What is Work Wise?
Work Wise is a free employment service available to any person with a mental or physical health condition, disability, or neurodivergence, who wants to work.
Work Wise supports people to find, maintain and sustain meaningful, long-term paid employment or to support people already in-work to continue their employment.
Who are Work Wise?
The Department of Work and Pensions have provided funding to Surrey County Council to deliver Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care. What this means is supporting anyone aged 16+ who have a physical or mental health condition, to help them to move into competitive employment, or if already in a job providing the support they need to maintain that employment.
Through a competitive tender process Surrey County Council selected the following organisations to help us deliver this program to residents in Surrey. Get Set UK, Waythrough (formally known as Richmond Fellowship), Surrey Choices, and Citizens Advice. They have been chosen to be our trusted partners as have a wealth of experience supporting people with physical and mental health conditions with getting and maintaining a job.
How does it work?
As an individual, once you have registered you will be matched to a dedicated employment specialist who will work with you to identify your skills, help you find work, and support you to stay in the job.
You will receive a range of employment support including writing your CV, identifying your skills and experience to match to a role and interview training. You can also access benefits, financial capability and housing advice.
We also work with businesses to identify suitable roles that complement their needs, and we match individuals we are working with to roles available.
Support for individuals
We use your interests and current skills to match you to work that suits your needs and abilities, providing one-to-one support from a dedicated employment specialist.
Support for employers
Work Wise provides support to businesses and employers of any size who want to improve their workforce wellbeing opportunities. We can match our clients to fill your skills gaps, as well as provide training and advice to develop inclusive employee support services.
Benefits and outcomes for individuals
Being in work provides many benefits for employees, employers and our wider society, such as:
- Improved mental and physical health over time
- Increased financial stability and independence
- Training and developing your skillsets through regular, personalised support
- Having your needs met better at work
- More opportunities for job progression
- Learning to manage your finances
Eligibility
You are eligible for Work Wise employment support if you are:
- Have a mental/physical health condition, disability, neurodivergence or learning difficulties.
- Aged 16 or over
- Have the right to work in the UK
- Want to work or stay in-work
- Live in or registered to a GP in Surrey or Northeast Hampshire
- Not currently on another employment support programme
How to access Work Wise
There are different referral pathways for Work Wise depending on who is making the referral. Find the right pathway for you below:
Get Set UK form for individuals experiencing barriers to work due to a mental or physical health condition, disability, or neurodivergence. Referrals from:
- Yourself, friends or family
- Local authority services
- Job Centre
- Voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise organisations
- Community health services
- Housing associations
- Employers
Get Set UK includes support for people who speak English as a second language (ESOL).
Surrey Choices form for individuals who may require additional support to find and maintain work due to their neurodiversity, physical or sensory disability support. Referrals from:
- Yourself, friends, or family
- Local authority services
- Job Centre
- Voluntary, community, faith, and social enterprise organisations
- Housing associations
- Employers
Waythrough form for primary care network referrals from:
- GPs
- Primary care network practitioners
- Community pharmacies
- Social prescribers
- Yourself, friends, or family (if individual is receiving primary care treatment)
- Job Centre (if individual is receiving primary care treatment)
If you are an employer interested in knowing more, please visit Work Wise Employer referral form.
For more information contact workwise@surreycc.gov.uk
Files available to download
-
Supporting people with learning disabilities to get work (PDF)
Easy Read Guide helping people with learning disabilities find out more about employment support programme Work Wise
