Community Services
Connect to Work - supported employment
Supported employment focuses on placing people into work at the earliest opportunity and providing ongoing support to help them succeed.
Supported employment combines job-seeking and employment support, ensuring that you can start working quickly while receiving the necessary assistance to overcome barriers. This will not only help you find employment but will also empower you to maintain your job and thrive in the workplace.
How it works
- Engagement - you let us know that you want to take part and we set up a meeting with you to see if supported employment will work for you
- Vocational profiling - finding out about skills and abilities, what you want to achieve and plan how to get there
- Job finding - we support you to look for a job that suits you and meets your goals
- Employer engagement - you work out a plan with the employer about how they will support you in the workplace
- On and off job support - you learn about the new job, and if needed take part in any training or coaching that you may need as well as on-going workplace reviews to support you
What support you will get
- Learn more about supported employment to decide whether it is right for you
- Get help to identify what you want to achieve and create a plan to get there
- Get help to find vacancies by matching your skills to a role that meets your employment goals
- Learn about the job and work out a plan with the employer on how you can best be supported through recruitment and in the workplace
- Get support while you learn the job and on-going to help keep you employed - this may include job coaching, training and support from an employment specialist and workplace reviews
Who can apply
- People who have a disability as defined in section 6 of the Equality Act 2010 or the Social Model of Disability
- People who meet the definition of one of the specified disadvantaged groups with additional multiple and complex barriers that would benefit from support
- An offender (someone who is serving a community service) or ex-offender (someone who has completed a custodial or community sentence)
- A carer
- An ex-carer
- A homeless person
- A former member of His Majesty's (HM) Armed Forces (AF), a member of HM AF reserves, or a partner of current or former Armed Forces personnel
- A person for whom a drug or alcohol dependency, including a history of dependency, presents a significant barrier to employment
- Care experienced young person or a care leaver
- A refugee, a resettled Afghan
- A person on the Ukrainian scheme
- A victim/survivor of domestic abuse
- Young people identified as being involved or at risk of being involved in serious violence
- A victim of modern slavery
How to apply
Apply for supported employment (connect to work)
After you have completed the online form, we will contact you within 3 working days to set up a meeting with you.
Contact us for more information
If you want more information or help then please contact us:
01437 776609
connect2work@pembrokeshire.gov.uk
Connect to Work employer information
Connect to Work is an opportunity for employers to start, or build upon, their disability and wider inclusion strategies through access to Supported Employment specialists who will guide you towards having a more accessible workplace by supporting disabled people, those with health conditions and those with complex barriers to employment.
What you will get as a Connect to Work employer
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Wraparound support
Individuals employed through Connect to Work will be supported by an Employment Specialist who will collaborate with the employer on induction, training, career planning and identifying reasonable adjustments.
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Stronger links to support networks
Employment Specialists can direct employers to useful services, whether you are new to this space or already a Disability Confident Employer.
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Recruitment
A Connect to Work Employment Specialist will work in partnership with employers to understand the needs of your business, to match the right person to a job that aligns with their skills and goals, saving time and recruitment costs.
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Inclusive practices
The Employment Specialist can support employers with practices like inclusive talent attraction, on-boarding processes and career building to facilitate the transition to a more inclusive workplace.
Benefits to you as the employer
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Potential increased productivity
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Increased customer diversity
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Reduced staff turnover
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Improved work environment
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Reputational gains
Myth-busting
Lack of time
A key benefit of Connect to Work is the access to Employment Specialists who can work in partnership with you and the participant to understand your business requirements whilst working to build the confidence and capability of the wider workforce, removing the onus from the business.
Size of business
Employers of all sizes already use Supported Employment schemes; the Employment Specialist can identify your workplace's specific needs and accommodate.
Sick leave
Studies show there is little to no difference between the amount of sick leave taken by employees on supported employment programmes versus those who are not. Any concerns can be shared with the Employment Specialist
and solutions formulated.
Reasonable adjustments
Reasonable adjustments are changes an employer makes to remove or reduce a disadvantage related to someone's disability.
