Best Reads Of 2021 On Connect

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You may have already read them, or they might be completely new to you, but here’s the rundown of the top ten blogs on Connect this year!

YOUR CV AND NCS

Looks like you were all looking for ways to make your CV shine, as this was the number one blog of the year! Take a look for all the reasons why you should include your NCS experience on your CV, and why it’ll help you smash interviews and (hopefully!) get you on the career ladder...

YOUR QUESTIONS, ANSWERED: FINANCES

One of our most popular series over the last couple of years has been Your Questions, Answered, where we team up with professionals across different industries to answer all of your burning questions. We’ve done them on sex and relationships, Black culture and identity, careers, bullying behaviour, and more. But this one pipped the post. You had loads of great questions about money, and MyBnk - a charity who helps young people take control of their finances - answered them!

HOW TO GET INTO VOLUNTEERING

The pandemic showed all of us how little actions of kindness mean a whole lot. And over the last year, it seems that lots of you wanted to take on some action, as this blog about volunteering was really popular. So, if you want some helpful advice about how to start volunteering, how to pick your cause, where and how to apply, and what you’ll need to think about, take a read!

WHAT I WISH I PACKED FOR NCS

Our summer and autumn experiences were back this year, and hearing from other young people who had already taken part was something you all looked for. With the weather we have in the UK, it’s often hard to decide what to pack for a five minute trip to shops, let alone a whole week away from home! But no fear, this post gave some great tips from previous attendees on what they wished they had taken, and what they recommend you pack for your experience.

PREPARING FOR YOUR FIRST JOB: MY ADVICE

Advice was a big hit over the last year, as you turned to experienced people to help you with your current situations. In this blog, Alice gave her top tips and advice on going for your first job. From being persistent to knowing your worth, she wrote out a really solid guide for getting ready to work, whilst staying true to yourself!

HOW TO SPEAK TO YOUR FRIENDS WHEN THE BANTER GETS TOO MUCH

We all have lols with our mates, but what happens when it crosses the line? Are they just jokes, or is it actually bullying? We partnered with The Diana Awards over Anti-Bullying Week, who gave their advice on what to do when your friends step into bullying territory and how to have a conversation with them. 

ON NCS: YOUR SOCIAL ACTION PROJECT

It was clear that you all wanted to feel prepared for your NCS experiences this year (woo!) as this post on what to expect from doing a social action project was a top read. We thought it would be helpful to ask those who had already done it for some advice and inspiration. From how to work best as a team to having a Plan A...and a Plan B, there are some really great tips to get you going!

CAN YOUR PERSONALITY TYPE FIND YOUR IDEAL FUTURE CAREER?

This blog came from a previous blog we did all about the Myers Briggs Type Indicator personality test (you can find it here!), which is a test and system to figure out your personality type (from Analysts to Diplomats to Explorers and more). We then used this information and did a bunch of research to see what personality types fit which career paths, and why. Where do you think you’ll fit?

MONEY TIPS WITH DR ARINOLA ARABA

Dr Arinola Araba is a leading financial expert and the founder of bMoneywize, and she hopped on the blog to give you some great advice on preparing for the future and starting a budget to be money smart. She even came up with an easy to remember acronym - TEENS (Think, Educate, Exchange, Needs, Saves) - to help you get better with your finances!

WORDS OF ADVICE FOR GCSE RESULTS DAY

And finally, a lot of you got your GCSE results this year, and just needed a little boost of confidence. We reached out to other young people who had already got their results and had so many great responses. This blog is full of well wishes, inspiration, and important things to remember on your big day.