Employability & Professional Development
Youth Employment Ready Programme
Building sustainable work readiness for NEET young people aged 18–24 years old.
NEET means not in education, employment or training.
The YER Programme supports young people to discover their strengths, build confidence and take meaningful steps towards a future that feels achievable and sustainable.
What is the YER Programme?
Building confidence, skills and real pathways into future opportunities.
The YER Programme is a structured, creative and phased employment readiness programme that supports young people to move towards sustainable next steps.
The programme helps young people understand what they enjoy, how they work best, what helps them feel settled and focused, and what strengths they already bring.
The YER Programme combines creative sessions, employability workshops, one-to-one coaching, supported workplace experience and reflection. It works with local partners, placement hosts and business networks to create meaningful opportunities for young people to test skills, build evidence and understand what kind of work or training environments may suit them.
The workplace placement is one part of the YER Programme journey. It gives young people a supported way to try tasks, develop confidence, recognise transferable skills and learn more about the environments where they can thrive.
Through the YER Programme, young people may be supported towards volunteering, further training, apprenticeships, employment, college routes or other meaningful progression opportunities where these are available and right for the young person.
Who the YER Programme is for
The YER Programme is for young people aged 18–24 who are NEET.
The YER Programme has a particular focus on young people who are neurodivergent, have SEND, are receiving Universal Credit, or would benefit from a more creative, relational and phased route towards work readiness.
What the YER Programme is built on
The YER Programme was developed around three foundations that support sustainable employment: belief, sustainable working and readiness.
The YER Programme helps young people build belief through doing.
As they try creative tasks, take part in workshops, prepare for placement and reflect on what they have done, they begin to gather real examples of what they can do.
Confidence grows when young people can see their own progress.
The YER Programme helps young people understand how they work best.
This includes noticing the environments, communication styles, routines, breaks, sensory supports and regulation strategies that help them feel settled, focused and able to take part.
The aim is to help young people recognise what supports good work for them, rather than trying to fit everyone into one way of working.
Readiness looks different for every young person.
In the YER Programme, readiness means having time to prepare, practise, ask questions, build tools and understand what support may help before stepping into an unfamiliar workplace.
Young people do not need to have everything worked out before they begin. Readiness can grow through the right preparation, experience and support.
The YER Journey
YER is built around four core phases, with an optional fifth progression phase.
Each phase builds on the one before it, helping young people develop confidence, self-understanding, regulation, transferable skills and work readiness over time.
The optional fifth phase supports eligible young people to explore further progression with South Hampshire College Group, where this is the right next step.
Discover how you work best
Young people begin with a 10-week intensive support programme that includes discovery, creative skills sessions, employability workshops, one-to-one coaching and preparation for workplace experience.
Test your strengths in a real workplace
Young people take part in a 4-week supported, phased workplace placement with regular check-ins, site visit(s) and a gradual structure that helps them build confidence over time.
Reflect and recognise your skills
Young people return to the YER Programme for a return-to-room workshop that includes reflection, creative review, recognition of transferable skills, CV development, and next-step planning.
Take your next step with continued support
The YER Programme offers monthly wrap-around support sessions, September 2026 to September 2027, where young people can access creative wellbeing sessions, regulation advice, one-to-one coaching, careers advice, employer introductions and continual development of their transferable skills.
Explore a further pathway that fits what you have discovered
Some young people may move towards employment, apprenticeships, college, training, further workplace opportunities or ongoing support. Where it is the right next step, the YER Programme can support progression with South Hampshire College Group. This may help eligible young people explore Level 1–3 courses, specialist training, qualifications or progression routes linked to areas of interest that emerge through the YER Programme.
The 4 YER Steps to Success
The 4 YER Steps to Success run through every phase of the programme.
They help young people build the foundations for sustainable work readiness by developing regulation, transferable skills, growth mindset, and connection and collaboration.
The activities may change across the programme, but the 4 Steps stay constant.
Regulation
What helps me feel settled, focused and ready – physically, emotionally and environmentally.
This might include movement, breaks, clear instructions, sensory adjustments, quiet space, music, knowing what to expect, or knowing who to go to for support.
Transferable Skills
The skills I already use that can support future opportunities.
This may include communication, teamwork, organisation, time management, problem-solving, flexibility, initiative and self-advocacy.
Growth Mindset
How I learn, grow and keep going.
This includes trying new things, adapting to change, learning from mistakes and building belief in yourself over time.
Connection & Collaboration
How I work with others and become part of a team.
This includes working alongside others, sharing ideas, responding to feedback, contributing to a team and recognising the environments and relationships where you work best.
Together these build:
How the 4 Steps run through the programme
Every part of the YER Programme is designed to help young people understand themselves more fully, recognise what they already bring and move towards a next step that is meaningful and sustainable.
The YER Programme builds the 4 Steps through:
Welcome and discovery
Practical creative tasks
Regulation work
Employability workshops
One-to-one coaching
Supported workplace experience
Return-to-Room reflection
Ongoing support
From interest to direction
Many young people know what they enjoy before they know where it could lead.
