Support to engage in education, training and employment

We provide opportunities to the young people we care for and who are care experienced, to help you achieve your aspirations. We work with the council’s careers service and our partners to find suitable opportunities that meet your needs.

How we do this

• Provide careers information and advice.
• Support to access the Further Education Bursary (16-19 available through your education provider).
• We can provide a grant of up to £225 per year to support your further eduction course (level 2 or above) to go towards stationary, field trips, books and IT equipment.
• CV and interview coaching from our partners, the Virtual School or through the Care Leavers Covenant, who can support you in writing a top quality application and show you how best to answer interview questions to secure you a position.
• Support you to refine your work interests via work experience and shadowing opportunities through the virtual school, partners, or Care Leaver Covenant.
• Telford & Wrekin Council operate a guaranteed interview scheme for all care experienced young people applying for employment and apprenticeship posts.
• Telford & Wrekin Council takes a ‘care leaver first approach’ to support Telford and Wrekin care experienced young people into apprenticeships. We offer an attractive salary and all apprentices will enjoy the benefits of employment including flexible working and a generous annual leave entitlement.
• Young people leaving care who choose to start an apprenticeship will receive a £3,000 bursary to help with the transition into the workplace (the bursary is paid via your training provider, the payment is triggered once the learner has been on programme for 12 weeks).
• Support to access a free Arriva Bus Pass through DWP or the council to travel around the borough, for instance to and from interviews, work experience, jobs until first wage, college until bursary in place, and university visits.
• We will help you to inform the Job Centre of any changes in your circumstances if you wish.
• We will provide you guidance to help you maximise financial support linked to education, training or employment.
• If you have any Special Educational Needs we will make sure you receive any additional help or support you require and access specialist support such as the SEND offer until 25.
• We will keep you up to date with forthcoming local job fairs and support you to attend these.
• Support will be provided to understand your rights and entitlements when employed.
• If you attend University Telford and Wrekin provide a Higher Education Grant of £2,000 which will be split in to equal instalments (annually) throughout the duration of the course up to the age of 25.
• If you are planning to attend university we can support you by:
  • helping you consider your options,
  • help you to sign up for open days, and provide travel support to attend if you need,
  • complete UCAS applications,
  • complete student finance forms,
  • help you search for and support you to apply for scholarships and additional bursaries you may be entitled to,
  • we will also support you to access any student finances and university bursaries that you are entitled to,
  • source suitable accommodation to meet your individual needs.
• If you choose to enter full time higher education, we will provide you with a higher education accommodation allowance that is equivalent of the local housing allowance rate where you choose to study up to 21 or 25 if needed. This also funds your accommodation during vacation times.
• We hold events to celebrate your achievements. This may be an annual event evening or in a personal way, for example Hotshots award nomination, taking you out for a meal.
• We will help with access to transport costs when travelling to training, school, college, apprenticeships or job interviews, through your Young Person’s Learner Agreement.
• We will provide help obtaining equipment, essential clothing and books to support education, training or employment.
• We will be able to support you with work and interview clothing costs.
• We will encourage you to apply for our annual Leader and Cabinet member Young Person’s Grant scheme which will support you with travel passes or other barriers to you accessing education, employment or training.
• Our Our virtual school team can support post 16 and care leavers - view more information about post 16 and care leavers.

View finanical information on our money matters page.

Last updated: 20/03/2024 15:40