The programme is aimed at those who are newly unemployed, those who have been out of work for six months or more, lone parents, partners and carers. Access to the programme is via Job centre Plus advisors

Gain skills and build confidence through bite sized tailored training courses, advice and support that will boost your job-hunting activities

The JCP Refresh programme provides a range of employability modules and resources to help people return to work, based on the themes of ‘Improving Job Search’ and ‘Getting Ready for Work’. Our training modules give clients the opportunity to learn new skills, increase their confidence, and improve their chances of finding the right job.

• Realistic Jobs for Me – Learn to develop tools and techniques for a more positive approach to your general personal capability and in relation to work. You will assess your own perceptions of work, identifying your own negative and positive feelings, fears/hope and attitude.
• Doing Effective Job Search – Recognise and identify your transferable skills from previous work or other experiences; understanding skills, strengths and your personal capability in relation to specific occupations or jobs; identifying realistic job goals within your capability to match jobs actually available in the local labour market.
• Finding and Getting a Job – learn how to identify the vacancies that suit you, ways to contact employers and improve job applications and interview skills.
• Skills for Work – Develop the key skills required by employers, including necessary interpersonal skills.
• Job Search Support Centre –free access to phones, stationery, stamps, word processors, photocopiers, fax, email and the Internet where appropriate for job search facilities and employer research activities. All customers will be helped to create an email account to aid in their job search activities.
• Launch Pad – intensive 8-week programme of job preparation and job search support for lone parents, carers and partners. This includes group workshops and a work placement with an employer to receive expert information, advice and support to work towards employment, including help to manage the personal circumstances that prevent these people from considering work or working.

1. Building the belief in personal capacity to work.
2. Managing personal circumstances.
3. Doing effective job search
4. Engagement with employers
5. Finding and getting jobs
6. Next Steps (signposting, exit strategy, identify training needs for an Action Plan )
7. Work placements – 4 weeks

• Keeping the Job – Pre-employment support that provides one-to-one mentoring and assistance necessary to effectively address the needs of those participants who find finding and keeping a job difficult and who are at a disadvantage in the labour market.
• Vocational Training – to help customers to acquire and/or update work-related skills to enable them to return effectively to the labour market following an absence due to caring responsibilities.

1)    Short certificated courses – Up to 5 Days

SIA, CSCS Card, Health and Safety, Manual Handling, Food Hygiene, 17th Edition

2)    Vocational Courses – Up to 13 Weeks

(i)    Education Assistant – NVQ Level 2 (Mandatory Units Only)

(ii)   Health and Care – NVQ Level 2 (Mandatory Units Only)

From 5 hours to 8 weeks for improving job search modules and up to 13 weeks for vocational courses. Please contact your JCP advisor for a referral or speak to our specialist advice and help line on 0208 352 1010.

Refresh is run from our Haringey and Enfield centres, you can join at a centre near to your residence. Please go to ‘Our Locations’ for more details on our centres.

No, this is a fully funded FREE course by the Department of Works and Pensions.