Connect to Work: Free Employment Support in the Black Country

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If you live in Sandwell, Walsall or Wolverhampton, you could get support with finding and keeping work.

Our free employment support in the Black Country is open to residents aged 18-24 with a health condition, disability or disadvantaged background, and gives practical, one-to-one support shaped to your needs.

What you'll get

Connect to Work covers personalised job searching, support after long-term sick leave, advice on workplace adjustments, and much more. It’s designed to help you move forward in work with confidence.

Here’s how Connect to Work can help:

Job searching

  • Understand which roles are right for you.
  • Build your confidence for job searching and applications.
  • Prepare you for interviews.

Support in work

  • Explore adjustments for staying in work safely.
  • Plan for your return to work, if you’re on long-term leave.

Workplace adjustments

  • Find ways to make your work more manageable.
  • Understand reasonable adjustments that could support you.
  • Help you talk to your employer.

Our Employment Specialists find the right role for you, by linking with employers across the Black Country – including Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton. You can:

  • Get to know your skills, strengths and the types of work that match your needs and interests.
  • Access extra support. This includes help finding work with a health condition, returning to work after illness, workplace adjustments support and training.
  • Set up a clear plan to help you reach your goals and work out where to go next.
  • Look for jobs, prepare your CV and practise interview questions.
  • Manage your health and wellbeing through personalised coaching, support to stay in work or help with finding a job.
  • Talk to us about support to stay in work long-term, and any help you might need to do your job.

We work with employers and health providers (where needed) to provide holistic support, empowering you to better manage your health and find or keep a job.

Who can join Connect to Work

If you live in Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton and have a disability or health condition or from a disadvantaged background, you could access our free employment support in the Black Country. We’ll tailor the service to your needs and help you feel more confident about finding and staying in work.

To be eligible, you must:

  • Live in Sandwell, Walsall or Wolverhampton.
  • Be aged 18 to 24.
  • Not receiving support through an alternative DWP employment programme.
  • Have the right to live and work in the UK.

How to get support

You can either refer yourself to Connect to Work Black Country, or someone else can refer you (with your consent). This could be your employer, GP, local council or housing association. We’ll then contact you to talk through your situation and the type of support that might help.

Step 1 of 4
Who is support for? (required)

Alternatively, you can contact us on:

Email: connecttoworkblackcountry@shaw-trust.org.uk

Tel: 0808 1783 354

Frequently asked questions

Your employment specialist will support you every step of the way.

  • Step 1: Complete our online form to refer yourself (or someone else, with consent)
  • Step 2: A member of our team will call you within two working days. They’ll explain the service and check it’s right for you, then match you to your personal employment specialist
  • Step 3: Within five working days, you’ll have an initial appointment to check your ID and National Insurance Number, and go through the mandatory programme paperwork. We’ll get your consent to take part in the programme and explain how we’ll use and store your information.
  • Step 4: You’ll have a follow-up meeting to see how work might affect your benefits and set up an action plan. If you’re already working when you join us, you’ll explore how to share personal information with your employer
  • Step 5: At the end of the programme, we can support you for up to four months (if you’ve found work) or explore other services and opportunities (if you’re still looking)

Please note: You might experience a slight delay during busy periods. To follow up on your application:

Call: 0808 178 22541

Email: ConnecttoWorkBlackCountry@shaw-trust.org.uk

You’ll be able to join if you:

  • are over 18 (although some 16-17 year-olds might be eligible, depending on their circumstances)
  • live in Sandwell, Wolverhampton and Walsall
  • have the right to work in the UK (including people who have no recourse to public funds but do have permission to work)
  • interested in finding work, or staying in your job.
  • You don’t need a medical diagnosis to join.

Your employment specialist will work with you on a personalised plan that covers:

  • CV writing, applications, interviews and job searches
  • employer engagement, in-work support and advice about reasonable adjustments
  • access to health, wellbeing and community services (if needed)
    • ways to build your confidence.

Because we know that work and health often go hand-in-hand, we can refer you to other services if you need extra support.

You’ll be able to:

  • find opportunities that match your goals, skills and needs
  • look for full-time, part-time, flexible, hybrid, self-employed or remote hours
  • meet employers who are inclusive and able to offer support or flexibility
  • look for work in retail, hospitality, administration, customer service, logistics, and health and social care (depending on your area)
  • You’ll usually meet once a week for around an hour (though we can be flexible)
  • Meetings will take place locally, at a cafe, library, community hub or other space
  • While we typically meet face-to-face, we can also offer phone and Teams appointments
  • We also occasionally update you via phone or Teams
  • To help you feel comfortable on the day, you can bring someone with you
  • We can also arrange a translator, if you need one

If you don’t have access to a phone or computer, we can print out any resources you need and manage things like online applications during your appointments.

  • The programme is optional to join, and you can leave at any time if you no longer want to find work or don’t feel it’s right for you
  • Once you sign up, you’ll need to attend meetings, keep in touch with your employment specialist and complete any agreed actions (like job searches)
  • If your needs or goals change, just let your employment specialist know

It depends on your goals and needs, but meetings are usually up to an hour, with tasks on top. As these are agreed with your employment specialist, timings might vary.

  • If you’re looking for work, we can support you for up to 12 months
  • If you’re already in work – and if you find a job on the programme – it’s four months

You’ll need to be motivated to work towards work goals, and we can help you even if you’re already in a job. You’ll be able to explore full-time, part-time, flexible, hybrid, remote and self-employed roles across a range of sectors.

Connect to Work Black Country has a small fund that could help with work-related costs when you’re looking for work (like DBS checks, PPE and travel costs). This is discretionary, assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Joining won’t. We’ll complete ‘better off’ calculations so you can understand how work could affect your benefits. We’ll point you towards benefits advice, if you need it.

  • It’s used to provide personalised support and track your progress
  • All Information is stored securely in line with GDPR and data protection laws
  • If you want to withdraw your consent or remove your data let us know
  • You can find out more in your welcome booklet

To withdraw consent or leave the programme, speak to your employment specialist or email ConnecttoWorkBlackCountry@shaw-trust.org.uk

  • Let us know beforehand if you can’t make an appointment
  • If we don’t hear from you, we’ll try to get in touch and reschedule
  • If you miss a few appointments without letting us know, we’ll try to get hold of you. If we can’t contact you after eight weeks, we might have to close your place on the programme (but we’ll tell you first)
  • You can ‘pause’ your activities, but you can’t pause your time on the programme

We know life happens, but just ask that you tell us if you need to move an appointment.

We’re an independent employment charity, but we do work with Jobcentre staff. For example, they might refer people to our services. We don’t make decisions about benefits or sanctions and our support covers a wider range of areas.

Finding alternative support if you are not eligible for Connect to Work

Please contact BirminghamPURE@birmingham.gov.uk

Please register for support or contact us via email at jobshop@coventry.gov.uk.

Please register for a My Dudley account to get started

Please contact enquiries_recruitment@sandwell.gov.uk

Please register for support to get started

Please contact walsallworks@walsall.gov.uk

Please contact wolvesatwork@wolverhampton.gov.uk

Connect to Work

Delivered in partnership with

West Midlands Combined Authority, Funded by UK Government