Useful Information & Advice and Guidance
Each year we empower thousands of young people and adults to improve their lives by developing the skills and self-belief to progress, including through our programmes.
We design and deliver Traineeships and Apprenticeships with employers to meet their business development needs. With our local partners we address youth unemployment, social exclusion, skills needs, local economic development and job creation.
Start Training has a duty to its staff and students to provide independent and impartial information, advice and guidance. We believe that by providing and signposting our students to local and national support agencies and by working closely with organisations, we will ensure young people receive the help and advice to overcome any problem or issue that is stopping them from making good progress with their education and future career choices.
Start Training aims to raise aspirations, increase motivation and confidence to succeed in education, work and life. This will have a positive impact on the overall wellbeing of our students who will then go onto achieve and progress.
Start Training is a Matrix accredited organisation with trained staff that supports young people to meet their full potential.
Who can use our IAG Service?
It’s available to current students, potential students, students from partnership agencies and local employers.
How can Start Training’s IAG service help you?
Our friendly and experienced staff can help you with the following as a minimum:
- Advice and services to enable learners to study effectively if they have a disability or additional requirements.
- If we cannot help you ourselves we can signpost you to a referral service or other agencies for the required information or advice you require.
- Telephone 1-2-1 services providing information and advice.
- Improving your job search skills to find full, part time or volunteering work.
- Supporting learners during their studies to assist their learning and personal development.
- A confidential, impartial and objective information and advice service concerning learning opportunities, skills and qualifications, career progression and how to access them.
Money
Bank Account Advice; www.bankaccountadvice.co.uk
Benefit & Money Advice;
Advice UK – www.adviceuk.org.uk
Benefits Calculators GOV UK – www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators
Benefits Check – www.moneysavingexpert.com
Disability Living Allowance Enq. Line – www.gov.uk/dla-disability-living-allowance-benefit
Bursary Fund Advice 16 to 19;
Bursary Fund – www.gov.uk/1619-bursary-fund
Debt & Managing Money;
National Debt Line – Debt Advice – www.nationaldebtline.co.uk
Citizens Advice Bureau – www.citizensadvice.org.uk
Money Advice Service – www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk
Step Change – www.stepchange.org.uk
Grants;
Turn 2 Us – www.turntous.org.uk
NCVO – www.ncvo.org.uk
Funding Central – www.fundingcentral.org.uk
National Insurance, Tax & Wages;
National Insurance – www.gov.uk/nationalinsurance
HM Revenue & Customs – www.hmrc.gov.uk
Tax – www.hmrc.gov/incometax
National Minimun Wage;
Gov.UK – www.gov.uk/browse/working/tax-minmum-wage
HM Revenue & Customs – www.hmrc.gov.uk
Health
Allergies & Disabilities;
Allergy UK – www.allergyuk.org
Food Standards Agency – www.food.gov.uk
NHS – Living with a Disability – www.nhs.uk/livewell/disability
Contraception, Sexual Health & Pregnancy Advice;
Brook – www.brook.org.uk
Family Planning & Sexual Health – www.fpa.org.uk
Talk Choice – www.talkchoice.co.uk
Terence Higgins Trust – www.tht.org.uk
Drug and Alcohol Advice;
Frank – www.talktofrank.com – Text: 82111
Know the Score – www.knowthescore.info
Add Action – www.addaction.org.uk
Drink Aware – www.drinkaware.co.uk
Alcoholics-anonymous – www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk
Drugs and alcohol facts and support services – thinkdrinkdrugs.co.uk
Transgender;
Gender Trust – www.gendertrust.org.uk
Gender Identify Research & Education Society – www.gires.org.uk/index.php/the-wiki
National Trans Youth Network – www.ntyn.org.uk/
Healthy Eating & Diet;
NHS – Change 4 Life – www.nhs.uk/change4life
Heath.Gov – www.health.gov
Mental Health;
Young Minds – www.youngminds.org.uk
Female Genital Mutilation;
NSPCC FGM Helpline – Tel: 0808 028 3550 – email: fgmhelp@nspcc.org.uk
Childline – www.childline.org.uk – Tel: 0800 1111 (24hr free helpline for children)
Seasonal Affective Disorder; www.sada.org.uk
Stop Smoking Support;
Quit – www.quit.org.uk
NHS – www.gosmokefree.nhs.uk
Housing
Hostels & Temporary Accommodation;
Homeless Uk – www.homelessuk.org
Runaway Helpline – www.missingpeople.org.uk
Shelter line – Housing Advice – www.shelter.org.uk
Housing Benefits;
Gov.UK – www.gov.uk/housing-benefit
Benefits Calculator – www.entitledto.co.uk
Staying Safe
Bullying & Personal Safety;
Child line – www.childline.org.uk – 0800 1111 (24 hours a day)
Bullying UK – www.bullying.co.uk
Online Safety;
NSPCC – www.nspcc.org.uk/onlinesafety
Safeguarding;
Safeguarding Children – https://www.gov.uk/childrens-services/safeguarding-children
NSPCC – www.nspcc.org.uk
Personal Safety;
Proof of Age – www.pass-scheme.org.uk
Radicalisation & Extremism;
Anti-Terrorist Hotline – 0800 789 321
Free Time
Volunteering;
Do-it Volunteering – www.do-it.org.uk
The Conservation Volunteers – www.tcv.org.uk
vInspired – vinspired.com
Travel and Transport
Cycling & Motorbikes/Scooters;
Why Cycle – www.whycycle.co.uk
Cycling Advice – www.cyclingadvice.co.uk
Safety Advice – www.nhs.uk/livewell/roadsafety
Driving;
Driving Licences – www.gov.uk/browse/driving
Travelling Abroad; www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk – Tel: 0845 603 6347
Your Rights and the Law
Children’s & Young People’s Rights; www.childrenslegalcentre.com
Citizenship – ID Card;
Citizen Card – www.citizencard.com
UK Youth Parliament – Have your say! – www.ukyouthparliament.org.uk
Working and Living in the UK – www.myukinfo.com
Trade Unions; https://www.gov.uk/browse/working/rights-trade-unions
Employment Advice;
ACAS – www.acas.org.uk
Equal Opportunities;
Disability Rights UK – www.disabilityrightsuk.org
Relationships
Bereavement;
Cruse Bereavement Care – Tel: 0844 477 9400 – www.cruse.org.uk
Family Advice;
Family Lives – Tel: 0808 800 2222 – www.familylives.org.uk
Family Planning Advice – www.fpa.org.uk
Relationship Abuse;
Domestic Violence – www.nationaldomesticviolencehelpline.org.uk
Tel: 0808 2000 247 (24 hours a day)
www.ncdv.org.uk
Tel: 0844 8044 999
Relationship Problems;
Relate – www.relate.org.uk – Tel: 0300 100 1234
Sexuality;
Support Line – www.supportline.org.uk
Stonewall – Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Charity – www.stonewall.org.uk
Forced Marriage;
Forced Marriage Unit
Tel: 020 7008 0230
Foreign Office Response Centre
Tel: 020 7008 1500
General Help and Advice
Citizens Advice – www.citizensadvice.org.uk – Tel: 08444 111 444 Get Connected – Tel: 0808 808 4994 – Text: 80849 – www.getconnected.org.uk Counselling & Support; Kooth – www.kooth.com Samaritans – Tel: 08457 909 090 – www.samaritans.org.uk