4YP offer impartial, careers information and guidance, intensive support and mentoring, youth work. In addition, they offer a professional specialist resource available to schools, local authorities, further education institutions, companies and individuals. 4YP is committed to providing quality services and is passionate about supporting young people to make successful transitions into adulthood.

Areas of Operation:
Central Beds

Advanced Learner loans are loans made available by the UK government for individuals above 19 years to take approved level 3 and above qualifications at approved colleges and training providers in England. Loan eligibility doesn’t depend on income and there are no credit checks. The amount of funding you get depends on your course fees, course type, and the maximum available loan.

Areas of Operation:
National

The Bedford College Group delivers world class skills and education to the communities we serve in Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and the South East Midlands region. With campuses in Bedford, Biggleswade, Corby, Kettering, Silverstone and Wellingborough, our courses offer an opportunity for everyone to progress whether it is after completing GCSEs at school up to degree level or professional courses.

Areas of Operation:
Bedford, Central Beds

The Bedfordshire Employment and Skills Service (BESS) provides opportunities for adults to get involved in learning within the community. In particular, we aim to work with people who have not achieved a level 2 (or equivalent) qualification and/or are unemployed. The BESS adult learning programme can help you get back into learning; gain skills and qualifications to help you into work or to progress at work.

Areas of Operation:
Bedford, Central Beds

We provide online and face-to-face classroom teaching, Coaching and Mentoring on a range of topics designed to help you feel good, feel optimistic and find a great career or job. We are committed to providing high quality services to our clients and the wider community. We believe that positivity and optimism is central to success and we embed this approach into all our support and teaching. All our mentors and teachers have been through it all themselves and understand the challenges of finding work. We offer a range of courses to our clients, ranging from courses involving employability, computing, occupational skills and smart devices. Our courses are free and funded by the the Government with funding from the ESFA and, offered through the NCFE Awarding body, or in the cases of the computing and smart device courses, community funded or DWP sponsored.

Areas of Operation:
Bedford, Central Beds

We provide fully funded training courses that will cost you nothing. We work with unemployed individuals and low paid workers in partnership with large FE Colleges, local authorities, and large training providers. Our courses are designed to boost your employment opportunities and confidence by offering classroom and home based courses. Eligibility criteria applies. Sign up now, and we will tell you how we can best help you achieve your goals. We offer the Skills4Careers Training and Get Employed Programmes; these are designed to support unemployed and low skilled individuals to achieve qualifications, quickly, that add value to your CV and have a high impact on your respective job applications. This course is free for all who are eligible and live in Bedford or Central Beds.

Areas of Operation:
Bedford, Central Beds

Bedfordshire Opportunities for Learning Disabilities (previously known as Beds Garden Carers), was set up in 1997 to offer work experience for adults with learning disabilities. Beds Opportunities for Learning Disabilities (BOLD) aims to provide work experience to those with LD. Our aim is to give our adults a taste of working life. This may not lead to a permanent job, but it will give an insight into what is expected of them in a real job. We offer work experience and a worthwhile fulfilling role within the community. A Different Brew - Tea Room & Store: Originally opened in 2013 as a cafe, refurbished in 2021 becoming the Tea Room & Store. As well as drinks and light refreshments, there is a workshop department where they make, restore and upcycle furniture and other items for the store. FREEDOM TO GROW: “We aim to give each individual a sense of purpose and achievement, helping them to build self-esteem whilst giving them the chance to discover and develop their own individual abilities”

Areas of Operation:
Bedford

BRASS supports refugees and asylum seekers in Bedfordshire, UK. We provide advice on a range of issues, English language tuition, and social activities. If you are a refugee or asylum seeker, please get in contact with us. BRASS DROP-IN SESSIONS: Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays, 10am – 2pm, 27b Tavistock Street, Bedford MK40 2RB

Areas of Operation:
Bedford, Central Beds, Luton

Our mission is to reshape diversity and inclusion talent pathways - We aim to transform how organisations attract, retain and develop talent by enabling them to access directly one of the widest possible diverse and inclusive talent pools available. The Bridge of Hope Careers portal is run by Prosper4 Group, a social enterprise founded and led by people with lived experiences of marginalisation and discrimination in the workplace.

