THE CONNEXIONS CARD

John Warwick

Full governmental support

“Why if education is the key to success do we allow somany children to leave school at 16 when we shouldbe doing all we can to get them to stay on. Today weare announcing a smart card to offer all 16-19 yearolds who stay on in education cut price deals at shops,in theatres and cinemas and on trains and buses”

Prime Minister. March 2000

A holistic approach

• To financially help young people through a range ofdiscounts

• To provide an incentive to participation andattainment in learning and personal developmentthrough a ‘rewards’ package

• To help young people make a considered choicefrom the wide range of post-16 options open to them

• To use the Card to record attendance in learning

Reaching out to those in learning

• A broad interpretation of learning– colleges & schools– full & part time– work based training– voluntary services

• Available free to every 16-19 year old in England• Special cases• Greatest benefit to those who stay in learning

The benefits of the Connexions Card

• Proof of Age– photo– date of birth– trading standards & community

policing• On the spot discounts

– national & local sales team– target 7 500 opportunities

throughout England byDecember 2003

Rewards• Listening to young people

– big discounts on brandedgoods

– free goods/services– a balance of lifestyle &

learning opportunities– competitions– unique experiences– local & national teams– regularly refreshed

Web site- work in progress

It’s their choice

• Optional

• Privacy statement

• Receiving further information

• Data to third parties

• Turn off at any time

Building reward points• Session-based attendance• Collect planned attendance and

actual attendance data• Colleges, schools and WBTP 100

points per week pro rata• Voluntary Organisations• 5 points an hour up to maximum of

1500 per year.• Education Maintenance

Allowances• Discretionary points

Collecting attendance data• Choice of solutions to meet the

needs of learning centres• Pick & Mix approach• Phased introduction if you wish• Methods:

1. Existing MIS systems2. connexionscard.com3. Helpline4. Connexions Card and Card

Readers

Card management service

• Regional teams covering England to providesupport

• Lost Card replacement - access web-site orhelpline. Initial Card and first 2 replacements free ofcharge

• New PIN (lost or forgotten) by calling the youngperson helpline

• In future will be issuing cards to 600,000 rising 16seach year

Spreading the word - national

• Influencers campaign– Unions– Associations– Umbrella bodies

• Media campaign• Joined up Government

– Connexions Card strategy team– Proof of age stakeholders group– Transport stakeholders group

• Voluntary Sector• Youth Sector• National loyalty, rewards and sponsorship providers

Spreading the word - regional & local

• Phase 1 - warm up– Government Offices– Connexion Partnerships– Potential reward and loyalty providers– Chambers of Commerce– Trading Standards

• Phase 2 - briefings & advanced visits– Briefings to colleges, schools and work based

training providers– Visit to every learning centre with more than 50

16-19 year olds

Spreading the word - regional & local

• Phase 3 - roll out to large learning centres– data– photos– attendance systems

• Phase 4 - multiple channels– Dissemination through Connexion partnerships– Local youth organisations– Voluntary sector– Libraries– Local radio– Street marketing– Reward and loyalty providers

Keeping in touch

• Liaison Manager

• Free helpline 0808 172 4444

• Young person free helpline

0808 172 3333

• connexionscard.com

• E-newsletter

• E-crm

• Magazine

Roll out - National• Regional approach to distribution

of 2m + cards

• Implications for information to

young people

• National launch September 2002

• Open to any learning centre from

Autumn 2002

Roll out - regionalPhase 1Warm up

from

Phase 2Briefings &Advancedvisits from

Phase 3Roll out

from

Phase 4Multi-channel

approachfrom

North East September2001

October2001

November2001

January2002

North WestYorkshire &HumbersideEast MidlandsSouth West

October2001

November2001

January2002

March2002

WestMidlandsSouth EastEastLondon

January2002

February2002

April2002

June2002

Future developments

• Additional functionality– auto enrolment– cashless catering– access control– transport– e-purse– health card– community card– European card

• Additional cards– same functionality– younger age group– older age group

City & community cards

• Four options

– Connexions card as part of city/community card

– City/community card as part of Connexions Card

– Separate cards

• working towards common card

• Accepting the need for different card

• Way forward

– Case by case business case for each option

Challenges

• Contractual obligations to DfES• Core objectives and policy drivers• Chip architecture & readers• Transport standards• Branding, proof of age and national discounts.• Learning centre cards• Sponsorship/partners• Card management services• Back office systems

– databases– helplines

• Web

REWARDING LEARNING