Support to prepare for work or a job

Support is available to help you prepare for work, regain your confidence, to apply for jobs and prepare for job interviews.

It can take time to find a job. You may be new to the employment market or out of work by choice, or because of job loss or redundancy. If you’ve been unemployed for a long time you may be feeling low, anxious or depressed. Mental health support is available in Newcastle if you need it.

Increase your confidence

Building on your existing knowledge, skills and experience can help you find a new job. This includes experience you may have from school or university, volunteering, apprenticeships, in the workplace or in the home, or as a carer or parent. Spend some time thinking about these matters and make some notes on your:

previous work or volunteer roles
passions: what you enjoy and what interests you
existing experience and skills

Reflecting on what you’re good at can help to boost your confidence. Understanding more about yourself means you can explain to others what you can do and how you’re the right person for the job.

Use your notes to start your curriculum vitae (CV), develop a personal profile for online job applications or a personal statement when writing job applications.

By understanding what kind of job you want, you can plan your job searches and set up alerts for jobs or sectors that interest you. Building your confidence is important to feel good about yourself and helps when attending job interviews and starting work. Read more about this on our Looking for work article.

Local employability support

Support is available to help you prepare for employment. It ranges from training, to mentoring, guidance and placements to help give you real life experience in the workplace.

City wide support

Work and Thrive Newcastle offers a one-stop shop for employability support. They can help you with training, career advice and job searching. Anyone can use this free service, on the 2nd floor of Newcastle City Library.

Beam offer a web platform to raise funds towards employment (e.g. training, travel, smartphones, laptops, work attire, childcare, equipment). Beam’s caseworkers provide 1 to1 support with CVs, applications, interview skills and introductions to local employers

Christians Against Poverty (CAP) run life skills and a job preparation club for anyone regardless of race, religion, ethnicity.

Making a Difference North East help you prepare for or get back into work, with support and training to suit your needs. This includes: help to improve your confidence, English and Maths skills; weekly job vacancy bulletins; advice on jobs available in your area; support with job searches, applications and interviews and to start your new job. They work across the North East in a range of local community venues.

Newcastle Futures works with other organisations across the city to help and support unemployed or under employed people (working less than 16 hours a week) to get the right training or employment.

Newcastle City Learning offer a range of courses including, employability, English, Maths, digital skills and English as a second language (ESOL). They also have a 4 week taster Health & Care Academy programme to help you think about a career in care.

Newcastle College run a range of courses including employability, workplace training and apprenticeships.

St Vincent’s offers Skill up sessions for all women on Fridays from 10 to 12 noon.

Your Homes Newcastle offer apprenticeships, including business administration, customer service, warehouse, manufacturing and housing. Priority will be given to applicants who live in a YHN managed property.

NE1.4 is a Talent, Casting and Recruitment Agency. You can register with them to find roles on TV, film and stage, commercials, corporate and music videos, and photography stills. They offer skills and employment training, with a particular focus on the arts.

East Newcastle

Building Futures East offer Build, Empower and Transform (BEaT) employment support. This includes: coaching and skills development , stress and change management, making better life choices, basic skills, financial literacy and vocational options. Their Lifting Neighbourhoods Together project runs a One stop shop drop in with guidance around employment, wellbeing, health and money.

West Newcastle

Reviving the Heart of the West End run Explore, Start, Grow in a combination of 1 to 1 sessions and workshops to help people prepare for working life or business.

Riverside Community Health Project deliver Steps to Employment a training programme that builds confidence, resilience and helps overcome barriers to employment.

Wood Hub CIC offers learning and skills development, placements and recreational sessions for a wide range of needs.

English, Maths and Computer training

Northern Learning Trust run Learning Hives at Galafield, Walker and Blakelaw which includes Maths, English and computer support towards a qualification, as well as gaining financial independence and support towards employment.

Newcastle City Learning offer a range of courses including, English, Maths, employability, digital skills, English as a second language and much more.

Read more on InformationNOW about where you can find:

Support for people facing barriers to work

There are a number of local services that support people facing specific barriers to prepare for work.

Addictions

PROPS North East support people with addiction and their families to get into training, education and employment by understanding and reducing barriers to work.

Read more about local support for people facing addiction on InformationNOW.

