With support from his Employment Advisor, Graeme Parker, and the wider Clubhouse team, Jaswinder has made strong use of the resources available to him. He has taken part in a wide range of development workshops with John, including topics such as interview preparation, applications and cover letters, networking, and using LinkedIn, as well as completing job-networking sessions, 1:1 interview preparation for specific roles, and attending Hot Jobs sessions with Jenny (ESC). He’s also received practical interview support, including preparation for both in-person and phone interviews, often using the Clubhouse itself as a calm and professional space to carry these out.

Over time, Jaswinder has increased his confidence and independence. He now uses the Clubhouse regularly for his job search, working largely independently and making proactive use of the support around him when needed. He’s shared that he feels happier and more productive in this environment, reflecting the positive impact it has had on his routine and mindset.

Beyond his job search, Jaswinder actively contributes to the Clubhouse community. He participates in men’s mental health sessions facilitated by Rix, joins group activities such as quizzes, and frequently supports other members with IT, demonstrating both generosity and growing technical confidence.

Overall, Jaswinder’s commitment and engagement have led to clear personal and professional development. His increased confidence, independence, and positive contributions to the community highlight the progress he continues to make.

As he describes it, “What I’ve appreciated most is how empowering the atmosphere is. The support isn’t clinical or formal, it’s human, warm, and collaborative.”

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When  Sam  first attended our Brighton office, he always came with his mum and  required  the use of a private room, as he was not comfortable speaking on the main floor. Through steady progress and by building a relationship with his Employment Adviser, Vicky, Sam began attending appointments independently and eventually no longer required the private room.

To further improve his confidence,  Vicky recommended that he join the New Wave Clubhouse. This step significantly improved his confidence and ability to manage social interactions. He quickly became a regular member, building positive relationships and forming new friendships. This improvement in his confidence meant he was able to start attending group workshops to improve his employability skills. He has also been supported with job applications and interview preparation for roles aligned with his interest in the creative sector.

Sam has made outstanding progress. He now attends appointments independently, fully  participates  in workshops, and is a confident and regular member of the Clubhouse community. His increased confidence is evident  in his willingness to pursue high-quality roles aligned with his career goals.

A key achievement has been progressing to the video interview stage for an Apprenticeship Producer role with the BBC. He is currently waiting to hear the outcome. This is a significant milestone and reflects how far he has come in terms of confidence, engagement, and ambition.

This journey has also had a wider positive impact on  Sam’s life. He now has structure, improved wellbeing, stronger communication skills, and a clearer sense of direction for his future.

Speaking about his journey,  Sam  shared:
“Initially, once I began the Restart programme, my anxiety was very tumultuous, and I could not look at anybody. Consequently, 9 months later, I am waltzing into Fedcap, ever so talkative and confident within myself.”

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Fedcap has delivered the WorkWell mental health advisory service on behalf of Surrey County Council for the last 12 months with 90% of people who accessed the service said our advisers helped them to manage their mental health in work, support their return to work or progress towards their job goals.

One participant shared: “This service has been the best mental health support I have ever received, and Jane is the best mental health professional I have worked with. As a result of her encouragement and understanding, I feel more confident about my skills, what I can offer and believe I am capable to return to work and cope.”

We’re proud to be building capacity for the NHS by keeping people in work – reducing GP appointments and mental health referrals; or by supporting a successful return to work, reducing the need for NHS intervention.

Fedcap passionately believes that good work forms part of a healthy life and we’re excited to continue building effective systems and driving innovation with Integrated Care Boards and local authorities during the wider roll-out of WorkWell, supporting more people to remain healthy at work.

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The report finds that integrating mental health support with employment services -through Fedcap’s UK Clubhouse model – can significantly improve workforce participation and long-term economic outcomes for individuals facing complex mental health challenges.

The findings come at a critical juncture. In the UK, 2.8 million working-age individuals are economically inactive due to health conditions, with mental health issues playing a central role. The economic cost is staggering – estimated at up to £300 billion annually when accounting for lost productivity, healthcare, and social impacts.

