YEP - Employment and Enterprise

Leon on his motorbike

When Leon first joined YEP, he had just moved to Cornwall. He had no formal qualifications or work experience, no identification, and no social network in the county. The YEP team sourced mental health support for Leon through a private service. They signed him up for Active Plus’ Confidence and Motivation course. They helped him get a birth certificate, a provisional licence, and a CBT licence for a motorbike. They also helped him open a bank account and signed him up for Maths and English functional skills. The team supported him with his Truro College application. Leon was successful, and by the time he finished with YEP, he was waiting to begin his Level 1 course in Automotive Maintenance.

This shows Leon’s determination to work towards his goal of working with vehicles.

Five months later, Leon is still riding his motorbike. He has made many friends and continues to work on his Functional Skills Maths. He is finding it much easier and has now switched over to GCSE English. He no longer receives mental health support and is feeling positive about his situation. He has been accepted to study Level 2 Automotive Maintenance and is very excited.

“When I first joined, I was feeling depressed and lost, but now I have a career path and am very excited about the future!” — Leon

The YEP team is thrilled for Leon and excited to see what the future may hold.

Isla

The YEP! team are delighted to have supported Isla on her journey into work and training.

Isla is 19 and joined the YEP programme in July 2025 after finishing college. At that time, she felt unsure about her future. Many of her friends stayed in education, and she worried about becoming isolated. She did not know what her next steps should be.

With help from her YEP Adviser, Jane, Isla joined a council research project that looked at barriers to green training and jobs in Cornwall. Taking part helped her meet new people and build her confidence. She learned that she could work well with others and take part in group activities.

Jane also supported Isla to apply for a beauty therapy apprenticeship at a local hotel. Isla was offered a place and loved learning new practical skills. She showed real talent in her work. Because she joined later in the year, she was unable to catch up on the coursework and could not stay on the programme. Although this was disappointing, the employer gave her excellent feedback and encouraged her to apply again next year. This confirmed that beauty therapy and massage are the right careers for her.

With renewed motivation, Isla has taken positive steps forward. She has applied to Adult Education to gain her Level 2 Maths and English, which will improve her job and training options. She has also started a Level 1 Massage course. She enjoys learning more about the industry and developing her skills.

“It has been really helpful to have a mentor I can talk to about my options, who listens and gives encouragement. Having this support has made me feel more motivated and confident about finding the right training and future employment.”- Isla

Through the research project and meeting new people, Isla has gained confidence in speaking to others. She has also recognised her transferable skills, such as communication, teamwork, and reliability. These skills have helped her feel ready to explore new opportunities.

Isla has clear goals for the future. She plans to complete her Maths and English, keep building her practical skills, and start volunteering one day a week to gain work experience. She is also applying for casual and part‑time jobs to earn an income while continuing her training. She is focused on developing skills in facial treatments and massage, the areas she hopes to work in.

“Thank you again, we’d be lost and very disheartened without your support.” - mum

The YEP team are very proud of Isla. She has shown determination and resilience, and she now has a clear plan and growing confidence for the future.

Learning new skills on the Laptop When Zara joined YEP, she was facing big challenges in education. These had a serious impact on her mental and physical health. At the start of our meetings, she was getting regular support from two mental health services.

“I am actually excited for the future, which is a new feeling for me.” - Zara

She found it hard to meet in places where she felt calm. Eileen, Zara's her key worker, stepped in to help. Together the discussed and found safe spaces to meet. Together, they made a plan: Zara wanted to pass her Maths and get a job. She joined Plymouth Argyle and worked with Caitlin Jones to achieve her Maths qualification. Zara met often and worked hard.

Zara was offered a job and was delighted. However, after starting, she found the environment challenging and began to feel uncomfortable. This started to affect her confidence and wellbeing. Eileen supported Zara by talking through the situation and helping her explore the best next steps. Together, they agreed it would be better for Zara to leave and continue her job search. Eileen guided her through this process and helped her stay focused on her goals.

With Eileen’s support, Zara soon found a new job that matched her goals. She is doing well in this role and enjoys the challenges and chances to learn. Her team works together and creates a positive space where everyone helps each other. Thanks to Eileen’s guidance, Zara has grown in confidence and independence. Her mental health has improved, and she no longer needs weekly support.

At YEP, we are proud to see how working together can change lives. Zara’s journey shows what can happen with the right help and determination. We wish her every success as she builds her future and works toward her dream of seeing the world.

Zara’s journey shows what can be achieved with determination and the right support. We wish her every success as she builds her future and works toward her dream of seeing the world.

“Because of my time on YEP, I’m moving forward and trying new things. It has helped so much with my confidence. I am actually excited for the future, which is a new feeling for me.” - Zara

Recently, the YEP Team helped a young person as he approached the end of his supported internship. We worked with him to build confidence and plan his next steps. He felt anxious about the change, so we offered reassurance and practical guidance. His provider had found a volunteering placement, and we helped finalise the details. To make this possible, an enhanced DBS check was needed. YEP funded the check, allowing him to take this exciting step toward his future.

