If you or someone you know in Leicestershire County, is seeking employment, learning or volunteering opportunities and is at risk of or currently managing mental health difficulties, please get in touch about the Leicestershire Employment & Skills Programme.
Our goal is to help people enter education, voluntary or paid work and most importantly, sustain that work to the benefit of their mental, social and economic health.
Funded by the Leicestershire County Council and the NHS, we are dedicated to offering employment support for individuals with or at risk of mental health problems.
To be eligible for this service, individuals must meet the following criteria:
- Aged 18 years or over
- Lives in Leicestershire county (excluding Leicester city)
- Looking for employment, volunteering or learning, OR in employment and wanting to change or needs support to stay in current job
- Registered with a GP surgery
- At risk of or has mental health challenges
- Not under NHS secondary mental health services*
*We are funded to work with individuals who may be accessing primary care services for mental health support i.e. through their general practice (GP), mental health facilitators, local surgery-based or private counsellors/therapists. In Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, the Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust Employment Support Service works with individuals under secondary mental health services. Secondary mental health services include hospitals, some psychological wellbeing services, community mental health teams (CMHTs), crisis resolution and home treatment teams (CRHTs), a psychiatrist or community psychiatric nurse (CPN).
If you fall outside of this eligibility criteria, please get in touch and we will do our best to find you a suitable alternative.
More about the Leicestershire Employment & Skills Programme
Our one-to-one support with a dedicated Employment Adviser will focus on exploring careers, job searching, help with applications, CV and cover letters, interviews, requesting reasonable adjustments and more. Our group classes with our tutor cover tools for sustaining work and well-being, such as confidence and motivation building.
We can also help you if you’re on sick leave or facing difficulties in retaining your employment. Our services also cater to those looking to change their current job. Recognising the importance of sustaining employment for mental health recovery, we will provide you with time-unlimited in-work support.
From January 2025, we will be providing this service by telephone and online meetings only. However, the year-long programme has been working directly within communities, with face-to-face meetings in local areas close to the client.
Explore new opportunities tailored to your needs. Connect with Real Purpose today to take the next steps on your journey towards employment, voluntary work or training.
Please note that we can currently only accept individuals who meet the following criteria (which we hope to extend in the future) - Aged 18 years and over. Lives in Leicestershire County (not Leicester City.) Wants to actively engage in work, volunteering or learning (can already be in work as we also support people to retain their paid job or look for another job.) Registered with a GP. At risk of mental ill health, or you have a mental health problem and use primary care health services for support with this condition(s.) Primary Care means that a GP is responsible for the treatment of their mental health, not a Psychiatrist, CPN and/or Community Mental Health Team - which is called 'Secondary Care'.