Our work is largely focused in two main areas:

Helping young people to secure work placements – our main objective is to help young people secure jobs and apprenticeships with our employer partners. However, we also help with work experience placements, and support young people to apply for roles elsewhere too.

Prior to placing young people with employers we assess them for work-readiness and their suitability for specific opportunities. If we think they’re a good match our staff and volunteers will help them to prepare and tailor their CVs, applications and cover letters. We also help young people to prepare for interviews and assessments when offered. In all cases we provide careers advice, strength-based coaching, general encouragement and sign-posting to other services when useful or needed.

We can also support young people with travel costs to and from interviews, and during the first month of their placement, and help them to obtain work-ready clothing, either directly or through referral to our valued network partners.

Inspiring and upskilling young people – through events, workshops and insight days that help young people develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to progress into placement opportunities or advance their existing career.

Since Covid-19 most of our sessions have been run virtually and focused on CV and interview advice, but we’ve previously been able to organise visits to employers including Electronic Arts, LinkedIn and Microsoft. With restrictions easing we’re in the process of resuming some face-to-face work while continuing to organise virtual events.