Connect to Work Programme
Helping young people and employers in Kent & Medway
Looking for your first job? Want to build skills for work? Or are you a school, college, or employer wanting to help young people succeed? The Connect to Work Programme is here to help.
Delivered by The Education People on behalf of Kent County Council and Medway Council, this free programme helps people across Kent and Medway overcome barriers to finding and sustaining work.
The Education People's Supported Employment Service supports people with health conditions, disabilities and barriers to employment into paid work.
Whether you’re looking for support, a teacher or careers lead looking for extra support for students, or a business wanting to build a confident, inclusive workforce, they can help.
Connect to Work is completely free for both jobseekers and employers.
Refer or access support Find out more
More information
Getting your first job can feel daunting – especially if you have a disability, health condition, or other challenges.
With Connect to Work, you’ll get:
- 1 to 1 support with a friendly Employment Support Officer or Employment Specialist
- help with CVs, interviews, confidence-building and contacting employers
- job matching and in-work support to help you succeed.
Whether you’re planning your next step after school or struggling to find work, we can help you feel confident about your future.
Are your learners (age 18+) facing barriers to work? Our Supported Employment specialists can:
- work directly with students to build employability skills
- support career teams with free training on inclusive employment
- link students to local opportunities and employers
- provide ongoing advice and signposting.
Connect to Work could also provide support for those leaving education.
Want to build a diverse, resilient workforce while filling vacancies quickly? Connect to Work offers:
- Free recruitment support for roles across Kent and Medway
- Access to talented candidates, including those with SEND and other challenges
- On-the-job guidance to help new employees settle in
- Free training for staff on inclusive hiring
By working with us, you’ll not only meet your recruitment needs but also help more people reach their potential.
To be supported, participants need to be:
- 18+
- living in the Kent or Medway area
- currently out of work, or at risk of losing work
- motivated to find paid employment.
We support:
- people with disabilities or long-term health conditions
- offenders/ex-offenders
- carers/ex-carers
- homeless people
- armed forces veterans/ current AF personnel
- people with drug or alcohol dependencies/history of dependency presenting a barrier to employment
- care experienced young people/care leavers
- refugees (resettled Afghans/ people on the Ukrainian scheme)
- victims/survivors of domestic abuse
- young people involved in or at risk of serious violence
- victims of modern slavery.
Brought to you by