Fedcap’s UK Clubhouse model offers a community-based, non-clinical approach that combines mental health support, social connection, and employment readiness. Unlike traditional programmes, the model focuses on sustained engagement and real-world work pathways.

Analysis found that approximately one-third of participants transitioned into sustainable employment – a significant outcome for a population with historically low job placement rates. In addition, 82% of members reported improved mental wellbeing and 65% sustained engagement rates, compared to 45% in traditional programmes.

The report further highlights the model’s strong return on investment. Clubhouse services operate at a fraction of the cost of clinical interventions and have demonstrated the potential to generate significant public value by reducing reliance on benefits, healthcare services, and repeated programme participation.

The report outlines a clear roadmap for scaling impact, including expanding access to Clubhouses in high-need regions, further integrating the model into national employment and health programmes, strengthening referral pathways from healthcare and community systems, supporting multi-year funding to enable sustained engagement, and enhancing data tracking to capture long-term public value. The pilot was funded by the UK Government’s Department for Work and Pensions’ Restart Scheme.

“This report makes clear that we cannot address economic inactivity without addressing mental health,” said Christine McMahon, President and CEO of Fedcap. “The Clubhouse model demonstrates that when individuals are supported in a community, with integrated health and employment services, the results are transformative – not just for the individual, but for the economy as a whole. We applaud the Department for Work and Pensions for funding this innovative pilot. This is a scalable, evidence-based solution that policymakers should embrace.”

Susan Paterson, Executive Director of Fedcap Employment, added: “Fedcap has long recognised the need to devise solutions that integrate work and health to address growing numbers of people who believe their mental health conditions prevent them from working. We’re grateful to the Department for Work and Pensions for funding Clubhouse to allow us to pilot and continue this innovative model of mental health and employability support.”

A full copy of the report can be found here.

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Through Inspiring Futures, Binx worked with their Supported Employment Specialist, Henry, to explore their interests, strengths and possible career paths. A vocational profile was completed to better understand their creative interests and wider skills, which helped identify short-term goals such as exploring voluntary opportunities and entry-level roles in environments like retail or cleaning. Binx was supported to create a skills-based CV that reflected their abilities and experiences, and they were introduced to LinkedIn and job-search strategies. Clear, achievable tasks were set to help build confidence and independence when approaching employers. The VIA Strengths assessment was also used to help Binx reflect on their personal strengths in a positive way, including recognising how qualities such as being a supportive team member can be valuable in the workplace.

Alongside employment support, attention was also given to wellbeing. When Binx experienced challenges with their mental health, Henry provided support to arrange a GP appointment and to create a daily routine that added more structure to their day, including consistent wake-up times, meals and creative activities.

Binx expressed a strong desire to work regularly and earn their own money, ideally in a part-time role in a quieter environment close to Congleton. After applying for several roles without progressing, open conversations about workplace readiness led to a decision to focus on volunteering as a way to build experience, confidence and strengthen their CV. A digital marketing volunteer role was identified with South Cheshire CLASP, a small charity in Crewe that supports lone and single-parent families. Their advisor contacted the organisation to learn more about the role and explain the programme before supporting Binx with their application.

Binx was invited to interview, and on the day their advisor travelled to Congleton to meet them at the train station. Henry and Binx travelled together to Crewe, using the journey as an opportunity to practise travel training, including buying tickets and navigating stations, while also preparing for the interview. Binx attended the interview with this additional support and was successfully offered the digital marketing volunteer role with South Cheshire CLASP, which they started in January. This marks an important step forward, allowing them to gain experience in an area they enjoy while continuing to build confidence and work towards future paid employment.

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Volunteers will be matched with around 30 young people aged 18-24 based upon mutual interests and will aim to develop positive personal relationships to help normalise fears about work and adult life, and provide space to talk informally about social anxieties.

It is the first of a range of initiatives Fedcap has been developing through working alongside young people in a series of focus groups and workshops, to complement our ongoing work to support individuals into sustainable employment.

“We’re seeing an increasing number of young people struggling to secure work in today’s job market,” said Susan Paterson, Executive Director of Fedcap Employment. “From listening to young people, the same two themes keep being repeated – a lack of work experience and awareness; and social anxiety and fear of the workplace.”

