Another amazing year for The Forward Trust employment services directorate

We offer career advice, employability support, adult skills services, IPS employment programmes, self-employment, and business start-up support, and incubate social enterprises that create employment opportunities for those we support. We are proud to be Ofsted-rated Good, Matrix Standard accredited, and Employment Related Services Association (ERSA) finalists for 2023 and 2024.

Key Achievements

In 2024, we helped thousands of people across several services, including:

• Restart Services: supported 2,600 long-term unemployed individuals, with 60% achieving sustainable job outcomes.
• Adult Skills, Multiply, and NEET Programmes: assisted 810 learners with a 92% overall achievement rate.
• Prison Services: provided careers, information, advice, and guidance to over 2,500 people across 11 prisons.
• Entrepreneur Support: helped 110 entrepreneurs through one-on-one support, masterclasses, enterprise clubs, and Dragon’s Den events.
• Employment Progression: 40% of our learners progressed onto employment, with many achieving Level 1 and 2 functional skills in Maths through our Multiply programmes.

Highlights of 2024

• April: launched new IPS Employment Services for substance misuse clients in Medway.
• June: hosted a Supporting Families event at the beginning of summer holidays to educate parents on fun numeracy activities for children.
• July: hosted a Dragons Den event for entrepreneurs.
• August: launched our Ofsted-rated Good Adult Skills services in London and East Kent/Medway.
• October: shortlisted as finalists in two ERSA Awards and presented at the Medway Employability forum.
• November: expanded our Multiply service in East Kent.
• December: celebrated our city bridge-funded enterprise work for ex-offenders.

2024 has been an incredibly exciting and busy year for the Adult Skills,  Careers Advice,  Employability, and Enterprise programmes at The Forward Trust. Throughout the year, our teams have hosted numerous Employer-led Job Fairs across Kent & Medway, launched new contracts, and responded to the needs of our unemployed participants and learners. We've adapted our delivery to support the cost of living crisis, and forged new partnerships across the voluntary, community, and social enterprise sectors. As a result, Forward has become a highly trusted and reliable provider, achieving outstanding outcomes due to the exceptional support from all our managers, staff, and volunteers.

Advice for Job Seekers

Through our masterclasses, job fairs, reverse job fairs, mock interviews, and coaching sessions, often involving volunteers from employers like The Financial Times, Immersive, and Thames Water, we've gathered valuable insights for job seekers:

• Have a Jobs Plan: set clear goals and SMART objectives.
• Skills Adjacency: utilise your transferable skills and qualities in various job roles or sectors.
• Wider Job Search Focus: base your search on a career plan, not a scattergun approach.
• Improve Your Qualifications: through adult education.
• Network: connect with people in work or running businesses.
• Use AI Tools: enhance your CV, job search, or applications.
• Online Resources: utilise the National Careers Service website.
• Volunteering and Work Experience: enhance your CV and job applications.
• Interview Practice: with a mentor or coach.
• Be Confident: take control of your career journey.

Inspiring Stories

We have countless inspiring stories from individuals who have benefited from our services. Their journeys highlight the transformative impact of our support and the resilience of those we assist.

Find a list of inspirational stories from our service users here.

Happy Holidays!

As we reflect on this year, we are filled with gratitude for the progress made and the lives we have helped to change. Special thanks to our commissioners, funders, employer partners, volunteers and also the Advisory Group that helps and shapes our work.

Has this blog resonated with you or someone you know? The Forward Trust offers a range of services to support individuals in overcoming barriers to employment. This includes our Adult Education Budget programme, which offers tailored educational opportunities to help adults gain new qualifications and skills, and our Restart Scheme, which provides intensive employability support to help unemployed people in Thanet. Our new Individual Placement Support in Medway also provides tailored employment support to people dealing with substance misuse issues.

Happy holidays and best wishes for the new year!