, 10am – 12noon
• Popley Fields, Community Centre, Basingstoke, Monday 13 June, 10am – 12noon
• Masonic Hall, Brockenhurst, Thursday 2 June, 6pm – 8pm
• The Lights, Andover,  Monday 27 June, 6pm – 8pm
• Bishops Waltham Church Hall, SO32 1EE, Thursday 30 June, 6pm – 8pm

For more information, go to www.hants.gov.uk/as-autism

There are three main reason for the changes:

1.Changes to the law – we currently provide information, advice and guidance to young people through our Connexions teams. From April, each school and college will be responsible for providing these services themselves and they can choose which organisation to buy them from.

2.Savings – the County Council must make major savings to reduce spending. It has been agreed that services for the most vulnerable children (such as child protection and services for disabled children) must be protected, as much as possible.

3.The Big Society – we want to look at news ways of working that are in line with the Government’s Big Society ideas, including working with voluntary organisations to deliver local youth projects and services.

Proposals for the future of Youth Support Services in Hampshire:

• A careers advice and guidance service that schools could buy
• Support for vulnerable young people
• Local youth projects and services delivered by voluntary organisations.

Full details of the proposals can be found on the YouthTube website.

The consultation is will close on Wednesday 6 July 2011. To have your say on the future of Youth Support Services in Hampshire fill in the online form.

For more information email Youth Support Services on youth.info@hants.gov.uk.

To get your free tickets contact The Nuffield Theatre, Southampton on 023 8067 1771 as soon as possible! For more information about the scheme visit http://www.nuffieldtheatre.co.uk/under26/.

There are still tickets available for:

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase - 9 -12 March
The Tempest - 16-19 March
Fallen - 23-24 March
The Devil Has Quentin’s Heart - 24-26 March
Bloodshot - 29-31 March

For further information on the productions, please visit www.nuffieldtheatre.co.uk.

Now it’s even easier to take the test, just visit http://www.haveyougotit.nhs.uk/postal-kit/ and request a Postal Kit. The postal kit allows you to take the test in the comfort of your own home with no visit to the GUM clinic necessary.

Also, for a limited time only the NHS is offering a free pair of pants or a sperm keyring to anyone between 16 and 24 years old who returns a postal kit!

For more information visit http://www.haveyougotit.nhs.uk/.