Fedcap has found that structural shifts in the labour market have reduced the informal entry points that once helped young people build experience and confidence. Weekend jobs, entry-level roles, and early workplace exposure have declined in many areas, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pilot youth mentoring programme, which will initially be rolled out across South Central England, will be bolstered by Fedcap-initiated employer awareness days – giving young people the chance to spend time inside real organisations, see what a typical working day looks like, and help demystify the workplace.

Susan added: “Many young people simply don’t know what different jobs look like in reality, or the variety of career paths available to them. For many, the idea of being in a workplace feels intimidating and overwhelming. This isn’t about motivation – it’s about confidence, exposure, and feeling like they belong.”

This follows a recent report by Fedcap’s Community Impact Policy Institute, recommending ways to end youth inactivity which highlighted the need for universal access to meaningful work experience to help young people improve their economic mobility.

“Recommendations to End Youth Inactivity in the UK: A National Framework for Re-Engagement”, builds on Fedcap’s integrated approach to supporting young people to improve their economic mobility – providing structured, personalised support that combines employability services, skills development, and health interventions.

Read the report here

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“Recommendations to End Youth Inactivity in the UK: A National Framework for Re-Engagement”, builds on Fedcap’s integrated approach to supporting young people to improve their economic mobility – providing structured, personalised support that combines employability services, skills development, and health interventions.

A sharp increase in youth unemployment with factors such as rising mental health, the COVID-19 pandemic and systematic challenges in young people navigating the system, has left nearly one million young people aged 16–24 Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) or otherwise economically inactive, creating a national challenge that demands an immediate response.

The report makes 10 recommendations based on Fedcap’s experience and insights into how young people move between systems and where support structures can be strengthened, including:

• A National Youth Employment Programme for 16–24-year-olds that integrates skills development, mental health support, and meaningful work experience
• Strengthening and expanding Youth Hubs that co-locate careers guidance, skills provision, employer engagement, and health and wellbeing services in accessible community settings
• Embedding Mental Health and Wellbeing Support ensuring timely access to both clinical and non-clinical services, particularly during critical transitions such as the move from youth to adult support systems

“The findings of this report make clear that youth inactivity in the UK is not driven by a lack of aspiration, but by systemic gaps that emerge too early and persist for too long,” said Christine McMahon, President and CEO of Fedcap. “With youth unemployment rising from 10.8% to 15.3% in just three years, nearly one million young people now disconnected from education or work, and growing mental health pressures, the data point to a system that too often intervenes late or inconsistently. Where mental health barriers, reduced access to entry-level jobs, and fragmented careers guidance intersect, young people can quickly fall out of view.”

She added: “The report underscores that addressing youth inactivity requires a coordinated national framework — one that embeds mental health as core infrastructure, strengthens early intervention within schools, expands meaningful work experience, and creates clear, credible pathways into employment. This is not a marginal issue; it is a national economic and social priority that demands sustained, cross-system action.”

Read the report here

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Since 2019, Fedcap has worked in partnership with the UK, Scottish, and Welsh governments, local authorities and integrated care boards, to provide personalised employability programmes and services that give people the best chance of finding and staying in work.

Now, Fedcap is celebrating reaching its achievement of supporting 50,000 people into work with a single mum who first needed support with her mental health before she could even contemplate looking for employment.

Rumaysah Al-Khalil, a 21-year-old single mum, had no experience of working when she joined the Department for Work and Pension’s Restart Scheme at Fedcap’s Staines office a year ago.

Her employment adviser, Radi Demina, said: “When Rumaysah joined Fedcap she was very motivated to look for work, but over the course of our appointments I noticed that her spark was slowly disappearing. She eventually shared that she was struggling with her mental health due to a breakdown in a relationship and she needed support to find new housing for her and her son.”

Radi introduced Rumaysah to Riverside Clubhouse, Fedcap’s award-winning community-based intervention, where she found dedicated support to improve both her mental health and her housing situation.