The YER Programme helps young people make the connection between what they enjoy, the tasks they are drawn to, the transferable skills within those tasks, and the industries or pathways that may fit.
This helps turn interest into direction, and direction into a realistic staged plan.
The YER Programme encourages young people to think beyond the first step, while also helping them identify what is available now – a placement, volunteering opportunity, training route or supported next step.
Finding the right starting point
The YER Programme is a structured programme, and taking part means being ready to commit to preparation, workplace experience and reflection. Some young people may be ready for the full YER Programme journey straight away. Others may benefit from a shorter preparatory step first.
Where helpful, the YER Programme can connect young people with preparatory or complementary courses through South Hampshire College Group. These shorter courses can help young people build confidence, explore interests and prepare for the next stage at a pace that feels right.
Ready for the full YER Programme journey
Preparation, placement, reflection and ongoing support.
Need a preparatory step first
Shorter preparatory or complementary courses with South Hampshire College Group, to build confidence and explore interests at a pace that feels right.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the YER Programme take place?
The YER Programme is delivered locally across the Eastleigh, Bishopstoke, Fair Oak, Horton Heath, Chandler's Ford and Hiltingbury areas.
The programme includes creative sessions, employability support, one-to-one coaching and workplace experience with local placement partners.
Where are the workplace placements?
Placements take place with local employers, community organisations and placement partners.
Each placement is matched thoughtfully. The YER team considers the young person's interests, strengths, preferred ways of working and the opportunities available with host organisations.
When does the programme start?
The YER Programme runs across three cohorts during the programme year:
- Cohort 1: Wells Place, Eastleigh – September to November 2026
- Cohort 2: The Fountain Café, Fair Oak – January to March 2027
- Cohort 3: Pavilion on the Park, Eastleigh – April to July 2027
Please register your interest to receive confirmed dates, session details and next steps.
How long is the programme?
The core YER Programme runs for four months, combining creative skills sessions, employability workshops, one-to-one coaching, supported workplace experience and Return-to-Room reflection.
An optional Phase 5 is available for eligible young people aged 19–24 earning below £25,000, offering further progression routes with South Hampshire College Group.
Is the programme free?
Yes. The YER Programme is free to take part in.
It is funded by the Bishopstoke, Fair Oak & Horton Heath; Chandler's Ford & Hiltingbury; and Eastleigh Local Area Committees.
Can I get help with access needs or costs, such as travel?
Yes. There is a small bursary fund to help with DBS checks, travel, and appropriate clothing for your placement. Venues and placements are local to you, so travel should be minimal.
Do I need to know what job I want before joining?
No. The YER Programme helps young people explore what they enjoy, what tasks they are drawn to, what skills they already use and what future steps might feel right.
You do not need to have everything worked out before you begin.
What if I am interested but not ready for the full YER Programme?
Some young people may benefit from a shorter preparatory step first.
Where helpful, the YER Programme can connect young people with preparatory or complementary courses through South Hampshire College Group. These shorter courses can help young people build confidence, explore interests and prepare for the next stage at a pace that feels right.
Is the optional fifth phase compulsory?
No. Phase 5 is optional.
Some young people may choose to move towards employment, volunteering, apprenticeships, college, training or further workplace opportunities. Where it is the right next step, the YER Programme can support progression with South Hampshire College Group.
Can my organisation offer a placement?
Yes. Employers, community organisations and placement partners can register interest in becoming a YER host organisation.
You do not have to commit to hosting a young person every cohort. The YER team will explore what might work for your organisation and whether there is a suitable match.
For placement partners and hosts
The YER Programme works with placement partners who can offer meaningful, manageable workplace experience.
The host provides the real workplace experience. The YER team provides the preparation, coaching and support around it.
Before, during and after placement, the YER team works with the young person and the host organisation so the placement feels clear, realistic and gradually paced. Hosts are not expected to manage everything alone – the YER team provides regular check-ins and practical support throughout the placement.
How to get involved
Interested in the YER Programme? There are several ways to connect with the programme.
Young people – register your interest
Young people aged 18–24 can register their interest in the Youth Employment Ready Programme.
Register your interest in the YER ProgrammeHost organisations – offer a placement opportunity
Employers, community organisations and placement partners can register their interest in becoming a YER host organisation.
Register to be a host organisationNEET young people – tell us what support would help
We are also asking NEET young people to complete a short questionnaire to help us understand what support they would like with their next steps – whether that is education, employment, transferable skills or something else.
Complete the next steps questionnaireContact the YER team
Parents, carers, work coaches, colleges, employers and community partners can also contact the YER team to ask questions or explore whether the YER Programme is the right fit.
Contact the YER teamIf you are supporting a young person to enquire, please keep the young person's voice at the centre of the conversation.
The YER Programme is developed and delivered by Neurodivergent Arts CIC in partnership with the Bishopstoke, Fair Oak & Horton Heath; Chandler's Ford & Hiltingbury; and Eastleigh Local Area Committees.