National Careers Week 2024 runs from 4 to 9 March and is a UK-wide celebration of careers guidance. It highlights the importance of high-quality careers education and increases young people’s awareness of the support they can get to help them make informed decisions about their education, training and employment options for the future.
Services for Young People (SfYP) supports young people to explore career pathways, providing tailored and impartial information and advice to help them identify and achieve their goals. We can also help them overcome any personal challenges they may be facing to ensure they reach their full potential. Issac (not his real name) is just one example of the young people in Hertfordshire we work with every day.
Isaac’s story
Isaac’s journey began when he moved to the UK without a school place and no clear plans for his future. Living with his older brother, he did not know anybody his own age and was feeling isolated. Language and cultural barriers, and a lack of knowledge about educational opportunities, created uncertainty and anxiety about his future.
His father contacted us for help and Isaac joined the SfYP Pathways to Success programme which offers personalised support to young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET).
A dedicated SfYP Adviser talked to Isaac about his aspirations for the future, gave him guidance on education and career options, and helped him with the next steps he needed to take. Isaac also joined an SfYP youth work project and a school holiday programme where he learnt strategies to increase his resilience while making new friends and expanding his social circle.
His positive attitude and willingness to follow the advice given, has meant that Isaac is now on his pathway to success. He attends SfYP youth work projects regularly, has a place at a local college where he is studying for his GCSEs, and works part-time at a supermarket. In recognition of his determination and progress, he won an SfYP Young People’s Award last November.
Isaac’s inspirational journey shows that with the right support, young people can overcome challenges and achieve their goals. Whether it is continuing with education, learning and training, or getting a job or apprenticeship, SfYP can support and empower young people to shape their futures.
How to get support from SfYP
For more information about this year’s Pathways to Success programme, including eligibility criteria, or to make a referral, please visit the Pathways to Success 2024 page on the SfYP website.
Young people not at school or college can also get information, advice and support at SfYP young people's centres.
Those aged 16 to 19 who live in Hertfordshire can also register for an SfYP account to receive tailored information on job vacancies, apprenticeships, traineeships, and further education opportunities.