Rumaysah said: “I wanted to work but I wasn’t strong enough mentally and emotionally. I was at my lowest when I joined Fedcap. Radi and Clubhouse, made me feel calm and safe. They were very patient with me and I’m very grateful for that. I opened up to them and trusted them. They changed my mindset and gave me confidence.”

Rumaysah has accepted a role as an assistant in a local nursery which fits perfectly around her caring responsibilities to her young son.

She added: “My journey has been quite hard, and I’ve been fighting for myself and my wellbeing. When I look back, I’m very proud of the person I’ve become. I’m working at a place that makes me happy and I now have lots of goals.”

Christine McMahon, President and CEO of Fedcap, said: “Rumaysah’s story is a fantastic example of how Fedcap is bringing to life our mission of improving people’s economic mobility.

“We support hundreds of thousands of people every year across our footprint in North America and the UK, and Rumaysah is a reminder of why we do what we do. To have reached this milestone of supporting 50,000 people into work in the UK is a tremendous achievement.

“I’m also delighted that Rumaysah found support as a Clubhouse member. Learning from our Clubhouse offer in the US, the UK team have innovated to develop a unique community to support people facing mental health challenges, with many going on to find work.”

Brian Bell, President of Fedcap Employment, said: “Rumaysah’s story is just phenomenal. She’s a young girl with huge ambition and our starting point with her, as with so many other people, is to help them believe in themselves.

“We deliver great services for people, wrapping services around them, whether to do with housing, mental health or wellbeing. Of course, we also focus on how to look for a job, but it’s much more than filling a CV, it’s dealing with the whole person. Some people really need that full wrap-around support and Fedcap provides this for them.”

Susan Paterson, Executive Director of Fedcap Employment, said: “There’s so many young people now who are not in employment, education, or training, and it’s a question of how do we lift them up, so they believe in themselves, gain confidence, experience and life skills?

“Fedcap believed in Rumaysah and it’s brilliant that she’s got a job that she loves, is thriving and is looking forward to the future.”

Fedcap has long recognised the importance of integrating health and employment, innovating in the sector, including embedding a dedicated health and wellbeing team into its services.

The not-for-profit organisation has continued to pioneer new ways to support the increasing number of customers disclosing mental health challenges and its award-winning Clubhouses are helping 1 in 4 members into employment, with 9 in 10 reporting improved mental health.

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In her current role as Operations Director at Fedcap Employment, Susan has overseen a diverse national portfolio of Department for Work and Pensions and local authority programmes. Under her leadership, Fedcap became the DWP’s top-performing Restart Scheme provider for three consecutive years and a leading deliverer of Intensive Personalised Employment Support. She previously led Scotland’s largest Fair Start Scotland contract and played a leading role in establishing the first contracted employability programme in the Republic of Ireland—an innovative model that continues to deliver results today.

Her government experience also includes extensive collaboration with senior civil servants, policy leaders, and commissioners across the UK, ensuring that employability, health, and skills programmes reflect local priorities while delivering nationally consistent outcomes. Susan is a Fellow of the Institute of Employability Professionals and serves on Scotland’s Improving Health and Reducing Inequalities Steering Group, championing the critical link between good work, better health and reduced inequality.

Christine McMahon, President and CEO of The Fedcap Group, said: “Susan represents the very best of what Fedcap stands for: belief in people, dedication to service, and an unshakeable commitment to improving lives through sustainable employment that leads to economic mobility and well-being. Her leadership has already delivered transformational outcomes across the UK. We are thrilled to see her step into this new leadership role and continue shaping the future of employability at a national level.”

Brian Bell, President of Fedcap Employment, said: “Susan is an outstanding leader whose track record speaks for itself. She combines operational rigour with a deep commitment to supporting individuals and communities who face the greatest barriers. Her ability to build trust with government partners, galvanise teams, and deliver consistently high performance makes her exactly the right person to lead Fedcap Employment into its next chapter of growth and impact.”

