Employment Training, Advice & Support

Lewisham College have a range of employability courses covering a variety of sectors, including construction, care, education, and more. 

The majority of courses include a guaranteed interview on completion of the two-week program and will take place at Lewisham College, Lewisham Way Campus, London, SE4 1UT.

Eligibility:
Candidates must be aged 19 or older as of 31st August 2024, currently receiving JSA (Job Seekers Allowance), ESA (Employment and Support Allowance), or UC (Universal Credit), and able to commit to the scheduled times and duration of their chosen course.

Course Timetable

For details, please vist the Lewisham College website or download PDF documents by clicking subject titles below.

For more information or to register your interest in a course, please go to the Lewisham College website.

Southwark Works is the home of Southwark Employment Services.

If you need some extra support to find a job, the Southwark Works team of specialist employment advisers can help you. They provide personal, confidential, one-to-one support for unemployed residents who are experiencing challenges or difficulties in securing a job.

Advisers can help you to create a CV, show you how to undertake effective job searching, how to complete applications, help with your interview techniques, as well as offer information and advice about training and work experience.

If you need training, they can refer you to a local provider, or you may benefit from one of their in-house workshops or courses.

Based in Elephant and Castle, Southwark Works offers a range of employability workshops, including confidence building, customer service, basic IT, CV writing and interview techniques. They also offer access to vocational qualifications such as construction CSCS cards and Food Safety/First Aid etc. All services are fully funded by Southwark Council.

Contact:

Email: info@southwarkworks.org.uk
Telephone: 0800 052 0540 
Website: Southwark Works

This project aims to support Southwark young people aged 16 – 25 to increase their employability and gain jobs and apprenticeships. They can also support those already in employment to progress into better work with more pay or a more secure contract.

Support will be one to one, with optional group activity. Support is tailored, and the initial assessment considers strengths, experiences, circumstances and needs are identified and wider issues such as housing, health, family support, care/childcare responsibilities, as well as employment and skills.

Young people will be supported to improve their employability, undertake work experience, relevant training to increase skills and take up opportunities including paid employment or apprenticeships.

Who is the service for?

Southwark Young Person 16-25 who experience one or more of the following:

• NEET
• Experience of Criminal Justice System, Youth Violence or Gang activity (including a victim of crime)
• Substance Misuse
• Learning difficulty and/or disability
• Mental Health Concerns
• Care Leaver

Accessibility of this service

Support is mainly one to one and will be adjusted to suit individual need.
St Giles Trust is Wheelchair accessible and outreach support can be offered when required.
The service is impartial, and all clients are given confidentially agreements.

Useful to know

It is recommended that you initially contact the service by phone or email, rather than just turning up at the office. Staff are often working in outreach locations and may not be available for drop-ins. 

Training provided

There will be regular employability workshops offered to Young People supported by the service.

Drop in service

• Drop-in support available at Southwark Youth Offending Service, Springfield Lodge and other local services. For more information contact the service directly.
• Delivery from their head office: St Giles Trust, 64-68 Camberwell Church Street, London SE5 8JB

How can I access this service?

You can contact the service on 0207 708 8064 or 07384 511 830 and ask for the Your Path team.  You can also email YP@stgilestrust.org.uk

• St Giles Trust 'Your Path' Flyer ^{(pdf, 615kb)}
• Click here to complete a referral form.

 My Tribe Beyond:

What : An 8 weeks programme for young people, 15 and over, not in education, employment or training to explore their next best step. You will explore career/educational need, develop confidence and resilience, find your tribe and build your transition plan.

Date: Cohort 1: 3 June until 25^th July 2024 (Monday and Thursday) / Cohort 2: September until Nov / Cohort 3 : January until March

Time: 10am-1:00pm

Location: Mint Street Adventure Play Ground – SE1 1QU

Age: 15 years old and over

SEND provision: 12 people in a group - 2 adults in the room and a career level 7 expert online

More info: info@theneurodiversityfamilyhub.org

Age Range: 16-25

Overview:
Unity Works is a charity with the purpose of reducing the learning disability employment gap and getting more individuals with learning disability who want to work, into work.  We have a number of supported employment programmes, social enterprises, health and wellbeing programmes.

