Participants & Partners

Different starting points. Shared ambition.

The Capability Stack CIC works with individuals, referral organisations, employers, community organisations and other partners to create pathways towards employment, enterprise and wider economic participation.

Whether you’re considering support for yourself, referring someone to us, or looking for ways to create opportunities for others, we aim to make the process straightforward, collaborative and focused on the individual.

For Participants

Your pathway starts with you.

There is no requirement to arrive with a clear career plan or to know exactly what you want to do next.

You may already have a strong idea of where you want to go. Or you may simply know that your current situation isn’t working and you want to explore what might be possible.

We start by understanding where you are now.

Your journey may include:

1. Understanding your capabilities

We explore your skills, experience, strengths, interests, working preferences, communication needs and aspirations.

2. Identifying possibilities

Together, we consider potential employment, self-employment, enterprise and development pathways that could fit your capabilities and circumstances.

3. Building capability

You may take part in mentoring, workshops, creative activities, practical projects or other activities designed around your goals.

4. Gaining experience

Where appropriate, you may have opportunities to develop and demonstrate your capabilities through practical activities, community projects, events or other suitable work-experience environments.

5. Moving towards your next step

This might mean employment, self-employment, collaborative enterprise, further development or another outcome that supports your longer-term goals.

6. Sustaining progress

Where appropriate, support may continue as you move into employment or self-employment, helping you develop strategies for maintaining your progress and addressing emeFor Participants

Your pathway starts with you.

We don’t believe there is a single route into employment or enterprise, and we don’t expect everyone to fit the same programme.

The Capability Stack CIC works one-to-one with participants, taking the time to understand their skills, experience, interests, aspirations and the things that may have made traditional employment pathways difficult.

Support can take place online or in a relaxed, informal environment, depending on what works best for the individual. The aim is to create a setting where participants can talk openly, explore possibilities and develop their capabilities without feeling that they are being judged against a standard model of what they should be able to do.

We work with you, not simply for you.

Together, we explore:

  • what you’re already good at;
  • what you enjoy and are interested in;
  • how you prefer to work and communicate;
  • what environments help you work at your best;
  • what barriers may be getting in the way;
  • what you’d like to achieve;
  • and what possibilities might realistically fit your circumstances.

From this, we co-design a personalised pathway plan with you.

Your pathway isn’t a fixed programme. It can develop as you gain confidence, discover new possibilities and learn more about what works for you.

Your pathway might include:

Understanding your capabilities

We explore your existing skills, experience, strengths, interests, working preferences, communication needs and aspirations.

Exploring possibilities

Together, we consider potential employment, self-employment, enterprise and development pathways that could fit your capabilities and circumstances.

Building capability

You may take part in mentoring, workshops, creative activities, practical projects or other activities designed around your goals.

Gaining experience

Where appropriate, you may have opportunities to develop and demonstrate your capabilities through practical activities, community projects, events or other suitable work-experience environments.

Moving towards your next step

This might mean employment, self-employment, collaborative enterprise, further development or another outcome that supports your longer-term goals.

Sustaining progress

Where appropriate, support may continue as you move towards employment or self-employment, helping you develop strategies for maintaining your progress and addressing emerging barriers.

Who do we support?

We work with adults who may experience barriers affecting their ability to access, sustain or progress in employment or enterprise.

These might include:

  • reduced confidence following previous experiences;
  • anxiety or communication barriers;
  • difficulty navigating traditional recruitment processes;
  • uncertainty about suitable working environments;
  • difficulty translating existing skills into income opportunities;
  • barriers to self-employment or enterprise;
  • difficulty finding working arrangements that align with individual needs.

You don’t have to fit a particular label to benefit from a strengths-based approach.

The important question is whether our support is appropriate for your circumstances, aspirations and goals.

For Referral Partners

A flexible partner for sustainable progression.

We welcome referrals and partnership working with organisations supporting adults towards employment, enterprise and greater participation.

Our partners may include:

  • local authorities;
  • employment support programmes;
  • community organisations;
  • educational providers;
  • health and wellbeing services;
  • charities and social enterprises;
  • other organisations supporting people into employment or economic participation.

We aim to complement existing provision rather than duplicate it.

How referrals work

1. Referral

A referring organisation provides relevant information with appropriate participant consent and in accordance with data protection requirements.

2. Initial assessment

We explore the participant’s skills, experience, aspirations, barriers and preferred support approach.

Where appropriate, we confirm that our support is suitable for the individual’s circumstances and goals.

3. Pathway planning

A personalised pathway is developed with the participant.

4. Delivery

Support may include mentoring, workshops, creative and practical activities, employment preparation, enterprise development, work experience and capability matching.

5. Progression

We work towards the participant’s agreed goals, whether these involve employment, self-employment, enterprise or another appropriate form of progression.

6. Review

Progress is reviewed regularly, with appropriate information shared with referral partners where agreed and permitted.

Create an Opportunity

You don’t have to be an employment provider to make a difference.

Some of the most valuable opportunities can come from organisations simply willing to let someone take part, contribute and gain experience.

We work with businesses, community organisations, venues, charities and other partners to develop suitable practical opportunities for participants.

These might include:

  • event administration;
  • reception and registration;
  • customer service;
  • hospitality;
  • catering;
  • event setup;
  • stock handling;
  • administration;
  • digital and content activities;
  • creative projects;
  • community activities;
  • other practical tasks suited to a participant’s pathway.

Opportunities are developed according to the setting, the activities available and the participant’s capabilities and goals.

All opportunities are subject to appropriate safeguarding, health and safety, insurance and other requirements applicable to the setting and activity.

Working With Employers

Supporting the person and the workplace

Where appropriate, we can work with employers to help create a better match between an individual’s capabilities and their working environment.

This may include helping participants understand workplace expectations, supporting communication between the participant and employer, and exploring practical strategies that could help make employment sustainable.

We recognise that a successful employment outcome depends on both sides of the relationship.

Working With Community and Delivery Partners

We work with community organisations, charities, venues, businesses and other organisations to create opportunities that support our participants’ development.

Partnerships might involve:

  • providing a suitable work-experience opportunity;
  • hosting a participant activity or project;
  • contributing specialist knowledge or skills;
  • providing a venue or practical environment;
  • supporting community events or activities;
  • collaborating on projects that benefit both participants and the wider community.

We aim to keep these relationships practical, appropriate and mutually beneficial, with each opportunity developed according to the setting and the needs of the participants involved.

Working Together

We aim to build partnerships around shared objectives rather than simply referring people between organisations.

Our partners can expect:

  • clear communication;
  • professional and collaborative working;
  • appropriate information sharing;
  • participant-centred decision-making;
  • attention to safeguarding and confidentiality;
  • agreed progress updates where appropriate;
  • a willingness to adapt where circumstances change.

We are always interested in conversations about new partnership models and opportunities to create practical routes into employment, enterprise and community participation.

Could we work together?

Are you considering referring someone to us?

Could your organisation provide a work-experience opportunity?

Would you like to explore a partnership?

We’d be pleased to hear from you.

[Make a Referral]  [Discuss a Partnership]

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