They are a legal requirement for all employers, often cost very little and can improve efficiency. For example, providing flexible working patterns may allow an individual to work the hours they are most productive.
They:
- are specific to an individual person
- can be for any disability (physical or mental health) including long term health conditions
- can cover any area of work
What is reasonable depends on each situation. The Employment Specialist will help Employers and Employees to identify and implement any adjustments. These are often of no or low cost and can be simple to set-up.
Reasonable adjustments examples:
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Providing equipment, services or support
Providing additional or adapted equipment like a chair or offering 1-1 support to help manage workload.
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Changing someone's working arrangements
Allowing someone to work from home or to change their working pattern.
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Finding a different way to do something
Introduce different training methods for different ways of learning or distribute tasks differently within a team.
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Making changes to the workplace
Providing an accessible parking space or changing the layout of an office space.
Register your interest
When you have registered your interest with us, an Employment Specialist will complete a job analysis to understand the tasks and attributes associated with the role to match to the profile of a Connect to Work participant.
Our Employment Specialist can walk you through the recruitment process, support with adjustments and guide your recruiting managers.
The Employment Specialist will also provide individually tailored support for your employee, support workplace culture and empower team members to provide natural support.
Register your interest to become a Connect to Work employer (opens in a new tab)
Contact us for more information
If you want more information or help then please contact us:
01437 776609
connect2work@pembrokeshire.gov.uk
Employability Support
Supporting Employability is the single point of access for the employability projects that work alongside the Supported Employment Programme:
- Workways+
- Tackling in Work Poverty
- Local Supported Employment Initiative
- The We Can Project
- The In Work Support Service
- UKSPF Supporting Employability
Looking for work?
If you live or work in Pembrokeshire and have a barrier to employment including disability, long term health condition or additional support needs, then we will help you access advice and a wide range of support tailored to your individual needs to
- Improve your skills and knowledge to gain or retain work
- Get you into work
- Help you stay in work
Looking to recruit?
We can work in partnership with employers to support recruitment including pre-employment initiatives and funded paid work opportunities preparing local people to meet your skills and business requirements. We also support small and medium sized businesses with health and wellbeing programmes for existing employees and improvements to equality and diversity in the workplace.
For more information:
call: 01437 776609
e-mail: getinvolved@pembrokeshire.gov.uk
You can refer yourself or someone else by completing and returning a referral form, sending an email or by giving us a call.
To make a referral to any project use the Supporting Employability referral form:
- Complete the Supporting Training and Employability referral form online
- Contact getinvolved@pembrokeshire.gov.uk and we will send you the form
Find out more about some of the projects:
The details you provide will be reviewed, you will be contacted to discuss your needs and signposted to the most appropriate project.
You can find our privacy statement at Departmental Privacy Notice
Projects included in the Supported Employment Programme
Pembrokeshire Supported Employment Programme
Supported Employment Programme
The Supported Employment Programme is a group of local authority based enterprises that employs over 75 people with a disability or work limiting health condition. As well as offering paid supported employment, it also offers work experience, training and a work based day opportunities to a further approximately 75 people each week.
The programme works with people with a wide range of disabilities including
- Learning Disabilities
- Neuro-diverse conditions including Autism
- Mental Ill Health
- Physical Disability
- Sensory Disability
- Substance Misuse
- Work limiting health conditions such as epilepsy, cancer and arthritis.
We assist people to achieve greater independence and self-esteem in supported work based settings that include our factory (Norman Industries), craft workshop, shop (Station Shop, Scolton Manor), saw mill (Talog Coed) and cafes (Social Zone - Milford Haven, Caffi Cyfle @ No 5 and Edies Tearoom) and the associated administration, design and social media communication.
We Can Project. The project is designed to support people with more profound and multiple disability. The project supports people to develop independence developing social, budgeting, and living skills while providing a higher level of support. The project uses the Positive Behavioural Support model to design support for people with behaviours that challenge based on inclusion, choice, participation and equality of opportunity. The main focus is on preventing the circumstances that lead to challenging behaviours, adapting support if behaviours begin to appear and using positive reactive responses when they occur.
