SEL ICS partners with Catch22 to empower care-experienced young people
During Care Leavers Week (28 October-3 November) , the South East London Integrated Care System (SEL ICS) is proud to announce a new programme that supports care-experienced young people in finding meaningful employment within the NHS. Backed by funding from NHS England, the programme is designed to address the unique barriers care-experienced young people face; providing tailored support as they embark on their career journeys.
Our Approach
To deliver this initiative, the SEL ICS People Programme team is collaborating with Catch22; a trusted provider with a long-standing commitment to empowering care-experienced individuals. Catch22 brings extensive experience through the National Leaving Care Benchmarking Forum, supporting over 130 local authorities in improving outcomes for care-experienced young people.
Such young people can face a range of barriers when seeking employment, from limited professional networks to financial constraints. This programme offers a comprehensive support package for those participating across the six south east London boroughs of Lambeth, Lewisham, Southwark, Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich, to help remove these barriers, foster independence and create pathways to stability and opportunity.
Programme Highlights
The programme offers young people access to critical resources, including:
- Dedicated Careers Coaching: A specially recruited job coach providing one-to-one support to help participants navigate the job market with confidence.
- Digital Skills Training: Through the Social Switch Project, young people can gain essential digital skills, a valuable asset in today’s job market.
- In-Work Support: Six months of ongoing support to ensure stability and success as participants adapt to their new roles.
- Financial Assistance: £300 bursary to help cover initial employment-related costs.
Building Pathways to Employment
Through its partnership with Catch22, SEL ICS aims to create lasting change for care-experienced young people by providing them with the resources and support they need to thrive. The programme will also connect participants to the SEL ICS Health and Care Jobs Hub which supports job seekers with employment searches and applications, while guaranteeing interviews upon meeting specified criteria.
Referral: If you know of a care-experienced young person who you think might benefit from this programme, or if you are a young person who would like to find out more, follow this link: https://www.thesocialswitchproject.org.uk/get-involved/digital-skills-employability-programme