Supported Employment is the basis for our service. We believe that anyone who wants to work can, with the right support and opportunities.
A system that works for someone else may not meet your needs as an individual, which is why we always used a person-centred approach.
The support we offer will be delivered one-to-one by a Job Coach who gets to know you, your needs and aspirations, and helps you meet your personal work goals.
Your Journey with Supported Employment
What will our your support look like? Everyone’s journey into work is different, but here are some of the steps we take on the way.
Referral – Finding out about You
The first thing you need to do to receive support is complete a referral form and send it in to us. This lets us know your details and what support you will need.
You can find more information on eligibility, see our making a Referral page.
Once we receive your referral, we need to do an assessment to see how you could benefit from support. There will be a small waiting period while we assess your referral, but once this is done we can move on to the next steps!
Initial Meeting and Registration – Starting Support
Once we know we can support you, you will be assigned a Job Coach who will work directly with you on your employment journey.
Your Job Coach will get in touch to arrange an initial meeting with you, and help you complete the paperwork to get your registered with us.
Vocational Profiling – Getting to know You
Your Job Coach will take time in your meetings to learn about your aspirations, the sort of work you want to do, and what your skills and strengths are.
This builds your ‘Vocational Profile’ which we use to match you with opportunities that will be positive and fulfilling for you.
Action Planning – Progressing towards Work
Once we know what you want to do, we work with you to create a plan on how to get you into work. This may involve finding training or work experience to close gaps in your skills, helping you look for opportunities and talking to employers, or just looking at ways to build your confidence.
Job Matching – Finding a role that fits You
Our goal is to find the right person for the right job.
Once we’ve found a role that may be suitable, we will work with you and the employer to match you to the role and the workplace. We may set up a work trial so you can show a potential employer your ability to do the job before you become a paid member of staff. This can be a great way to become part of the team and gain confidence in yourself before starting work!
In Work Support – Making sure you Succeed
Once you have successfully entered work, your Job Coach will continue to support you in the workplace where needed. This may involve helping you and your employer with Access to Work, advising on reasonable adjustments, or just being on hand while you become comfortable with the job role and your new workplace.
Ongoing Support and Career Development – After DurhamEnable
Once you are settled in your role, we will gradually reduce our support as you get more comfortable within work. Our goal is to see you in a supportive and fulfilling workplace that gives you the support you need to develop your career.
If you would like to know more, please get in touch!
