Connect to Work Programme

The Authority is delivering the Connect to Work Programme as part of new Mayoral powers to convene local supported employment provision that contributes to the national Get Britain Working plan and the Local Growth Plan. Connect to Work is a new, voluntary supported employment initiative funded by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). It is the first major element of the Get Britain Working Strategy and will take a collaborative, locally led approach It will: • Connect local work, health, and skills support using a “place, train, maintain” model. • Target “hidden unemployment” and disadvantaged groups. • Deliver IPS (Individual Placement and Support) and SEQF (Supported Employment Quality Framework) interventions with high fidelity to national models. • Ensure equitable access through a zero-exclusions approach. • Support at least 3,738 residents between 2025 and 2030. The Authority, as Lead Authority and Accountable Body for Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, will commission, implement, and manage Connect to Work. Delivery will align with local priorities and be supported through partnerships with health services and other stakeholders The Authority seeks to award a single contract to an experienced Supplier to manage a specialist supply chain and deliver 3,738 Connect to Work Programme starts, along with associated job starts and outcomes, between contract commencement and 31 March 2030. The successful Supplier will be responsible for: • Building and managing a specialist, local supply chain of delivery partners. • Ensuring access to, and engagement with, the targeted Connect to Work participants. • Overall delivery of both IPS (Individual Placement and Support model) and SEQF (Support Employment Quality Framework) support to the IPS and SEQF fidelity scales2 at the required volumes and profiles as detailed in this Specification.