Susan Paterson said: “It is an honour to take on this role and to lead such a committed and talented organisation. My career has been driven by the belief that everyone deserves the chance to build a better life, and that good work is central to health, economic wellbeing, and independence. I am proud of what our teams deliver every day, and I look forward to strengthening our partnerships with government and communities as we support even more people to achieve lasting change.”

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Since launching ELITE in 1994, Andrea has worked tirelessly to enable more than 20,000 disabled people and individuals with barriers to work to access and sustain meaningful employment.

Through its award-winning social enterprises operating across South Mid and West Wales, ELITE creates pathways into work by providing tailored supported employment, training and advocacy. It is recognised for its holistic approach, empowering individuals to thrive in the workplace.

Andrea has extended ELITE’s geographical coverage to 16 counties in South, West, Mid and East Wales, providing services through a range of competitive contracts and grants funded by UK and Welsh Governments, European sources, the National Lottery Community Fund and private trust funds. She has introduced a range of innovative programmes to ELITE’s services, with the organisation winning national and international awards, enhancing the employment experience of many disabled people or those who have experienced disadvantage.

Respected by government departments, politicians, policymakers, and her peers, Andrea has played an instrumental role in the supported employment and social enterprise movements, lending her expertise to government ministers in England and Wales.

Andrea said: “It has been a privilege to spend the last 30 years enabling people to realise and achieve their ambitions and improve their economic mobility. I’m grateful to have worked alongside people who have similar beliefs in knowing they were making a difference to people’s lives, by providing person-centred support and placing individuals on a level playing field so they could succeed.

“I also consider myself fortunate to have been able to influence change in UK and Welsh governments, and local authorities through ELITE’s work with disabled people. There’s great job satisfaction seeing politicians embrace supported employment and watching it built into policies and programmes.”

In March 2025 ELITE joined the Fedcap family in a strategic combination to expand employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities and continue Andrea’s legacy.

Andrea said: “My driving force has always been the next person who needs a job. It’s truly satisfying to know you’ve had an impact on someone’s life through ELITE’s intervention and I’m glad to know there will be that continuity through Fedcap.”

Christine McMahon, President and CEO of Fedcap, said: “Andrea Wayman’s leadership embodies the very best of what our sector strives to achieve. For more than three decades, she has transformed possibility into progress for thousands of individuals facing barriers to work across Wales. Through her vision, ELITE has become a model of excellence in supported employment – combining compassion, innovation, and rigorous practice to help more than 20,000 people secure meaningful, sustainable jobs.

“We are honoured that ELITE joined The Fedcap Group earlier this year, ensuring that Andrea’s extraordinary legacy of inclusion and opportunity will continue to grow. Her life’s work has opened doors for so many, and we are committed to carrying that mission forward with the same determination and heart that have defined her leadership.”

Brian Bell, President of Fedcap Employment, said: “Anyone who ever meets Andrea will be left in little doubt about her passion and her drive to make a difference to people’s lives through the opportunities that ELITE provides for disabled people.

“Her remarkable career has been rightly recognised by a range of organisations that represent the communities she has served.

“I have known Andrea for some years, but first came across her in a business sense, about seven years ago. I have to say I have had way easier negotiations in my time – and so when we combined with ELITE, it was a pleasure to have her on my side.

“Andrea’s presence around ELITE’s offices and factories will be very much missed, but her legacy will live on well beyond her retirement. I hope Andrea enjoys a well-earned rest.”

Andrea’s recent achievements:

• February 2022: Andrea appointed Vice Chair of the Welsh Government’s Economic Ministerial Advisory Board
• 2021/22: Andrea appointed Co-Chair of the Wales Regional Access to Work Group, co-ordinating meetings with DWP, Welsh Government and Members, to aid the exchange of information between the department and also across Wales
• August 2023: Andrea invited to join DWP’s Expert Advisory Panel in relation to the new Universal Support Programme, advising on the fidelity model of Supported Employment
• December 2023: Andrea won the prestigious ERSA Outstanding Contribution to the Sector Award, nominated by colleagues and peers
• October 2024 Andrea was appointed Chair of the Wales Social Enterprise Stakeholder Group.
• November 2025: Andrea made an Honorary Fellow of Social Enterprise UK

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