Entering Employment

Doing voluntary work can be a good way of getting some work experience which can help when you are applying for paid work.

Volunteering can deliver a wealth of benefits including:

A means of building self-esteem and/or confidence A great way to learn or develop skills and interests A pathway to enhance work experience

Who offers it?

The Volunteer centre in Newcastle has details of local volunteer vacancies.

Voluntary and community projects can offer excellent opportunities for work experience and social development. These can be stand alone or combined with an education study programme. An example of this is the collaboration between City Learning and Liberdade. If the opportunity meets outcomes within the EHC Plan consideration may be given to funding through an education personal budget.

• Enhance your health and get active
• A way to meet new people or broaden your social circle

Supported Employment is individualised support to secure people with disabilities, long term conditions and multiple barriers to work a sustainable, paid job in the open labour market

Work plays a pivotal role in defining an individual's quality of life and must be an integral part of a person's overall life experience. Supported employment offers an innovative process that enables employment as an achievable goal for people with disabilities just as it is for non disabled people in our society.

Who offers it?

We have published a list of all the Supported Employment in our Education and Employment section of the Local Offer. Please click on the following link to see all of the providers.

For young people needing support in the work place there is Government funding called Access to Work. This is available for supported internships, apprenticeships and employment. It can provide equipment and support such as a job coach. The individual has to apply for the support but education providers usually assist with this. DWP also have programmes to support people to get into and remain in work – locally the Supported Employment Team deliver some of these.

These are a structured study programme primarily based with an employer. They are designed for 16-24 years olds with special educational needs.

Locally we have an employer led programme called Project Choice, a collaborative approach between the NHS and Gateshead College. Young people undertake work placements up to 4 days per week, often in local hospitals. There is a strong emphasis on them gaining employment at the end of the programme.

Support Internships should have over 50% real work experience with education around functional skills and employability.

A Support Internship should lead to a job or apprenticeship after a year. The 2 biggest locally are Project Choice (Health Education England) and New Venture (video below).

What do they do?

They enable young people aged 16-24 with a statement of SEN, or an Education, Health and Care Plan to achieve sustainable paid employment. They equip them with the skills they need for work through learning in the workplace.

Are they paid?

Supported internships are unpaid and last for a minimum of six months. Wherever possible, they support the young person to move into paid employment at the end of the programme. Alongside their time with the employer, young people complete a personalised study programme. This includes the chance to study for relevant substantial qualifications, if appropriate, and English and maths.

Who offers them?

We have published a list of all the Supported Internships in our Education and Employment section of the Local Offer. Here is a video about a Supported Internship

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Do you have a great business idea? Do you want to work for yourself? Advice and support is available to help you start a business. Information about the different organisations who offer this support are listed under ‘Help to start a business’ in the Directory.

Support is available from:

• Princes Trust, under their Start Something Enterprise Course, call their Customer Services Team on 0800 842 842 email PrincesTrustNE@princes-trust.org.uk.

If you need support to find work, help is available. In Newcastle there are several specialist organisations who will help to find the right job for you. Information about the different organisations who offer this support are listed under ‘Employment support’.

What is Supported Employment?

Supported Employment is individualised support to secure people with disabilities, long term conditions and multiple barriers to work a sustainable, paid job in the open labour market.

Work plays a pivotal role in defining an individual's quality of life and must be an integral part of a person's overall life experience. Supported employment offers an innovative process that enables employment as an achievable goal for people with disabilities just as it is for non disabled people in our society.

Who offers it?

We have published a list of all the Supported Employment in our Education and Employment section of the Local Offer. Please click on the following link to see all of the providers.