Autism or learning disabilities

Supported Employment Service at Newcastle City Council helps people who have barriers to employment find and stay in work. They help you to think about your career goals and how to achieve them. Support includes help to:

understand existing skills and how they are useful to the jobs market
write a CV and apply for jobs online
get ready for interviews
choose and gain qualifications
ongoing help to stay in work
work experience placements in grounds maintenance and gardening at Natures Landscapes and catering at FoodWorks

They also offer advice to employers on:

disability employment
organising interview candidates for your organisation
skills tests

DiversityNE support people who are neurodivergent to find work. This services is for unemployed people who’ve been diagnosed with a form of neurodiversity (such as autism, ADHD, learning disability, dyslexia, Tourette’s) and live in Newcastle, North Tyneside or Northumberland. They offer personalised support to suit your interests, skills, abilities. Working with you to understand your goals and help you achieve your potential.

The Newcastle Careers and Guidance Team (Connexions) provides careers information, advice and guidance to young people aged 13 to 25 years old, if you have a learning disability or difficulty. They can support you to make positive choices about your future with information about volunteering, college courses, apprenticeships, 6th form in schools, employment and other options depending on your needs and interests. They have advisors in schools and at the Skills Hub at City Library.

Youth Employment Service North East (YESNE) is a local youth employment service working to reduce the number of neurodivergent young people (such as those with a diagnosis of autism, dyslexia, Tourette’s or a learning disability) who are not in work, education or training in or around the Tyne and Wear area.

Journey Enterprises has a Day Centre in Kenton, where they provides activities, life-skills and employability training for autistic adults and people with learning disabilities. Activities include arts and crafts, catering, drama and puppetry, music and dance, IT, horticulture, woodwork and health and exercise. You can contact them directly. Transport is available. This is a local charity. There is a cost for this service

Big River Bakery is a community bakery and cafe in Shieldfield. They support people with learning disabilities and on the autism spectrum to learn to bake. To help people to get ready to find a job. They bake and sell fresh bread, pies, pastries and cakes. Pay what you feel for food on Wednesdays. They’re a Winter Wellbeing Hub where you can spend time with a hot drink and keep warm in the city.

Twisting Ducks offer Drama Works, a creative employability training programme for autistic people and people with learning disabilities that uses drama techniques to explore transferable work skills

Newcastle City Learning – LDD provision offer a variety of courses and qualifications for people over 19 with learning difficulties and disabilities.

Moving on Tyne and Wear (MOTW) is an employability programme for people in Tyne and Wear who are unemployed with a health barrier, disability, additional learning need or on the autism spectrum. Helping them to get into employment, training or volunteering.

Read more about local support and Housing support for people with autism or a learning disability on InformationNOW:

Carers

Newcastle Carers through the Working for carers project provide specialist support to help carers aged 16+ find work, training or education. They also support working carers to stay in employment or progress their careers.

Through one to one or virtual support they can help you:

address barriers that are stopping you getting into work, training or education.
develop skills such as CV writing, interview techniques and job applications
match you with appropriate opportunities or employers
understand your transferable skills as a carer
balance your caring responsibilities alongside work, training or education

Read more about the Working for carers project that support carers across the North of Tyne area

Read more about local support for carers on InformationNOW.

People leaving prison and Ex-offenders

Skill Mill and Urban Green offer a Preparation for Working Life accredited training for ex young-offenders and to those at risk of offending who are likely to be not in education, employment of training (NEET) – based on working outside, in the natural environment and includes management tasks. This is AQA accredited training in a Unit Award Scheme (UAS).

The Oswin Project has an ex-offenders Cafe 16 along with mentoring and life skills support.

The Recruitment Junction can support people by providing mentorship, interview skills, support with application dopcuments, C.V. writing, applying for funding for work clothes, tools or training.

Homeless people or at risk of homelessness support

Beam helps people into employment who are: homeless, at risk of homelessness or in unsuitable housing. You can use their website to raise money for things you need to help you start work such as: training, travel, smartphone, laptop, work clothes, childcare or equipment. You can get one to one support with your CV, job applications, interview skills and introductions to local employers.

Long term health conditions or disabilities

Moving on Tyne and Wear (MOTW) is an employability programme for people in Tyne and Wear who are unemployed with a health barrier, disability, additional learning need or autism. Helping them to get into employment, training or volunteering. They provide:

one-to-one intensive support helping you to address your health issues and achieve your goals
Pathways project provides support tailored to people with autism or learning difficulties needs.
help to outline your employment-related goals and advice to find the routes needed to achieve them
help to develop interpersonal skills and confidence needed in order to move forward towards employment

Read more about self care and disability and local support groups on InformationNOW.

