Four young people from Salford undertook an exercise as part of a Youth Involvement activity resulting in a new member of staff being employed by Connexions Salford. The individuals all aged 13 – 19 were recruited to illustrate how the Better Choices delivered Connexions Service is actively involved in an evolving programme being developed with their needs in mind. The panel was set up to allow young people direct influence and give direct feedback from the end user of the service.
They were briefed on the selection process and how they would be expected to contribute to the overall activity. They devised five interview questions that all five prospective candidates would be assessed against. The aim of the Young People’s Interview Panel was to support recruitment of an adviser who had a genuine interest in helping the target age group, who could encourage young people to ‘open up’ and make informed decisions as to their own future, thus allowing them to make ‘Better Choices through Connexions’.
The panel ‘scored’ the candidates replies based upon the earlier agreed criteria. This information was then fed back to the Managers and HR representatives, resulting in the candidate list being reduced to the final interview stage for successful applicants. All the young people felt valued as a result of their contribution.
As a way of thanking the young people and introducing them to a ‘real’ activity, further value was added to their experience with a gift voucher and a certificate.
The activity was a resounding success and will be used again.
