Suffolk County Council has been successful in securing European Social Funding to deliver a 3-year project called Work Well Suffolk.
Work Well Suffolk will provide a locally integrated coaching and employment service that tackles the deep-seated barriers to work for all who need it.
The service will act as the ‘cement between the bricks’ of the health, employability, skills and wellbeing services that are available to people in Suffolk.
It will ensure that individuals can gain bespoke and timely access to relevant services whilst blending in coaching, employability support, skills provision and advice and guidance.
Realise Futures CIC will provide a dedicated Work Well Suffolk Coaching Service for people with multiple and complex barriers to progressing in life and work. It will also focus on supporting the people of Suffolk to re-engage with education, training, or employment.
Working with our strategic partners, Steadfast Training and MENTA, dedicated Work Well Suffolk Employment Services will seek out, create and support employment and self-employment, volunteering and mentoring opportunities for individuals across the county.
The project will be managed by Suffolk County Council and delivered across the following areas of Suffolk; Ipswich, West Suffolk, Babergh and Mid Suffolk, East Suffolk and Waveney.
The project has Coaches across Suffolk who can provide a personalised, 1 to 1 service. We will work with Participants to set goals based on their strengths, skills and interests and help them take small steps to improve their health, wellbeing, learning and employability skills. We will assess their needs and find ways to overcome barriers to employment and training.
We can help anyone who is over 18 years old and eligible to work in the UK. If our service is not the most appropriate to help we will do a warm handover to other services. Priority for the Coaching service will be given to people who face barriers to employment due to:-
a long term health condition,
a mental health issue,
a learning difficulty of disability, or
Autism
Childcare issues
and are:
unemployed or
unable to work
The Realise Futures coaching service is working with Steadfast Training and Menta, Steadfast Training deliver Work Well Suffolk’s Employment Service. Steadfast will support participants to prepare them for their entry (or re-entry) to employment by equipping them with the skills to get them work ready. This will include employability and personal development workshops that cover CV and letter writing, guided and independent job search, interview skills practice, budgeting and ‘better-off-benefits’ calculations and personal presentation and hygiene. The service will also regularly identify local vacancies and volunteering opportunities.
In addition, specific accredited training includes Business Administration; Customer Service; Management & Team Leadership Skills; Retail; Adult Care; ICT; Warehouse and Storage and Hospitality & Catering.
Given the current COVID-19 pandemic, all elements of Steadfast's support service will be delivered remotely. Using a mix of tutor-led ‘virtual classroom’ training, short online courses and video tutorials, followed by daily phone calls to each participant.
MENTA who deliver Work Well Suffolk’s Self-Employment Service can work with any participants interested in finding out more about starting a business and being their own boss. MENTA can help participants understand how to write a business plan, how to market a business and understand how business finances work. MENTA will tailor their support for individuals by providing 1 to 1 advice, as well as training workshops and helpful guides.
The Realise Futures Coaching Service website has a 3 min YouTube video clip which explains the service. Our online referral form can be found at the bottom of the webpage:-
To refer into Work Well Suffolk please use the website below or email workwellsuffolk@suffolk.gov.uk for further information.
Kind Regards
Work Well Suffolk
Children & Young People’s Directorate
Suffolk County Council
Gold Block, Floor 4, Skills Team
Endeavour House
Russell Road
Ipswich IP1 2BX