The main goals were to boost his confidence and ease his anxiety, and to support a smooth move into a school volunteering placement in September. YEP worked with the school to process his DBS application, which we funded. We also stayed in touch to make sure Cornwall Council’s work experience paperwork was complete before his start date.

Once he started his volunteering placement, we arranged regular meetings. These meetings helped to give reassurance and ongoing support. These check-ins helped him stay in the role, build new skills, and gain valuable experience for his future progression.

The YEP Team are extremely proud that this young person has exceeded his goal. He has maintained his placement and increased his volunteering from two to three days a week. This will help to see how he manages part-time hours—a significant achievement. He is committed to building his confidence and skills as he prepares to apply for a teaching assistant role or similar in the future. His confidence has grown and feedback from his placement shows he is now a valued member of the team.

‘Meeting up with someone I feel comfortable with is really important to me. Meeting me in different environments in the community and my volunteering placement, I like that flexibility. Providing courses I can attend is a good stepping stone for me. YEP provides me with a safety net of security which boosts my confidence’. - Young Person

Blake left college because the large campus felt overwhelming. As a result Blake faced uncertainty about his next steps. With a diagnosis of ADHD and awaiting an ASD assessment, he wanted to study either Mechanics or Personal Fitness. However, he needed the right environment to thrive.

Through the YEP program, Blake’s key worker at PLUSS introduced him to a Personal Fitness course at Duchy College. The smaller campus seemed like a perfect fit. After attending an interview, Blake found the staff welcoming and supportive of his needs. His mum had concerns about attendance, as Blake would need motivation to wake up early and catch his bus.

In September, Blake started the course—and he’s loving it. The smaller groups and campus have made a big difference. He’s been on time every day for his bus and is enthusiastic about the future. His mum is thrilled to see him moving forward with confidence.

“My advisor’s knowledge was so helpful. Without him, I wouldn’t have known about the Sports courses at Duchy College. Getting help with a concessionary bus pass was also a big relief—the cost of transport could have stopped me from going to college.” - Blake

This project supports young people aged 16–24 who are not in work, school, or training—or who might soon be in that situation. It helps them find opportunities and build brighter futures.

Skills Session

The Youth Engagement Programme (YEP) recently held its first skills session. Jane and Eileen (YEP Key Workers) led the session, which focused on transferable skills, CV writing, and cover letter creation.

The session helped young people see that they already have useful skills. These skills often come from hobbies, school, or everyday life. Jack and Lola joined the session and learned something surprising. Jack found out that his love for LEGO helped him build pattern recognition skills. Lola discovered she has a growth mindset, which will help her in her dream job as an editor.

Everyone worked on their CVs and learned how to show off their skills in cover letters. They talked about how to match their strengths to different jobs.

"I’ll re-structure my CV and cover letter with the new skills I’ve learned I have." - Lola

“The interactivity and how relatable it was” were his favourite parts." - Jack

Helping young people recognise and develop their skills is a key part of building confidence and preparing for the world of work. These sessions aim to show that no skill is too small or too niche - everything can be valuable. By learning how to talk about their strengths, young people are better equipped to apply for jobs. They help young people to explore career paths, and feel proud of what they bring to the table.

We’re excited to run more sessions like this. We love seeing young people discover their unique skills and goals. Each person brings something special, and these sessions help them see it.

If you are 16-24 and NEET and would like to attend this or other similar employability sessions, book your spot by emailing: yep@cornwall.gov.uk

To learn more about Skills Sessions please see our flyer in the documents section on this page.

Harry at work

Go Harry!

Harry D has just started an exciting new role as a Cycle Technician with The Cornwall Bicycle Project. With support from the Youth Engagement Programme (YEP), Harry has landed his dream job!

Wishing Harry all the best, he fully deserves this! - Jane (Key Worker)

Harry joined the YEP programme with a clear passion for bikes. His key worker saw Harry had an interest in bikes. So, she helped arrange a work experience placement with The Cornwall Bicycle Project. This gave Harry the chance to learn hands-on bike mechanics. He got to help recycle old bikes, and meet a wide range of customers.

The placement was a great fit for Harry. He gained confidence, developed new skills, and thrived in the busy environment. The team also made sure the role supported the individual needs outlined in his EHCP. They helped Harry to feel comfortable and included.

Thanks to his hard work and dedication, Harry was invited to apply for a Cycle Technician role - and he got the job! His journey shows how the right support and opportunities can make a big difference.

"Harry is so excited to start and has really settled in well at the bike project. This has given him a real confidence boost. " - mum

A huge thank you to The Cornwall Bicycle Project. Thank you for recognising Harry’s potential and giving him this chance to shine

We wish him the best of luck in this exciting new role.