Youth support and advice

Many young people are faced with important decisions about what they want to do in their life and it can be difficult to decide what is best. This page outlines places where they can access appropriate advice, support and good quality information that will help inform their choices. 

Online advice

The Source website has information on education options, health, preparing for exams, local job vacancies, building a CV, careers, young people's activities, volunteering and apprenticeships on The Source. You can also follow The Source on Twitter.

Families and Community Directory provides information about activities, youth projects, sports clubs, youth clubs, music, arts across Suffolk.

The Suffolk Local Offer website pulls together in one place, information and advice about the range of support that is available for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), in their local community.

Icanbea is designed to help young people navigate the large spectrum of employment possibilities in Suffolk and Norfolk, providing information on the most important industries in East Anglia, as well as providing direct links with the key companies and the opportunities they offer.

Rising High in Suffolk has work experience, apprenticeships, internships and graduate opportunities within the public sector in Suffolk.

Youth Focus Suffolk is a website providing support to organisations and individual adults who support young people in their community and want to enable greater youth voice and social action. We provide training on a range of topics for communities to better understand and support young people, as well as a free online peer network where professionals and volunteers can share information and experiences. Community Action Suffolk support us in the delivery of working with communities to engage with young people, creating safe spaces and activities for them.

For support getting into work and training

If you're worried that your child may struggle to adjust when they move from secondary school to further education, sixth form or to a training programme e.g. apprenticeship, you can speak to their school and ask them to provide additional support.

The school may decide to request specialist support from a young person’s worker through the Early Help Assessment (EHA) process (formally known as Common Assessment Framework, or CAF).  These workers are part of the early help teams within children and young people's services across Suffolk. Find out more about the EHA process.

You can also contact the Family Support (formally known as Early Help) teams directly for support if your child is currently not in education, employment or training and would like support to access post-16 provision.

• Bury St Edmunds, Forest Heath, Haverhill - 01284 758610
• Ipswich North and East (Gainsborough, Bixley, Holywells, Nacton & Purdis Farm, Rushmere, Priory Heath, Westgate) - 01473 263295
• Ipswich South and West (Gipping, Pinewood, Sprites, Stoke Park, Bramford & Great Blakenham, Castle Hill, Claydon & Barham, Grundisburgh, Whitehouse & Whitton) - 01473 263391
• Lowestoft and Waveney - 01502 674747
• Stowmarket (based at The Mix) - 01449 745155
• Sudbury - 01787 315900
• Suffolk Coastal (Aldeburgh, Felixstowe, Framlingham, Kesgrave, Leiston, Martlesham, Saxmundham, Woodbridge) - 01394 605060

For questions or queries about jobs, careers, learning or training you can also contact the National Careers Service by phone, email, webchat and text.