J2E Additional Information

Aims
The overall aim of Journey to Employment (J2E) is to improve work and health outcomes for disabled people or those who have a long term health condition. 

J2E works to change attitudes towards employment and encourage an environment of “I can” rather than “I can’t”.

Key outcomes for J2E are to:

  • Increase confidence levels
  • Provide condition management techniques 
  • Increase and improve work ready skills
  • Strengthen local community participation to prevent social isolation
  • Move closer to or into employment                                 

What is J2E delivering?

  • J2E will deliver 8 job clubs during the course of the year - each course will run for 12 weeks
  • Access to the Employment Hub – on-going peer support after the J2E job club ends
  • In work support – mentoring support for people moving into employment

The J2E Job Club
We will adopt a holistic approach, ensuring that disabled clients and those with a health condition are supported to move closer to employment at a pace that is right for them.

We will meet each client individually to explore their barriers to employment, their specific health issues, their fears and concerns as well as their aspirations and will work with them to create an individual personal development plan.

We will offer a range of work-ready activities including: confidence and self esteem building activities, career guidance, job search, CV preparation and application form techniques as well as interview skills.  We will explore their awareness of benefits and Access to Work services, ensuring each client understands what support is available to them.

As a specialist volunteering agency we will encourage all our clients to consider the benefits of volunteering as part of their progression to employment with a particular emphasis on the health and wellbeing benefits of volunteering.

The Employment Hub
We will offer weekly drop-in sessions through our Employment Hub for clients that have attended the J2E Job Club sessions.  These informal sessions will provide an opportunity for clients to access support from either the Community Employment Specialist or their peers who can help with job search and interview practice as well as identifying social activities. 

Building relationships with local employers
Our Community Employment Specialists will work with local employers to change attitudes towards employing disabled people, by:

  • Facilitating work trials and work placements to enable J2E participants to gain work experience.
  • Up skilling employers in the benefits of employing disabled people to try to reduce myths and concerns about employing disabled people. 
  • Raising awareness of and actively promoting Access to Work with employers, to demonstrate how beneficial it can be with helping to employ disabled people.

In work support
We will provide mentoring support for individuals who move into employment, to help them settle into the new job and manage any concerns by providing:

  • An employment buddy - peer support for the first three months in employment to help individuals manage the change.
  • Help to identify access needs and work with the employer and individual to try to ensure appropriate adjustments are put in place. 

Who is eligible for Journey to Employment J2E?
An eligible participant will have either:

  • Made a claim on or after 3 April 2017 and are part of the Employment Support Allowance (ESA) - Work Related Activity Group (WRAG) or Universal Credit (Work Preparation Group (because of their limited capability for work), or;
  • Had a Work Capability Assessment (WCA) outcome that places them in either the Employment Support Allowance Work Related Activity Group or Universal Credit Work Preparation Group (because of their limited capability for work) on or after 3 April 2017.

All referrals to J2E must come through advisors/work coaches at Job Centre Plus.