YOU may have heard that Connexions is closing at the end of March. This is indeed true and will see the end of the brand Connexions due to the removal, across England, of central government funding for this teenager support and careers advice service.

However, the organisation that delivers Connexions locally, Futures Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, is thriving and continuing to deliver an expanding range of services to young people, parents, adults and businesses.

Futures are very proud of our Connexions achievements over the past decade, working in close partnership with the city and county councils to help local young people make the most of their lives.

Our wider support for parents, local educators and employers continues to develop the all-important employability skills that young people need in a competitive labour market.

While these services are disappearing in other parts of the country, the city and county council here are continuing to back this important work through Futures, the not-for-profit organisation that is replacing Connexions and delivering the National Careers Service.

Futures continues to deliver a complete, all-age, employability advice service, including work experience and employability programmes and free "next step" careers advice to adults.

Further free, local support includes the highly respected What Next Fair in October and the free, online "career planner", Passportfolio.

We're also generating many new apprenticeships through the Futures Apprenticeship Agency, giving 16-19 year olds the chance to develop practical skills, achieve nationally recognised qualifications and earn as they learn.

So, while the loss of Connexions funding does now mean that schools are responsible for buying careers guidance for their students, there is still an array of local support services.

Jean Pardoe is chief executive of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Futures