Employability Programme

Building Self-Belief’s approach is to engage disaffected young people at school or college to prevent them dropping out of their courses and renewing their sense of purpose. Our ultimate goal is to ensure our young people are fully prepared to enter the world of work.

Our Approach

By working in groups and developing a shared and collaborative approach to learning. We provide them with a renewed sense of purpose and a greater understanding of their future plans.

We recommend:

  • 10-12 young people per session
  • Learners get one am or pm session per week
  • 12 sessions – including the introduction and the presentation


Fill 1

The Sessions

The young people can select course options, this gives them a sense of control over their participation in the programme. Our aim is to support them in finding the most appropriate career path for them.

Topics include:

  • The Secrets to Workplace Success!
  • Professional Behaviour in the Workplace
  • Developing a CV and LinkedIn Profile
  • Self Management
  • Social Media in the Workplace
  • Teamwork Skills
  • Interview Techniques 
  • Public Speaking 
  • Marketing 


Fill 1

Outcomes

They will have a formal CV, a LinkedIn profile and contacts for their chosen career. Plus, the potential for completing work experience with the employers we introduce them to. We can also make a film of their experiences to inspire other young people.


Take a look at our films about out North Durham Academy programme and see the difference our programmes make to the lives of young people.


If you would like us to deliver a programme in your school, please get in touch and we will devise a programme just for your students!

Get in touch
Fill 1

The Gatsby Benchmarks

The Gatsby Benchmarks were developed on behalf of the Gatsby Foundation by Sir John Holman. They aim to provide a clear framework for organising the careers provision at your school or college.

These benchmarks have been accepted as best practice by the Government. Our Employability programme will support your students in reaching six of the eight benchmarks, and we can support your school in reaching all eight!

The Eight Gatsby Benchmarks are:

  • A stable careers programme
  • Learning from careers and labour market information 
  • Addressing the needs of each student
  • Linking curriculum learning to careers
  • Encounters with employers and employees 
  • Experiences of workplaces 
  • Encounters with further and higher education
  • Personal guidance

I would like to thank Building Self-Belief for organising and delivering such a high-quality programme to our students. I believe it is vital for students to receive first hand guidance from external companies when preparing for the world of work. The participating Y12 students really enjoyed the trips to Haines Watts accountancy firm offices in Leeds and Newcastle, giving them a real insight into the world of work as well as improving their confidence and self-esteem within the workplace. The trips to Newcastle and Leeds Beckett Universities gave the students an understanding of the facilities on offer if they decide to move onto higher education. These trips were further supported by the in-school sessions with Building Self-Belief staff that were extremely beneficial in developing the student's employability skills looking at areas such as producing professional looking CVs and setting up LinkedIn profiles to help with the job application process in the modern world. The benefits to the students were clearly evident in their final presentations which were extremely professional. The students can be extremely proud of how far they have come within this programme which has been a very positive experience for them. I would highly recommend the programme because of the level of support it gives to young people in preparing them for their next steps in life.

- Mr M Stobbs, Cardinal Hume Catholic School