Healthy Working Life - Kirklees

Who runs it: Fresh Futures

What we do: Elevate is a service for young people aged 18 to 26. We have two main parts:

• Community Engagement: This part focuses on building confidence, self-esteem, and life skills. We offer weekly activities co-designed with young people, such as yoga, gardening, and volunteering. There’s also a weekly drop-in space.
• Employability: This part helps young people who are furthest from getting a job, especially those with complex issues. We run one-week programmes, covering important job skills like writing CVs, practicing for interviews, and searching for jobs. We also provide life skills workshops and guest speakers, plus breakfast, lunch, and travel help. Participants get 10-day work placements and support from a dedicated worker.

Who we are for: Young adults aged 18-26 years old. This includes those who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET), are unsure about what career to choose, lack confidence, or face many challenges to working, including disabilities and health conditions.

freshfutures.org.uk/events/elevate/

Who runs it: University of Huddersfield

What we do: We offer wellbeing coaching to people who are might have to stop working because of their health. Healthcare students from the University provide one-on-one coaching sessions (usually up to 6). We use a coaching style to help people set and reach their wellbeing goals and make healthy changes. We can also offer workplace-based wellbeing workshops.

Who we are for: Employees in various types of organisations, including small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs), independent care services, charities (VCSE), healthcare, and self-employed people who are experiencing health problems.​​​​​​​

hud.ac.uk/gsg/

Who runs it: South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

What we do: This early implementor project brings our employment support services into selected GP surgeries across Kirklees. We help people find and keep work that suits them, based on the belief that with the right support and job match, anyone can work.

Our approach focuses on:

• Matching jobs to individual preferences
• Acting quickly to find opportunities
• Building links with employers based on what people want to do
• Offering tailored support for both individuals and employers
• Providing benefits counselling

Who we are for: People with severe and complex mental health needs registered at participating GP surgeries. This is part of a wider effort to extend IPS employment support in primary care across Kirklees.

Who runs it: Change Grow Live Kirklees

What we do: Help people who are opiate users get or keep a suitable job. Change Grow Live (CGL) Kirklees already has a successful service and doesn't turn anyone away. The employment specialist will work closely with the opiates team and their clients to:

• Help people create vocational profiles (which show their skills and job interests).
• Find job opportunities by meeting with employers.
• Provide support for writing CVs and preparing for interviews.
• Work with employers to make reasonable adjustments to the workplace.
• Offer support for the first four months once someone is in work.

Who we are for: People who are opiate users and are already part of the Change Grow Live Kirklees service.

changegrowlive.org/huddersfield#employment

Who runs it: Kirklees College

What we do: Kirklees College is setting up a central health and wellbeing hub at Kirklees College sites. The aim is to help students live healthier lives and make lasting changes to manage health conditions that might stop them from getting or keeping jobs. The hub brings together health education, direct healthcare services, and partnerships with the NHS and other health services. The hub will offer:

• Targeted help for students whose health is a barrier to employment.
• On-campus health services like health checks, counselling, and screenings.
• Supported inclusive work opportunities.
• We will also encourage health programmes to be included as part of college courses, introduce digital resources and training for staff, and build partnerships between the college, NHS, local council, businesses, and other support services.

Who we are for: Students enrolled at Kirklees College with health conditions that make it hard to find or keep a job.

kirkleescollege.ac.uk/supporting-you

Student Services: studentservices@kirkleescollege.ac.uk

Who runs it: C+K Careers

What we do: We work with young people aged 16-25 who already have a job or are about to start one and are experiencing health or mental health issues. We support them in settling into their new work environment and staying successfully employed. We offer in-depth, all-round support through one-on-one and group sessions to help with:

• Building confidence and resilience.
• Managing work-based pressures and creating a healthy work/life balance.
• Understanding workplace expectations, employee rights, and responsibilities.
• Building good relationships with colleagues.
• Searching for and finding other jobs if needed.
• Access to wellbeing and mindfulness resources.
• Speaking up for participants when needed.
• Setting up peer mentoring (where people help each other).