Paid work is offered under a supported employment scheme which provides employment linked to support and job coaching dependent on the needs of the individual. Support could include additional or specialist equipment, a support worker, job coach, job aide or communication support. The support is usually funded through a grant from Access to Work. Our paid work scheme is supported by employability projects: Supporting Employment
Work Experience offers people who are thinking about work the opportunity to gain skills for work, to complete relevant training, improve their CV and gain a reference for future employers. For people who have limited work experience, it is also an opportunity to try out different jobs to match to existing skills and interests.
Training is provided in partnership with Pembrokeshire College and Learning Pembrokeshire and people can gain an Agored qualification in a range of subjects including health and safety, woodwork, craft, essential skills, such as numeracy and literacy, and employability.
The We Can project is an ASDAN centre providing training under the My Independence programme to develop independent living skills.
Work based day service supports people with higher levels of disability to engage in work based activities design to increase their skills, confident and independence and to get them ready for work if that’s something they aspire to.
To make a referral to the Supported Employment Programme
- Complete the Supporting Training Employability referral form (opens in a new tab) online
- Contact getinvolved@pembrokeshire.gov.uk and we will send you the form
Telephone: 01437 774641
E-mail: getinvolved@pembrokeshire.gov.uk
Address: Snowdrop Lane, Haverfordwest, SA61 1JB
Key contact:
Programme Manager: Karen Davies: Karen.davies@pembrokeshire.gov.uk
Employability Manager: Eleanor Brick: Eleanor.brick@pembrokeshire.gov.uk
Training Manager: Lee Adams: Lee.adams2@pembrokeshire.gov.uk
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Pembrokeshire County Council is a Disability Confident Leader |
Norman Industries is a member of the British Association of Supported Employment (BASE) | Access to work - making work possible |
Community Services
What’s on Offer?
At each of our Library branches you will find:
- Public access PC’s with free internet access
- Printing services
- Free Wi-fi (N.B. some sites operate Wi-fi on request)
- Friendly helpful staff
- A range of: fiction and non-fiction books, DVDs, children’s books & audio books.
Mobile Library service
Pembrokeshire Libraries runs a mobile Library service which covers many parts of the County. Every stop on each route will be visited once every four weeks, at the same time.
The mobile has lift access for users with mobility problems.
Library at home service
If you are unable to access the Library Service either in branch or via the mobile you may be eligible for our Library at Home service.
For more information on our library services please visit Libraries and Culture
Dementia Cafes
Alzheimer’s Society run a number of dementia services around the County, such as Dementia Cafes, Singing for the Brain, activity groups, befriending service, support groups, advocacy and more. To find out more:
Alzheimer’s Society
Tel: 01646 692329
Befriending
Befrienders can help you socialise and stay active by taking part in activities, hobbies and learning new skills with you.There are several organisations offering befriending services in Pembrokeshire.
Pembrokeshire Mind
Provide a range of groups and activities to anyone who is experiencing the effects of loneliness including carers.
Tel: 01437 769982
hello@mindpembrokeshire.org.uk
Age Cymru Dyfed
- Offer befriending to people aged 50+ including one-to-one befriending and social/activity groups.
- Offer help and advice on a range of topics including benefits for older people. Age Cymru Dyfed can help identify the benefits you may be entitled to and can also help with form filling and applications.
Tel: 03333 447874
Reception@agecymrudyfed.org.uk
Pembrokeshire: jacqui.breese@agecymrudyfed.org.uk
Ceredigion: kim.bacon@agecymrudyfed.org.uk
Carmarthenshire: rhiannon.williams@agecymrudyfed.org.uk
Royal Voluntary Service
Offers befriending to older people.
Tel: 07585 997091
pembshub@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk
Alzheimer’s Society
Offers befriending to people living with dementia.
Tel: 01646 692329
Volunteering Matters
Co-ordinate a range of friendship groups and a befriending network.
Tel: 01437 769422