Launch to Employment®
Information for Referring Partners
About the Courses:
Launch to Employment® is a series of four week courses designed to get clients with additional needs back into the workplace.
There are three courses in the series: Launch 1 (Starter), Launch 2 (Developer) and Launch 3 (Enhancer). Each builds on the employability skills of the last. They are flexibly designed so that clients gaining employment during the courses only need complete what is required to help get them into the workplace.
How are the Courses Funded?
The courses are FREE to adults 19 and over who live in Somerset and are unemployed (or earn under £26,800 a year). This is the Somerset Council area, not including Bath & North-East Somerset/North Somerset). Full details of eligibility can be found HERE.
The courses are run through the Community Learning Partnership (SS&L) and sponsored by Somerset Council via the DfE. The courses are overseen by SCC and Ofsted.
When and Where Do the Courses Run?
The courses run online once a week for around 4 hours (including 1-2-1 support sessions) with options for monthly in-person meet ups to increase learners’ social skills and confidence. The online platform is a custom designed webspace, specifically with individuals with learning difficulties in mind, where sessions can be delivered, smaller break out rooms for group work, a growing digital course material archive available 24/7, bespoke top up modules and a student virtual common room.
As this is the first year of the course we have restricted numbers, and each course has a maximum cohort of 10 students. The first intake is due to start on Wednesday 23rd September with sessions running between 10am-2pm. If there are drop outs students can be enrolled on spare places every four weeks. Every twelve weeks there is a completely new cohort started. The courses run during the academic year until late July 2027. We hope to continue expanding the offer during 2027 and beyond.
What’s Covered in the Courses?
Overall, the course aims are: to build confidence and social skills; develop soft skills and digital skills for employment; identify suitable work roles; and establish proficient independent vacancy searching, job applications and interview techniques.
Launch 1 Objectives: set up a professional digital identity; create an up-to-date CV; identify relevant personals skills; define job roles and find job vacancies; apply for jobs and build interview skills.
Launch 2 Objectives: to build on themes from Launch 1; to build professional digital technology skills; advise on employability skills and courses; develop more focussed job search and application techniques; prepare individuals to enter the workplace and establish their rights and responsibilities; understand support, self-care and mental health in the workplace.
Launch 3 Objectives: to build on themes from Launch 2; to build resilience and coping skills for applications, interviews and employment; develop digital interview skills, identify possible career pathways for long term employment planning; and targeted job searches.
Pilot Results:
We successfully ran a twelve week pilot of the new courses from April to July 2026. Participants were all unemployed and c.90% had been unemployed for 6 months or more. The results included learners finding both permanent and temporary positions, learners continuing onto further training schemes, and importantly a 96% participant reported increase in their confidence and skills to search for, and apply for work independently.
Who is the Course Suitable For?
We believe the course is particularly suitable for individuals that have:
Autism, ADHD/ADD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia or Mental Health issues: We are neurodiversity teaching and support specialists so individuals on the spectrum will gain the most from our training. We are also a company of neurodiverse individuals ourselves, so there is an good element of understanding, experience and empathy between learners and tutors.
Existing digital skills: Whilst we aim to build digital skills during the courses, learners need to be able to get online using a tablet or laptop, be able to use the internet and email, and be able to use some form of word processor such as Word. If this isn’t the case we can refer clients to another CLP partner’s courses that can help with this before coming back to Launch.
A keen desire to get a job but haven’t been able to yet: We have found that the desire to get a job, despite any challenges faced a very important factor in the speed at which the courses can benefit learners. We can help develop their confidence, knowledge and skills but they have to really want to succeed despite any reservations they may have.
Reliability and availability: Individuals who can commit to regular Wedsnesday sessions online between 10am and 2pm.
Are 19+ before 31st August 2026: Due to funding rules, we can’t help any ages below this. There is no upper age limit.
How to apply for the courses:
Clients can either refer themselves to the scheme directly, or you can (with their permission) using our referral forms which can be found HERE. Alternatively you can email us: office@mmse.org.uk or use the CONTACT form.
After referral, we will get in touch with the client to let them know the next available intake, have a brief conversation and initial assessment, and then get them on the waiting list or enrolled!
Any questions please email us.
