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Post 16 transition support

Making decisions about what to do after Year 11 can be difficult, there are a lot of choices that need to be made at the right time. Young people and their parents/carers need to know what to do and when. Our Engagement Officers provide information and advice through our KentChoices website, virtual parents’ evenings and through direct support to young people and their schools.

Not all young people are ready for their next step after Year 11. Our Engagement Officers work with schools and other services to identify those young people who are at risk of becoming classified as not in education, employment or training (NEET). From there they are able to provide targeted, tailored support. Schools can choose from a menu of support options, or develop a bespoke offer to suit the needs of their learners.

Those who still need help beyond September are transferred to our NEET Support Service, where they receive individualised help. Either way, those identified as being at risk of being NEET in Year 11 are tracked for a year after compulsory education, so where necessary they can be quickly reengaged.

Last year, we directly supported 748 young people with their post 16 transition from Year 11 to Year 12.

Meet the team

Owen has 10 years’ experience in the Skills & Employability team in various roles, starting his journey as an apprentice.

In his current role, Owen oversees the work of the KentChoices Development Manager and a team of Engagement Officers. He also chairs 'Participation Meetings' which are attended by secondary schools, colleges, training providers and other services attend.

Owen enjoys his role because he gets to work with a great team who strive hard every single day to help achieve great outcomes for young people. This motivates him to do the same and while there are constant barriers to overcome, Owen enjoys being in a role where he can help make changes to overcome these barriers.

Zara has been an Engagement Officer in the East of Kent since 2020, after previously working within the Young Person’s Participation team at The Education People. Whilst working with the team Zara has completed her Level 4 Diploma in Careers Information and Advice, which has provided her with the skills and knowledge to best support young people in their career journey.

Zara has a keen interest in Psychology, especially within the education sector, and has a BSc (Hons) in Psychology. Zara believes education should be accessible to all, and tailored to each learners needs, and is passionate about applying this to all her work.

Zara loves the diversity post-16 options brings to young people, allowing them to tailor their educational journey to their interests and learning style. Zara thrives when supporting young people make the most of their education and look forward to a fulfilling and exciting career.

Liberty has worked within the education sector for over 20 years and has extensive experience of working with young people, families and schools.

Prior to joining The Education People, Liberty worked as a School Liaison Officer which gave her the skills and understanding to work collaboratively with schools and other agencies to support young people to reach their full potential.

Liberty is passionate about empowering young people to make informed decisions about their future and the post 16 options available to them. This is achieved by offering support and advice through assemblies, workshops and one to one sessions, to help young people improve their knowledge and skills and feel confident to make their next step.

to support those who are vulnerable and raise aspirations for young people. This underpins the experiences he has gained over the past decade.

While exploring new career opportunities when leaving teaching, I remained enthusiastic about working with a person-centred organisation who strive to make a positive impact.

The Engagement Officer role has allowed me to utilize a blend of my knowledge and skills to deliver purposeful and engaging assemblies, workshops and inventions to KS3, KS4 and KS5 across West Kent. These sessions are targeted and proven to reduce the risk of a young person being NEET when leaving education; while promoting and identifying career paths, opportunities and developing a young person’s employability skills.

Helen has 10 years’ experience in the Skills & Employability team, starting her journey in our Young Person’s Participation team. Helen has previously been an Engagement Officer in West Kent, but now covers the North Kent and Tunbridge Wells areas.

Whilst working with the team Helen has completed her Level 4 Diploma in Careers Information and Advice and has developed a keen in interest in data and how it can be used to best support young people in Kent.

Helen enjoys the variety that the Engagement Officer role brings; no two days are ever the same and she enjoys meeting a wide variety of people in different settings. She has a passion for inclusion and strives to ensure that all young people have access to the relevant information they need to make an informed choice. She prides herself in offering high quality support and information to young people, families, and professionals.”