We have recently launched a new programme called Unity Futures.  It is for young people with learning disabilities aged 16-25 who are not in education, employment, or training.  We offer 1:1 sessions with a Health and Wellbeing Coach and an Employment Advisor as well as group sessions.  On top of supporting our service users with finding employment , we are also aiming to help them to develop independent skills in areas such as budgeting or travel. Additionally, we hope our peer group sessions will help them expand their social circles and reduce social isolation. 

• Unity Futures Flyer ^{(pdf, 258kb)}
• Intro to Unity Futures ^{(pdf, 742kb)}

Eligibility Criteria:

• Age 16-25 with a learning disability and/or autistic
• Living in a London Borough
• Not in employment, education or training (or at risk of becoming)

Accessibility for this service:
This service is accessible to anyone living in Southwark age 16-25, with a learning disability, learning difficulty and autistic people looking for support towards employment. Meetings are available by appointment and are located in fully accessible spaces, with private/quiet rooms available. Individuals are welcome to bring a support worker/keyworker/parent for additional support.

How can I access this service?
Please click here to complete a referral form. ^{(docx, 443kb)} and send to laura.murphy@unityworks.org.uk

How is this service funded?

The Unity Futures programme is funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Do you need to pay for this service?
No. 

Confidentiality and impartiality:
Impartial information, advice and guidance is provided to all referrals and the results of any initial screening and assessments done are confidential and not shared by any third parties, unless mutually agreed by the service user.

Contact us:

Referrals are open to all who meet the above criteria and eligibility. For referrals and questions:
Laura Murphy (Health & Wellbeing Manager) at laura.murphy@unityworks.org.uk 

Peter Hass (Referral Outreach Coordinator) peter.hass@unityworks.org.uk

Greater London Authority (GLA) Programme

The GLA programme is aimed at individuals aged between 16-24 and living in London. It is an initiative that offers end-to-end support, including case management and coaching, to help participants achieve their education, training and employment goals.

Support is also provided once participants are in a placement to help them settle in, meet the expectations of their employer or training/education provider, perform at their best, and achieve their SMART action plan goals. Visit the Genius Within website for further details.

The Spear Programme helps young people facing disadvantage into work or education. We equip them with confidence, motivation and the vital skills they need to succeed in long-term employment. 

The Spear Programme equips you with the skills, mindset & resources you need to get into work or education, including interview techniques, cover letter advice, and growing your confidence.

If you’re 16 – 24 and looking for work, the Spear Programme can help.

A six-week programme of expert coaching, to help you overcome whatever challenges you face, and equip you with the skills and mindset you need to get into work or education. 

Click here to download the Spear Kennington prospectus ^{(pdf, 2.6mb)} which has the dates for our 2024-25 programme’s and a brief outline of what Spear is and why we do it.

Click here to visit the: Resurgo Website

Click here to complete your details and register your interest: Sign-up Form

Khadeejah’s story- The prospectus and website can only speak so much into what Spear is like, it can be much more impactful to listen or watch the story of a trainee who has completed the programme. Khadeejah’s story can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkhKt9t-m1A

CareTrade have lots of different services and options to support you with finding and maintaining successful and fulfilling employment.

Aspire

The Aspire programme is a short employability course facilitated by CareTrade staff for autistic young learners. The programme can be delivered in schools, sixth form or colleges and typically runs over the course of 8 weeks.

The aim of the course is to introduce learners to the concept of employability, to encourage them to start thinking about what they want to do in the future and the options for entering employment. 

The programme encompasses a mixture of activities to suit different learning styles and includes sessions on travelling to work, skills for work, problem-solving in the workplace and the possible routes into employment. The programme also includes a session in which the learners have the opportunity to visit CareTrade’s supported internship ‘The Autism Project’ in action, seeing some of the jobs that current students are doing in either Guy’s, St. Thomas’ or the Whittington hospital.

Care Trade Aspire webpage

In-Work and Interview Support

We offer support in the workplace for employees and employers.

CareTrade provides in work support, which is funded by the employer or through the government Access to Work scheme, please follow this link for more information about Access to Work funding https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work

We are also able to provide interview support for individuals on the autistic spectrum, funded by Access to Work.

