Our support
Pathways to Work is a support service that helps unemployed people in Sheffield move into work. It is free to access for those who meet the eligibility criteria.
Our teams of expert Employment Advisers provide access to a wide range of training, wellbeing and financial support. We will help you find and start the right job for you.
Here’s how it works…
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Getting to know our participants
Participants will meet their own expert Employment Adviser at their first appointment. Together, they will discuss interests, skills, experience, circumstances and ambitions.
Our Employment Advisers will then work with their participants to create a plan that will provide guidance on their journey into work. Our team are on hand to help participants plan and coordinate everything that they have set themselves to do.
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Using our range of support
Pathways to Work provides access to a wide range of different support.
This means that we can help participants overcome a range of barriers.
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1 - Skills training
Developing new skills, or refreshing existing ones, can be an important step in finding work.
We offer in-house courses that help to develop skills for a chosen job sector or role. As a result of the working partnerships that we have with local employers, we can offer work taster sessions. Many of these come with guaranteed interviews with employers at the end.
We deliver sessions that focus on improving digital skills, or characteristics like self-confidence or team working.
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2 - Health & wellbeing support
We know that concerns about health can often make starting and staying in work more difficult.
We are a Disability Confident Leader, which means we are committed to making work accessible for everyone.
Specialist support from our partner Reed Wellbeing can help with a range of physical or mental health needs, including with coping with stress or anxiety, managing pain, improving diet, and being more physically active and managing health at work.
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3 - Financial help
We have funding available to make sure that the cost of returning to work is not an issue.
We can help with the cost of travel, interview clothes or equipment for work. We can also pay for skills and training courses.
We can also help to plan financially and with budgeting money for when a participant starts working – including making sure that the jobs they apply for will see them financially better off than not working.
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4 - Self-employment guidance
Working self-employed can be a great option for people who value flexibility or have a trade they can promote.
We provide access to seven Working For Yourself modules, including advice on turning a hobby into a job, making a business plan, invoicing & bookkeeping and promoting a business.
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5 - Job searching
The job market is always evolving and the ways we look for work change.
Our Employment Advisers can help to identify suitable opportunities and demonstrate the best places to job search. We also offer access to Digital Hubs and Online Careers Centre to help.
Our team work with lots of valued, local employers and provide access to a range of exclusive job vacancies, Jobs Fairs and careers events.
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6 - Job applications and interviews
Once our participants find the right role, their Employment Adviser will help them with job applications and prepare a gold standard CV that will stand out from the crowd.
We have experience of helping thousands of people succeed at job interviews.
We can arrange mock interviews and help particpants to prepare their interview answers, practicing the kind of questions they might be asked, which helps improve confidence and helps them to showcase their ability.
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Starting work
Employment Advisers are ready to celebrate on the news of a new job offer!
But their support does not end there.
We keep regular contact with our participants, to make sure they have settled into their new role. If there is anything further that we can do to help our participants can contact their Employment Adviser directly. Funding is also available to help cover costs prior to their first pay.
We can work with employers to assist with adjustments to the workplace due to a health condition or disability.
We also have an AI Interview Simulator on our Online Careers Centre available 24/7.
Eligibility
Some of the reasons you might be eligible can include:
- You are economically inactive - (unemployed and not in the Universal Credit (UC) Intensive Work Search Regime (IWSR) or Job Seekers Allowance (JSA). Claiming other benefits, or no benefits, means you are eligible.
- You are aged 16 or over upon sign up
- You have the legal right to live and work in the UK
- You live in Sheffield
- You can provide your National Insurance Number (NINO)
Sign up
We’re here to help you find and start the right job for you.
To be eligible for Pathways to Work support you must be unemployed, over 16, living in Sheffield and have the legal right to work in the UK.
To sign up, check your eligibility using our form. Or you can call us directly on 0203 657 8774 (Monday to Friday, 9:00am - 4.30pm).