Mental health issues

Help is available for people with mental health issues to develop skills and confidence to get ready for work.

Individual Placement Service (IPS) Employment Support Service at CNTW support people using secondary mental health services to find and successfully take part in work placements. Helping to prepare for you for paid employment.

Mental Health Matters run 2 employment support projects for people over 18 and adults across the City.

understand existing skills and how they are useful to the jobs market
write a CV and apply for jobs online
get ready for interviews
choose and gain qualifications
ongoing help to stay in work
work experience placements in grounds maintenance and gardening at Natures Landscapes and catering at FoodWorks

Read more about mental health support on InformationNOW.

Refugees, migrants, asylum seekers and ethnically minoritised communities

Newcastle City Learning offer a range of courses including, English, Maths, employability, digital skills, English as a second language and much more.

Newcastle United Foundation run community football matches for unemployed people, refugees and migrants aged 18 to 29 years. It includes an employability support drop in.

JET (Jobs Education and Training) work with ethnic minority communities, asylum seekers, refugees and new migrant communities to help them to find work, improve their skills and settle into life in Newcastle.

They provide one to one support with your CV, job search, application forms, ESOL (English as a second language) classes to prepare you for work and finding work experience or training opportunities. The Wicker Chair Coffee House & Bistro at JET offers work placements as well as buffets for local events at competitive prices

understand existing skills and how they are useful to the jobs market
write a CV and apply for jobs online
get ready for interviews
choose and gain qualifications
ongoing help to stay in work
work experience placements in grounds maintenance and gardening at Natures Landscapes and catering at FoodWorks

Read more about Support for refugees and asylum seekers on our article on InformationNOW

People who speak English as a second or other language (ESOL)

There are English classes and groups where you can practice your English conversation skills in Newcastle. You can work towards a qualification or certificate or take part in informal sessions.

JET (Jobs Education and Training) runs English Learner to Salary Earner classes where you can learn English, grammar and useful workplace language. You will get help to prepare for work including interview and CV support.

Find English classes near you on InformationNOW.

Homeless people

Crisis runs education programmes and has employment coaches to help you. They also offer placements in their café.

Read more about support for homeless people on our article on InformationNOW

Young People

The Newcastle Careers and Guidance Team (Connexions) provides careers information, advice and guidance to young people aged between 13 and 19, and up to 25 if you have a learning disability or difficulty. They can support you to make positive choices about your future with information about volunteering, college courses, apprenticeships, 6th form in schools, employment and other options depending on your needs and interests. They have advisors in schools and at the Skills Hub at City Library.

YMCA run a Jobs Club for young people. Youth workers can help with:

CV building
Interview preparation and mock interviews
Cover letters
Job searches
Assistance with job applications
Confidence building
Work experience and volunteering opportunities
Volunteering course
One to one support

The Prince’s Trust helps young people aged 11 to 30 get into jobs, education and training. They offer one to one support, training and placements to help you:

build your confidence skills and experience
improve your CV and interview techniques
get a job
start a business
take part in mentoring

They also offer free personal development sessions to help 18 to 30 year olds get into the health and social care sector. Live chat is available on their website if you would like to ask any questions or call their helpline.

FastFutures help young people aged 18 to 24 to prepare for work. Your background and how well you did at school doesn’t matter – everyone is welcome to apply.

In just 12 weeks you’ll learn the practical skills that employers really need, build your network, and increase your confidence. They provide:

one to one mentoring
virtual programme with wrap around support
help for young people learn digital and employability skills using real business case studies from employers such as BT, Barclays and the NHS.

Youth Employment Service North East (YES NE) is a local youth employment service working to reduce the number of neurodivergent young people (such as autism, learning disability, dyslexia or Tourettes) who are not in work, education or training in or around the Tyne and Wear area.

Groundwork run the Kickstart Scheme. Helping young people up to the age of 24, claiming Universal Credit, to get their first job in community and environmental work.

Support for unemployed people

Make sure that you are receiving all of the welfare benefits and tax credits that you are eligible for to support you while you look for work.

You may also find these articles on InformationNOW helpful:

Feeling ready for work

Read more about looking for work on InformationNOW

Self employment or business support

Recruitment scams

JobsAware can help you spot a scam. You should be wary of potential employers that ask you to pay for training or a DBS up front. They offer advice and support and you can report a scam.

Last updated: October 10, 2024