We’re proud to be delivering the Get Ready for Work Job Brokerage, funded by the Mayor of London, supporting women across London to move into meaningful, sustainable employment.
This programme is designed for women who are ready to work, and who deserve the right support at the right moment to make that happen.
The women joining this programme are diverse. They are in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s. They come from a wide range of heritage backgrounds. Some are returning after long gaps. Some are changing careers. Some are balancing childcare. Some are managing health conditions or disabilities. Some are navigating the realities of settlement status and what that means for work options. They are capable and motivated and with the right support, they can move forward.
For many of the women we support, being ‘ready to work’ does not mean the journey is straightforward. Confidence may have taken knocks. Childcare arrangements can be complex. Settlement status can affect what’s financially possible. Health conditions or disability can shape what work feels sustainable. And we are regularly told that job searching can feel incredibly lonely, especially if networks are limited.
This is where the Grow Job Brokerage makes the difference.
A programme built around outcomes
The difference with this programme is focus. As Khatera, who leads engagement for the project, explains:
“This programme is very focused on jobs. We are not here just to improve confidence or run general sessions. Everything we do is about helping women find work. From the first phone call, we make sure they are ready and willing. Then the two-week intensive is about action – CVs, applications, interviews, networking, using AI properly. It’s very practical and its designed for job outcomes.”
Participants complete a two-week online intensive, followed by personalised one-to-one support and ongoing job brokerage. Mock interviews are a key part of that journey and often a turning point, as Khatera describes:
“After the mock interview, we really see a difference. We build that connection and trust. I give detailed feedback – question by question – what they said and what they could have said differently. One woman told me, ‘I’m going to print this feedback and use it for every interview.’ After that, they go into interviews differently. They feel prepared and supported and they believe they can do it.”
The reality for the women we support
Laura, who works closely with participants, delivering intensive one-to-one support and running group sessions in Kingston with support from the London Borough of Kingston’s, Cameron King and the local Jobcentre says that support from other women has an important role to play.
“Our group sessions at Kingston provides a space where women share their experiences of job searching, support one another, and realise they are not alone. They might have applied for hundreds of jobs. They might have got down to the final two out of 300 applicants and still not got it. That knocks your confidence. And if you’re a mother, or you’re navigating childcare eligibility, or you’re on a visa, the stakes feel even higher. Having someone alongside you saying ‘You’re doing well, keep going’ really matters.”
Many of the women joining the Job Brokerage have been out of work for years. Some are changing careers. Some are already working a few hours but want more stable employment. Some are managing disabilities or long-term health conditions.
One participant supported by Khatera had not worked in seven years and has now secured a part-time job of six hours a week. For someone who hasn’t worked in seven years, six hours is a beginning and provides an income, confidence, and proof that work is possible again and a great starting point to grow and develop from.
Working with employers
We are working with the Mayor of London’s Good People Jobs Board and we are also building relationships with employers, including routes into the NHS. We are particularly grateful to the Imperial Health Charity NHS Volunteering Programme who have been a tremendous support.
One of the most powerful examples of the impact of the Job Brokerage programme is a woman supported by Laura and Khatera into the NHS. She had previously done short-term roles but had never secured a stable, permanent position.
Through Job Brokerage, she strengthened her CV, prepared thoroughly for interviews, and accessed a volunteering pathway linked to NHS recruitment. Laura reflects:
“We worked intensively on her CV, not just writing it, but really thinking about her key skills and how to demonstrate them. Then we did mock interviews. When she was invited to interview, we prepared again. It wasn’t just about paperwork. It was about helping her see what she had to offer.”
She is now in a permanent NHS role, an organisation known for training, progression and long-term opportunity. A route into something sustainable.
Whilst Grow has long supported women to get ready for work, what makes this project distinctive is its intensity and its job-first focus. It is about supporting women who are close to work but stuck – and helping them secure something real.
We are proud of the women stepping forward, proud of the team delivering it, and grateful for the Mayor of London funding that enables this focused, practical support.