CareTrade also run the Autism Project, a full-time, two-year, employability programme for autistic young people aged 18-25, with an Education Health & Care Plan. Find out more about their opportunities on their website: Care Trade Website

Contact CareTrade for information on any of their opportunities and support services:

T: 020 3375 6288
E: info@caretradeuk.org

The Princes Trust work with 18 to 30-year-olds to turn big ideas into a business reality through their Enterprise programme

The Trust help with training and mentoring support to funding and resources, they're with you every step of the way.

To find out our more information click here.

 Employment rights depend on the contract of your employment and your statutory rights.

Employment rights and Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)

DDA is legislation for people with a disability to receive the same employment rights as other employees and job seekers.

It is unlawful for an employer to subject a candidate because of their disability. The DDA sets out the law throughout the entire recruitment phase including end of employment, performance management and reasonable adjustments at work.

Please click here to read in full the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)

For impartial advice about employment rights, click here

Another option available will be working for yourself on a Self Employed basis or working on behalf of an employer on a Self Employed contract. When choosing to go self employed you will be taking the ownership of paying your contribution to tax and national insurance, responsibility of yearly tax returns and general administration. There are many organisations that can offer support and guidance, many also provide new and aspiring business owners with funding and grants such as Turn 2 Us.

For more information regarding Self Employment click here

Catch22 is a social business which helps get people into work and training through high quality apprenticeships, vocational training and employment support programmes that are tailored to the needs of individuals. 

For more information please visit the website by clicking here

Click the links below to view the Traineeship vacancies, for 16-19 year olds. All eligible applicants may apply using the links below, which are not reserved for any particular borough of London. Progression opportunities include apprenticeships, employment and further education.

Catch22/Learn Plus Us Apprenticeship opportunities

Street League is for individuals aged 16-24 years old who are not in education, employment or training.

Their programmes offer you the chance to get fit, have fun, build skills, and gain qualifications.  They can support you to move into work, college, an apprenticeship or training - whatever your goals are, they can help.  

Street League have multiple upcoming programmes running across 4 locations in London, Victoria, Stepney Green, Southwark and Wembley. 

• Job club programme (Delivered at Victoria, Stepney Green, Southwark and Wembley)

1.  This is delivered on a rolling basis at any of our 4 locations, candidates can join at anytime. 

2. Sessions are delivered Monday- Thurs in 1:1 sessions or workshops. 
3. The team supports candidates into jobs, courses and apprenticeships, and tailors their support to the individual. 

4. Works with anyone aged 16-30.

• Functional Skills Academy (Delivered at various sites across London)

1. This 12-week programme delivered Monday - Thursday 9:30-3:30pm
2. Candidates achieve their Functional Skills Maths and English qualifications up to Level 2 GCSE equivalent.
3. Upon completion, they are then supported into jobs, courses or apprenticeships.
4. Works with anyone aged 16-24. 

Next Functional Skills Start Date: 20th January 2025 

Location: Queen Mother Sports Centre, 223 Vauxhall Bridge Rd, SW1V 1EL

For further information and to book your place:

Email: antony.eyakware@streetleague.co.uk, 07808852300

Street League Functional Skills Flyer (20th Jan 2025) ^{(png, 1.6mb)}

•  Employability Academy (Delivered at Southwark only) 

1. 8-week programme working with anyone aged 16-24.
2. Level 1 Progressions award employability qualification3. Level 1 Self Awareness and Confidence qualification
4. Level 3 1st aid in the workplace qualification. 
They are then supported into jobs, courses or apprenticeships upon course completion.

• Female Empowerment Academy (Delivered at Wembley only) 

1. 10-week programme supporting females aged 18-24.  
2. Sessions on, Health and wellbeing, rights awareness, digital and financial literacy, and employability.

3. External facilitators will deliver workshops on topics such as self-defence, consent, sexual health.
They are then supported into employment upon completion.  

All of our programmes are FREE, as long as a candidate can travel to one of our four locations and meets the eligibility criteria, they can join the programme which is best suited to them. Street League covers all YP travel expenses, offers light refreshments at each location and YP get access to free active wear too. 

