Connected pathways
Turning lived experience, practical learning and trusted relationships into positive futures.
Make a referralA route into education, training and employment
Too many young people with talent and potential are left without a clear route into education, training or employment. Connected Pathways is a targeted 6- or 12-week mentoring and employability programme for looked-after children, care leavers, young people involved with Youth Justice Services, those at risk of becoming NEET, and pupils at risk of exclusion.
Why early, practical intervention matters
Your 12-week programme journey
A structured journey designed to build confidence, skills, experience and future opportunities.
More than an employability course
Young people facing exclusion, care transitions, exploitation, offending or long-term disengagement often need more than a CV workshop. They need a trusted adult, realistic opportunities and support that recognises the experiences behind their behaviour.
Our trauma-informed approach helps young people understand their strengths, recognise barriers and take manageable steps towards change — the programme is built around the individual, rather than expecting the individual to fit a standard course.
- ✓ Consistent one-to-one and group mentoring
- ✓ Mentors with relevant professional or lived experience
- ✓ Personalised goal-setting and action planning
- ✓ Confidence, resilience and emotional-regulation work
- ✓ Employability, communication and interview preparation
- ✓ Practical vocational activities and employer encounters
- ✓ Support to access training, qualifications and work experience
How Connected Pathways achieves outcomes
Engage
A consistent mentor develops trust, listens to the young person and identifies what matters to them.
Prepare
Participants strengthen confidence, communication, emotional regulation, problem-solving, reliability and workplace behaviour.
Experience
Young people take part in practical learning, vocational tasters, employer engagement and supported work-related activities.
Progress
Each participant leaves with a clear next-step plan and support to move into education, training, employment, work experience or a specialist service.
Sector-based traineeships
Hands-on 6-week traineeships that build real, employer-valued skills across in-demand sectors.
Practical learning and real workplaces
Participants move from the classroom into real settings — supported work placements, employer encounters and vocational tasters — building the confidence and experience that turn potential into progress.
Progress is tracked from each young person's baseline through regular reviews, mentor records, attendance data, completed work, young-person feedback and destination checks. Referrers receive clear evidence of participation, progress, remaining needs and recommended next steps.
The impact we aim to make
Connected Pathways is designed to achieve measurable progress in engagement with education, employment or training; attendance, punctuality and completion; confidence, resilience and aspiration; communication and relationships; emotional regulation and safer decision-making; employability skills and workplace readiness; certificates and vocational milestones; applications, interviews, work experience and job opportunities; reduced risk of exclusion, exploitation and offending; and successful progression into a sustained positive destination.
A young person should not be defined by a care history, an exclusion, an offence or a period of unemployment. With the right relationship, practical opportunity and consistent encouragement, they can reconnect with their strengths and see a future that feels achievable. Connected Pathways bridges the gap between where a young person is now and where they want to be.
Refer a young person to Connected Pathways
Talk to our team about commissioning a 6- or 12-week Connected Pathways programme.
Start a referral
Social workers and local authorities can start a referral here. We respond quickly and confidentially.