26 Jun 2026
By Emma Woodward, Operational Manager, Employment Services
In recognition of Employability Day 2026, the East Kent Connect to Work team from The Forward Trust will be spending the day at Westwood Cross Shopping Centre in Thanet, engaging directly with local residents, employers, and community partners.
This outreach activity reflects the core principles of both Connect to Work and IPS, by taking services into the heart of the community and making employment support more accessible to engage with employment programmes.
Visitors will have the opportunity to:
Meet Connect to Work Employment Specialists.
Learn about the free support available through the programme.
Discuss individual employment goals and barriers.
Find out how to access the service.
Receive information about eligibility and referral routes.
Explore how health conditions, disabilities, neurodiversity, caring responsibilities, or other barriers can be supported through a personalised employment journey.
Learn about employer support and workplace adjustment opportunities.
The event will also provide an opportunity for health professionals, local organisations, and community stakeholders to gain a better understanding of how Connect to Work can support their patients, service users, and clients into sustainable employment.
By bringing the service into a busy community setting, the team hopes to raise awareness that employment support is available to individuals who may be unemployed, economically inactive, or at risk of leaving work due to health-related or other complex challenges. Connect to Work is designed to help people access and sustain meaningful employment through a person-centred approach based on the proven principles of Individual Placement and Support (IPS).
This local engagement activity perfectly reflects the spirit of Employability Day 2026: celebrating the positive impact of employment support services, strengthening community partnerships, and ensuring more people across Kent and Medway can access the support they need to achieve their employment aspirations and improve their overall health and wellbeing. Through initiatives such as Connect to Work, Kent and Medway are actively contributing to the Government's ambition of increasing employment participation while ensuring that nobody is left behind because of health conditions, disabilities, or other barriers to work.
If you're visiting Westwood Cross on Friday 26 June, come and meet the team to find out how Connect to Work could help you, a loved one, patient, or service user take the next step towards sustainable employment.
