The Connect to Work service is a Norfolk-wide employability programme in partnership with Norfolk County Council and a range of other providers across the County. Future Projects is delivering this service locally across Norwich and North Norfolk, offering tailored support to help people move into employment and stay in work. We work closely with each participant to understand their goals and challenges, and we collaborate with local employers to create job opportunities and make reasonable workplace adjustments where needed, to ensure that people with disabilities, long-term health conditions and other barriers are not excluded from meaningful, sustainable work.
Participants
What You’ll Gain
- One-to-one coaching and support to discover your strengths and employment goals.
- Help writing CVs, preparing for interviews, navigating job search and connecting with local employers.
- For those already in work: support to stay in your role including identifying reasonable adjustments, working with your employer and overcoming workplace challenges.
- Ongoing in-work support to help you sustain employment and build a stable work future.
- Access to meaningful job opportunities from employers committed to inclusive recruitment
Sign Up
Refer yourself, or someone else, via the buttons below. The referral team will be in touch with you soon to talk through your situation and plan next steps.
Eligibility
To take part in Connect to Work, you must:
- Live in Norfolk
- Be aged 18 or over (16 or over under some circumstances)
- Have the right to live and work in the UK
- Have not been paid to work for 6 months or more and be available to start a suitable job OR have been employed for a least 3 months but are at risk of losing your job
Participants must either:
- Have a disability or long-term health condition (including autism, learning disabilities and mental health conditions). You don’t need a formal qualification.
- OR belong to one of the groups listed on the full eligibility below:
Employers
Why partner with us?
By working with Connect to Work, your organisation can gain talented, motivated individuals who may otherwise be overlooked in the labour market. You’ll contribute directly to a fair economy by opening up opportunities for people who face barriers to employment.
What we offer you:
- Access to a pool of job-ready candidates matched to your organisation’s needs.
- Support in the recruitment process and post-placement help for both you and the employee.
- Expert guidance on making reasonable adjustments or creating a more inclusive workplace culture.
- Ongoing liaison to ensure sustainability of the placement and minimise risk or disruption.
By engaging in this programme you are helping to build a workforce that is inclusive, diverse and resilient. This not only supports your business outcomes but strengthens the local community and aligns with good employment practices.
To explore how your business can benefit, please get in touch with our Team Lead, Esme Southgate, at e.southgate@futureprojects.org.uk to discuss your requirements and how we can support you.
Other Services and Agencies
If you’re a local partner organisation, charity, training provider, health service or employment adviser, our Connect to Work service is designed to complement your work by offering an additional route into sustainable employment.
Benefits for you:
- Provide your clients or service-users with a dedicated option for employability and in-work support, tailored to people facing health or barrier-related challenges.
- Share the aim of improving employment outcomes, economic inclusion and wellbeing – together we can increase reach and reduce duplication.
- We liaise with you around referrals, joint support planning, employer outreach, and reasonable adjustment work – freeing up your capacity and linking clients seamlessly into jobs.
How we can support you:
- Fast and simple referral pathways into our service.
- Clear communication and collaborative case-working where appropriate.
- Feedback and update-loops so you know how your clients are progressing.
If you’d like to explore partnership opportunities, referral criteria or joint working models, please contact us (link/button) and let us demonstrate how our service supports your aims.