Jobs and work support for care leavers

We’re here to help you feel confident about your next step. If you’re thinking about work, training, or just exploring your options, we can support you with things like:

• Chatting through different career ideas
• Creating a CV that sounds like you
• Finding job opportunities that feel like a good fit
• Getting ready for interviews so you can walk in feeling calm and prepared
• Starting a new course or training if that’s the direction you want to go
• Supporting you to get an outfit for the interview if you don’t have one

And because you’re a care leaver, you’ll have one main contact at the Job Centre, someone who gets to know you and sticks with you along the way.

Virtual School Team

Our Virtual School Team is here to help you with your future.

You’ll have someone who works with you one‑to‑one to talk about your options, like college, training, or jobs. They can help you apply for courses or work, find training or funding, and figure out your next steps.

Elevate

Elevate is a friendly, welcoming service in Wokingham designed to help young people figure out their next steps, especially if you’re not currently in education, employment or training. It’s also open to young people with SEND up to the age of 24.

Elevate is a place where you can talk to someone about your next steps and get support in a way that works for you.

Elevate can help you with:

• Working out what kind of career might suit you
• Finding courses or training you might enjoy
• Apprenticeships
• Job searching
• Work experience
• Volunteering

The team is warm, down‑to‑earth, and used to supporting young people who might feel unsure, overwhelmed, or like they don’t know where to start. They’ll help you break things down into manageable steps, celebrate your progress, and support you in becoming more confident about your choices.

Find out more about how Elevate can support you.

Care Leaver Covenant

The Care Leaver Covenant helps young people aged 16–25 who have been in care find opportunities to build their independence.

You can access things like jobs, apprenticeships, work experience, training, mentoring, and discounts from organisations across the UK.

Find out more and see what's available on the Care Leaver Covenant website

Supporting women on their career journey

Smart Works is a UK charity that helps women who are unemployed or on zero-hours contracts by providing free, interview-ready clothing and support to help them succeed. Their Reading branch is here to support local women, offering guidance and resources to make interviews feel less daunting and help them feel confident and prepared. They offer:

• Support with improving your CV
• Friendly interview practice
• A fresh interview outfit to help you feel comfortable and confident

Internships with the Council

Getting real-world experience can be a huge boost, and we want to make sure you’ve got those opportunities. That’s why we offer a Summer Internship just for care leavers at Wokingham Borough Council.

We’re working to create more internships in the future too. Your Personal Advisor (PA) can talk everything through with you and help you get involved when you feel ready.

Job opportunities or apprenticeships with the Council

If a job opportunity or an apprenticeship sounds interesting, we’d love to support you. When you apply for job or an apprenticeship with Wokingham Borough Council and meet the minimum requirements, we’ll guarantee you an interview.

Your Personal Advisor (PA) is on hand to help with understanding the roles, getting prepared, and feeling confident.

Young Experts

Your voice and your experiences matter. As a Young Expert, you’ll have the chance to work with the council and help shape services for other young people, a real opportunity to make a difference.