Further information

To find out more about programmes, you can:

• Complete an online referral form 
• Direct message Street League on their Instagram page Street League - London (@streetleague_london) • Instagram photos and videos
• Email Lorder-Sade Akinbo lordersade.akinbo@streetleague.co.uk 

Autus aims to facilitate personal and professional growth for people with Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) and complex needs, through use of innovative virtual environments. We provide programmes and activities that help build confidence, develop social communication, digital and employability skills.

Age Range: 16-30

Who is the service for?
We support young people aged 16 plus who have an Autistic Spectrum Condition. Typically those who have struggled to progress through mainstream education and / or have difficulty securing / sustaining employment.

Criteria to access the service:
A formal diagnosis is NOT necessary and people can self refer. Private and direct payments are accepted for our paid for services.

Accessibility: As our programmes are delivered predominately online using a virtual learning environment, access to a PC/laptop and Wi-Fi are necessary. We do offer a laptop loan service. Some training and support may also be available from our office based in Croydon.

How this is provided: Register your interest in any of our programmes using this link www.autus.org.uk/register, or check our current provision first at www.autus.org.uk

Do you need to pay for this service: Some of our provision requires payment. However, we do offer a number of fully funded programmes, where individuals can access free provision. Please check our website for further information.

Training provided: Autus offers a range of programmes and courses to meet the diverse needs of our service users. We aim to help people to harness their potential and achieve their personal and professional goals.

Programmes include confidence building, employability skills, enterprise skills, IT and other digital skills such as 3D Modelling and coding.

Contact details:
Telephone: 07432 300 287
Email: info@autus.org.uk

Southwark Construction Skills Centre is a hub for construction training for London with a unique outdoor training facility so that trainees can experience a real construction environment. A key focus of the construction centre is to provide young Londoners with an opportunity to secure local construction jobs, while also tackling the industry skills shortage.

The centre is the brainchild of Southwark Council, working in partnership with developer Lendlease who has housed the centre on-site at Elephant Park, which means classrooms will be based at the heart of the borough on one of the country’s largest regeneration sites at the Elephant and Castle. This centre is an approved CSCS Test centre which is the leading skills certificate scheme within the UK construction industry. 

They provide apprenticeships, qualifications, short courses, and engagement schemes for young people who may be interested in a career in Construction.

Take a look at the SCSC website for the latest opportunities here: Southwark Construction Skills Centre

 Are you neurodivergent and looking for support in your job search?

Join the online Neurodivergent Job Club where you can connect with others, share experiences, and gain valuable insights. Our club offers a safe and inclusive space for individuals with diverse neurological profiles. Whether you’re seeking employment or navigating the workplace, we’re here to help. Come join us and let’s empower each other in our career journeys!

This is an autism friendly support programme into jobs run by autistic people for autistic people.

The Job Club is a free 12-session program designed to support autistic individuals in preparing for employment and moving closer to securing desired work.  

For further information and to sign up, please visit the NDSA (Neurodiversity Self Advocacy) website 

Further info: email youthserviceinfo@southwark.gov.uk or download a flyer ^{(pdf, 735kb)}

 The Baytree Centre is an educational charity for women and girls, based in the heart of Brixton.  Their programmes focus on education, training, and employability skills. 

Baytree’s Youth Service provides a safe and supportive space for girls and young women aged 6-20 to develop personally and academically.  

Baytree's Women Service offers a wide range of free activities for women (18+) in a safe, all-female space. From physical and mental well-being to career development and money management, there’s something for everyone to explore, learn, and connect with others.

Address: The Baytree Centre, 300-302 Brixton Road, SW9 6AE
General Enquiries Phone : 0207 733 5283

AFK's mission is to support as many young people with disabilities and autism as possible, by giving them the opportunity to work or volunteer in their community.

Running employability programmes since 2013, they now have a wide range of business partners and companies offering work placements and jobs to their trainees.

Who is it for?

If you have a disability and/or identify as neurodivergent, and live in London, AFK can help get you into work.

The aim of their Employment and Skills Programme is to support disabled London residents aged 18-25 into paid employment. Although they are based in the North London area, they welcome requests from elsewhere in England as they may be able to work with you virtually online.

Further information 

Visit the AFK website

Email: elaine.harman@afkcharity.org 

Telephone: 020 8347 8111