We work closely with people who specialise in helping people find work. Find out more about how Somerset JobCentre Offer can help you with your Pathways to Employment.
Education and Employment
The JobCentre Offer includes
- Access to work experience – helping claimants gain an insight into the world of work and offer 2 to 8 week work placements – normally working between 25 and 30 hours a week.
- Early access to the ‘Work and Health’ programme
- Support to find a volunteering placement to enable customer to develop new work skills/experience through volunteering and to build their confidence.
- Work Trials – this is a way of trying out a potential employee before offering them a job. – Once agreed with the Jobcentre, a work trial may be offered if the job is for 16 hours or more a week and lasts at least 13 weeks. The work trial can last up to 30 days
- New Enterprise Allowance – a workshop called Link Up: Start Up will provide you with an overview of the impact, commitment and responsibilities of being self-employed. Business mentors will provide guidance and help develop your business plan through the early stages of trading (up to 12 weeks). An allowance will be paid for the first 6 months of trading and a loan is also available to help with start-up costs.
- Sector Based Work Academies – these offer accredited, sector-specific pre-employment training, work experience and a guaranteed interview
- Flexible Support Fund – a discretionary fund used to remove barriers to your employment, which can include training courses.
- Access to Work – Helps disabled people who are in paid employment (or with a job or work trial to start) by providing practical support in overcoming related obstacles from disability.
- Possible contributions towards employment costs resulting from disability.
- Apprenticeships – combine practical training in a job with a wage with time to study.
- Traineeships – an education and training programme with work experience that unlocks the great potential of young people aged 16 to 24 and prepares them for their future careers by helping them become ‘work ready.’
- Personal Mentoring Network (delivered by PLUSS in Somerset) – Open to 18 to 24 year olds. The Personal Mentors will provide individually tailored packages of employment support for young people. Support for 2 to 4 hours a week for up to 12 weeks. When you get a job, the mentor will spend up to 26 weeks helping you settle into your new job. The support will address the barriers faced.
All Somerset JobCentres have a ‘single point of contact’ for care leavers, and they work closely with Care Leaver Teams.