THE CONNEXIONS CARDWendy Violentano

Head of Connexions Card Unit – DfES

24th

September 2003

Purpose:

To encourage young people to stay in learning by:

• Motivation

• Reward participation and attainment

• Reduce financial barriers

• Improve career and life choices

• Empowerment

The benefits of the Connexions Card - to young people

• Rewards attendance

• New & exciting experiences

• On the spot discounts

• Proof of Age

Why is the Card needed?

• To help address stubborn problems which include:

• low levels of participation and attainment

• high drop out rates and switching

• poor levels of participation in sports and cultural activities

A holistic approach

• To provide an incentive to participation and attainment in

learning and personal development through a ‘rewards’

package

• To financially help young people through a range of

discounts

• To help young people make a considered choice from the

wide range of post-16 options open to them

• To use the Card to record attendance in learning

Unique experiences

• Behind the scenes at sports events, concerts or fashion shows

• Presenting radio programmes

• Lessons from the professionals

• Driving a bulldozer

• Attending film previews

• Interviewing the stars

• Visiting a trade or profession

• In the studio for a recording session

• Swimming with dolphins

Collecting attendance data

• Choice of solutions to meet the needs of Learning Centres

• Methods:

1. Existing MIS systems

2. Connexions Card and Readers

3. connexionscard.com

4. Helpline

• Pick & Mix approach

Potential Developments

• Transport – Cashless ticketing, Railcard

• Incentives for Young Offenders

• Incentives for the Armed Forces/Emergency Services

• Portable personal learning record

• Pre 16 and Post 19 cards

• E-Purse

• Young People in employment

• And on and on………

Pilot Developments

• Current and Potential Multi-application cards in partnership with

– Doncaster MBC– North Devon– Sheffield E-Voting– Kettering Leisure Pass– Transport authorities

Current Position

• Over 300,000 Cards issued

• 1600 Learning Centres signed up

• 2500 Organisations visited

• 17,000 unique reward redemptions

• 6000 Discounts available

• 500,000 Website hits per month

• 1,000 cardholder logins per day