Career Ready Investing in careers education for young people

Giving young people with learning disabilities meaningful work experiences.

We’re looking to fund organisations to deliver high‑quality, job coach‑led careers education. We want to help organisations deliver support in both mainstream and SEND school settings. Support that embeds employment principles, providing tailored vocational profiling, meaningful work experience, and early links to employers. Our goal is to help young people secure meaningful paid work.

The key aims of the fund are to:

• Embed trained job coaches in school settings so young people receive consistent, person-centred employment support.
• Provide early, structured vocational profiling and careers preparation, helping young people identify strengths, interests and aspirations.
• Create meaningful, well-matched work experiences that give young people exposure to workplaces, rather than generic or tokenistic placements.
• Strengthen partnerships between schools, support networks, employers and specialist providers, ensuring support for young people through a joined-up ecosystem.
• Build clear pathways into supported internships, employment and paid work

We’re committed to funding work rooted in communities and delivered with supported employment practice.

It doesn’t matter if you’re currently delivering this kind of work, or are looking to develop it. We’re looking for organisations that will work in partnership with schools, families and employers to help young people move confidently towards a career. We want to reach young people earlier, from age 14, so they have the time and support to build real career readiness.

Career Ready is part of our Building Independence Programme, backing services that help young people thrive as they move into adulthood.

What we’re looking to fund

Your organisation will:

• Deliver supported employment and demonstrate clear understanding and use of the five stage supported employment model.
• Have trained job coaches or use the funding to train or recruit staff in Supported Employment Techniques and Systematic Instruction.
• Have existing, proactive partnerships with schools (mainstream and/or SEND) and be able to embed job coaches in them.
• Be embedded in your local community, understand local labour markets, and demonstrate credible links with employers and families.
• Have experience supporting young people with learning disabilities and understand the specific barriers they face.