Heading for a Career in the Sun
Kellie, 18 from Croxteth is now on the path to her dream job, having just started a course at Liverpool Community College, studying towards a BTEC First Diploma in Travel and Tourism. After leaving school, Kellie was unemployed until she received an invitation to come along to an AAP event at Croxteth Gems, to find out more about the Activity Agreement Pilot. Kellie was delighted to find out that she could work with Connexions at Croxteth Gems because she had always felt apprehensive about travelling to her nearest centre in Norris Green. 
Her Personal Adviser Paul Windle arranged to meet her regularly and helped her identify her skills and abilities. She received one to one support which helped to raise her confidence and motivation. Together they started to look at application forms and it wasn’t long before Kellie enrolled on a Basic Skills course with North West Community Services, studying one day a week to improve her maths and English. Kellie’s confidence quickly developed so she asked Paul to help her get a place at college so that she could pursue her ambition to work in the travel industry. As soon as the course was open for enrolment, Kellie was excited about submitting her application and Paul helped her to highlight all of her skills and experiences.
Whilst waiting for the new college term to start, Kellie was successful in landing a job at the clothes shop Primark, but after a few weeks she realised it wasn’t the job she had always dreamed of. Kellie got back in touch with Connexions and Paul helped her to further improve her skills by getting involved in various community initiatives, as part of the AAP programme. She enjoyed participating in a Youth Consultation Steering Group with the National Museums and Galleries, as well as undertaking some youth involvement activities with Greater Merseyside Connexions. Her AAP programme also included some awareness raising around young people and substance misuse, particularly looking at the effects of Cannabis on young people.
Kellie has just completed her induction week at college and can’t wait to get stuck into the course. She has already decided she wants to go onto the National Diploma next year and sees herself working as a Travel Representative in the sunny Caribbean!
Kellie said “Everyone should get involved and work with a Personal Adviser like Paul because he’s really helped me so much. He’s always been there to help me to sort out my problems and I wouldn’t be where I am now if he hadn’t have been there for me. Even now that I’m sorted and on my course, I know I can still contact him if I’m struggling in the future.”
Kellie’s PA Paul Windle added “Kellie represents what young people in Liverpool are all about: resilient, talented and charismatic. She made a fantastic contribution to the AAP, especially to the IYSS project at the Gems because without her leadership many Croxteth young people would not be accessing AAP. It was a superb experience working with Kellie and I’m sure she’ll go far in her career.” To find out more about AAP at Croxteth Gems speak to your Connexions PA or email Paul.windle@connexions-gmerseyside.co.uk