Who we are for: Young people aged 16-25 who are employed (or have a start date) but are at risk of stopping work, especially because of health or mental health issues.

ckcareers.co.uk

Who runs it: C+K Careers

What we do: We work with young people aged 16-25 who not in education, employment or training (NEET) and are experiencing health or mental health issues. We help them address and stabilise health issues, build aspirations to work, and get ready for other job support programmes. We offer tailored, all-round support, including:

• One-to-one sessions with a key worker and regular group sessions.
• Activities to build confidence, motivation, and resilience.
• Help with voluntary work.
• Support to access health services and claim work-related benefits.
• Help to get basic skills or job-specific training.
• Access to wellbeing and mindfulness resources and peer mentoring.
• For some participants, direct job support, including exploring job and training options, job searching, CV writing, and interview practice.

Who we are for: Young people aged 16-25 who are not working and are a long way from getting a job, especially because of health or mental health issues.

ckcareers.co.uk

Who runs it: Kirklees Active Leisure (KAL)

What we do: This is a bespoke, easy-to-access structured exercise programme. We offer a 12-week guided exercise programme that also helps you change habits and build confidence. After the programme, you can join KAL's "Active Movers" membership and get continued support. You can be referred by someone or refer yourself through a dedicated website.

Who we are for:

People who are:

• Currently out of work due to ill health
• Had sickness from work due to ill health for more than 7 days in the last 6 months.
• At risk of falling out of work due to ill health

kal.org.uk/health-wellbeing/referrals

Who runs it: Third Sector Leaders Kirklees (TSL)

What we do: We work with local charities and community groups that help people who might lose their job, have recently lost it, or are struggling to get a job because of their health issues.

The local community-based organisations:

• Train "Community Champions" to reach out to people.
• Act as "Community Anchors" in different areas to create health hubs, find local services, support local groups, and connect with health projects.
• Provide support to individuals for 6 months through ‘key workers’, which includes checking needs, making plans, referring to personalised help (for wellbeing, benefits, jobs, etc.), reviewing progress, and helping people make changes.
• Help local charities to develop schemes to improve health and work, get funding and work together.
• Offer an inclusive volunteering programme.

Who we are for: Individuals specifically at risk of losing employment or who have recently become unemployed or inactive due to health reasons.

tslkirklees.org.uk

Who runs it: Third Sector Leaders Kirklees & One Community Foundation

What we do: This programme gives small grants to local charities and community groups. The goal is to help them create new, community-focused projects. We especially want groups working on health and wellbeing to work together with groups helping people find jobs, so we can offer better, combined services. This grant programme is managed by TSL and One Community Foundation.

Who it's for: All people in Kirklees aged 18-64 who are not working or are at risk of stopping work, and the community-based organisations working with them.

tslkirklees.org.uk

Who runs it: Locala Health and Wellbeing

What we do: We start with a personalised check-up to find out what's stopping you from working, and to better understand your needs and motivations. You'll then work with a dedicated Employment Navigator and health professional to create your personal action plan, based on clear, realistic, achievable steps. This plan will be your guide to getting into work and will include learning to manage your own health and wellbeing.

Your Employment Navigator will work with you from beginning to end, offering post-employment support developing a 3 or 6-month supported pathway. We will also connect you to partners like Get Set Goal, Kirklees Active Leisure (KAL), Kirklees College, and Third Sector Leaders (TSL) if these will suit your needs.

Who we are for: All people in Kirklees aged 18-64 who are not working.

locala.org.uk/services/wellness-to-work

Who runs it: Cora Health

What we do: Pain is a huge problem for the UK; and the spread of misinformation can be a huge barrier to effective care and positive progress. Learning more about pain can change the way people see and treat persistent pain: it can reduce the fear around it and change how pain feels.

Very little of the discoveries made around pain have filtered down to the people and professionals that need them most. Those struggling deserve better: and Flippin’ Pain is here to help. 

Flippin’ Pain is a public health movement that shares the latest science of pain, through:

• a digital activation programme for people living with persistent pain, ‘Why We Hurt’: a series of videos, downloadable materials and interactive tasks that explains the science of pain in a fun, engaging way.
• upskilling professionals, particularly in primary care, to support people with persistent pain

Who we are for: Anyone living with persistent pain (often called ‘chronic’ or ‘long-term’ pain), and any professional who works with people struggling.

flippinpain.co.uk

Who runs it: Carers Count Kirklees and Cloverleaf Advocacy.

What we do: Help employers identify, engage, support, and retain working carers within their workforce. We provide practical guidance, tools, and resources to help organisations create carer-friendly workplaces where employees balancing work and caring responsibilities can thrive.

Who we are for: Employers who are just starting to explore this area or looking to strengthen existing support, we're here to help you build a more inclusive, supportive, and productive working environment.

carerscountkirklees.org.uk