Wigan Council

Supported Employment provides an all-encompassing service, supporting individuals who have a disability that want to develop their skills and experience to find paid employment. We provide an end-to-end process which includes exploring aspirations by getting to know clients well, action planning, CV building, supported work placements, job searching and application, interview skills, support at interview, 1-1 in work job coaching via place and train. Our offer supports anyone with a disability or long-term health condition, that has the commitment and willingness to engage in finding employment.

We also provide a Supported Internship programme for 16–24-year-olds that have an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP). The service offers job coaching support for students attending college with an EHC plan that are aiming to bridge the gap from education to employment. Local colleges that deliver a Supported Internship work in partnership with Supported Employment to provide in work support using local host employers in Wigan. The host employers aim to support a young person to understand the world of work and offer a long-term place in their premises to learn skills and develop knowledge of a role, with one-to-one job coaching support from the team. The aim is to bridge the gap from education to employment, allowing a young person to reach their aspirations and source future employment, develop independent travelling skills and build on confidence.

Supported Employment Service also offers a retention service to clients that are known to the service that need additional support and advice to sustain their role. This is a unique offer to existing clients of the service that require re-training or support in the workplace to ensure they remain in employment.