Going Forward Into Employment (GFIE)

To celebrate National Inclusion Week, individuals who have come into the Civil Service via GFiE Schemes share their personal experience of what impact these opportunities have had for them.

Introducing you to our New GFIE Scheme for Autistic People.

On Friday 10th May Lisa Jackson from the Going Forward Into Employment (GFIE) team was at Bradford City Hall alongside many other Civil Service Departments to promote opportunities within West Yorkshire. It was great to hear from Professor Adeeba Malik CBE, West Yorkshire High Sheriff, who opened the event by recognising the importance of people from all backgrounds and regions working in the UK Civil Service. As well as talking to candidates with a range of future career interests about what we do, we also enjoyed speaking to other teams based in the area from the NHS and hope we can build some good connections locally. Thanks to Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) colleagues for organising and hosting us! 💫

At GFIE, we recognise the profound impact that mental health has on every aspect of our lives, including our careers. This Mental Health Awareness Week, we want to reaffirm our dedication to fostering a supportive environment for all individuals, especially those who face unique challenges. Our mission is to provide job opportunities within the Civil Service to people with convictions, veterans and their spouses, carers, and care leavers. We understand that having experience of these different backgrounds can potentially have an impact on mental health, whether that’s navigating life after a custodial or community sentence, the transition from military to civilian life, or the pressure of care giving responsibilities. Here's how GFIE supports mental health: Inclusive Opportunities: By offering meaningful employment, we hope to enable people to regain a sense of purpose and identity, which are crucial for mental well being. Supportive Community: Our team is committed to creating an inclusive and understanding workplace culture where everyone feels valued and supported, not only within our team but with those we work with too Access to Resources: We provide access to mental health resources and services to ensure the people we work with  have the support they need. As we celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week, we encourage everyone to join us in promoting mental health awareness and breaking the stigma. Together, we can continue the conversation about what barriers to good mental health might look like and aim to break these down one by one. What does a good Mental Health Support in the Workplace mean to you, and do you know where to access support for any Mental Health concerns if needed?

At GFIE, we recognise the profound impact that mental health has on every aspect of our lives, including our careers. This Mental Health Awareness Week, we want to reaffirm our dedication to fostering a supportive environment for all individuals, especially those who face unique challenges. Our mission is to provide job opportunities within the Civil Service to people with convictions, veterans and their spouses, carers, and care leavers. We understand that having experience of these different backgrounds can potentially have an impact on mental health, whether that’s navigating life after a custodial or community sentence, the transition from military to civilian life, or the pressure of care giving responsibilities. Here's how GFIE supports mental health: Inclusive Opportunities: By offering meaningful employment, we hope to enable people to regain a sense of purpose and identity, which are crucial for mental well being. Supportive Community: Our team is committed to creating an inclusive and understanding workplace culture where everyone feels valued and supported, not only within our team but with those we work with too Access to Resources: We provide access to mental health resources and services to ensure the people we work with  have the support they need. As we celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week, we encourage everyone to join us in promoting mental health awareness and breaking the stigma. Together, we can continue the conversation about what barriers to good mental health might look like and aim to break these down one by one. What does a good Mental Health Support in the Workplace mean to you, and do you know where to access support for any Mental Health concerns if needed?

“We have heard how there can be a range of barriers to finding employment as a military spouse or partner, such as getting back into employment after time out and the associated lack of confidence that this can cause. Going through an application and recruitment process can be even more daunting if you are also coping with a return to a new location or routine after a posting or feeling self-doubt about your abilities”. Realising this, Going Forward into Employment extended our criteria to include military spouses and partners. Since then, we’ve been busy engaging with organisations such as Forces Employment Charity to understand the specific challenges faced by spouses and partners, and how we might work together to best reach them with our employment opportunities.

“We have heard how there can be a range of barriers to finding employment as a military spouse or partner, such as getting back into employment after time out and the associated lack of confidence that this can cause. Going through an application and recruitment process can be even more daunting if you are also coping with a return to a new location or routine after a posting or feeling self-doubt about your abilities”. Realising this, Going Forward into Employment extended our criteria to include military spouses and partners. Since then, we’ve been busy engaging with organisations such as Forces Employment Charity to understand the specific challenges faced by spouses and partners, and how we might work together to best reach them with our employment opportunities.

After 43 years in Service, Peter J Lawrence OBE has taken retirement, and shared with us a few excerpts about how to navigate a successful work life within the Civil Service, while reminding us to take charge of opportunities that come our way. Please follow the link to read what Pete shared with us. We wish you the very best Pete!

The ‘Movement to Work' scheme is a two-week work experience placement within the Civil Service that can potentially lead to a temporary fixed term appointment role for up to 24 months and the possibility of permanent employment at 12 months. The scheme aims to provide young people with a meaningful experience in the Civil Service.  To support individuals to gain the essential skills, they need to demonstrate their potential and break the vicious ‘no experience – no job’ cycle which can prevent them from stepping onto the career ladder. Last week was the Movement to Work CEO Summit, and the Youth Employability Awards, where brilliant collaboration was celebrated and ideas were discussed on how to make a difference for the younger generation.