Areas of Operation:
Bedford, Central Beds, Luton

At Central Bedfordshire College (CBC), our purpose is to enable our students to achieve their maximum potential with strong support, integrity and love of learning. Located across a number of campuses throughout the county with a curriculum based heavily around the needs of the region, CBC provides high quality teaching and learning. Our industry-grade facilities, friendly environment and strong partnerships with local businesses and universities ensure that learners at CBC develop an excellent work ethic in a realistic setting, and are then able to flourish and thrive in whatever path they choose, whether that be the workplace or higher education. We offer a range of courses from Level 1 to HE, including Access courses, so that no student or prospective student is limited by their academic background. We also have a strong provision for students with learning difficulties, reflecting our dedication to inclusion.

Areas of Operation:
Central Beds

Christians Against Poverty has been providing free professional debt help through local churches throughout the UK since 1996. The head office is in Bradford, but all our Debt Centres, Job Clubs, Life Skills groups and CAP Money Courses are run locally through churches that are already based in the community. We are passionate about releasing people from a life sentence of poverty, debt, unemployment and addiction. In Bedford the CAP Debt Help Centre is run in partnership with: Grace Community Church - Kempston - available: Monday to Thursday 9:30am to 5pm and Friday 9:30am to 3:30pm

Areas of Operation:
Bedford

Community Voluntary Service (CVS) is a voluntary and community sector support organisation, offering a range of services, enabling local organisations and communities to make a difference in Bedfordshire. CVS promotes volunteering and matches volunteers with local opportunities.

Areas of Operation:
Bedford, Central Beds, Luton

The Community Media & Training Project will provide support for identified target groups across Luton and Dunstable and Houghton Regis area of Central Bedfordshire, such as young people, unemployed adults, BME and migrant workers. These are amongst the most disadvantaged people, often with multiple and complex needs, and require support to move into employment. This project will tackle worklessness to raise the aspirations of people and communities, and support participants to overcome barriers, increase in confidence and move into, or nearer to, paid employment. Broadcasting in the Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Beyond, Diverse FM offers a fresh new entertainment channel that has been painstakingly built around dance music, youth culture and local communities.

Areas of Operation:
Central Beds, Luton

Volunteering made easy. The UK’s national digital volunteer matching service connecting people who want to donate their time and skills to charities and community causes.

Areas of Operation:
National

Empowering Education, established since 2010, began in a retail unit as an outreach project supporting women in the local areas of Luton to learn basic English and digital skills. We have since received an enormous amount of support from experienced educators, volunteers and so on. Empowering Education are a community based organisation aimed at supporting anyone who needs support in education and lifelong skills. They have set up various projects across UK supporting different projects, empowering local communities, local men, local women and local youths, making the difference to individuals. They offer digital skills, basic ESOL and tuition facilities, EU settlement and Windrush applications, and immigration advice. They also deliver mental health and physical workshops.

Areas of Operation:
Luton

Are you an ex-prisoner, or soon to be released? If so, you’ll be thinking about the best way to earn a living. Most ex-prisoners look for jobs as an employee. That isn’t easy. You usually have to disclose your conviction. Jobs for ex-offenders are really hard to find. The Escape Route offers a completely different way of getting an income. It’s self-employment, and we focus on specific trades and professions. The Escape Route has guides, called Escape Plans, for several trades and professions. Each Escape Plan explains how you can start up in a specific trade. Packs are free to ex-prisoners applying direct via the website Contact Form or through the prison.

Areas of Operation:
National

Apprenticeships combine practical training in a job with study. Search for an apprenticeship in England.

Areas of Operation:
National

A traineeship is a course with work experience that gets you ready for work or an apprenticeship. It can last from 6 weeks up to 1 year, though most traineeships last for less than 6 months.
NOTE: From 1 August 2023, there will no longer be funding for a standalone national traineeships programme. The last start date for traineeships under the current programme is 31 July 2023. Instead, the Government has decided to integrate the Traineeship programme into 16-19 study programme and adult education provision from 1 August 2023.

Areas of Operation:
National

Central Bedfordshire’s careers guide and portal: here you can find out about the great career opportunities in the local area. The site also links to the best, most reliable sources of information we have found to help you with important decision-making and finding the right job for you!

Areas of Operation:
Central Beds

The Forward Trust empowers people to break the cycles of addiction or crime to move forward with their lives. Since 1991, we have been working with people to build positive and productive futures. We’re a national organisation, with services are located in the South-East of England, East Anglia, Yorkshire and the West Midlands. We have around 430 employees, 20 trainees, and 150 volunteers working to deliver our mission in over 40 separate projects. We are proud that around 40% of our workforce have lived experience of the issues we seek to address.
The Forward Trust have an Enterprise Fund that is accessible to residents of Bedfordshire. The Forward Enterprise Fund is a pioneering initiative providing loans and business support to charities and enterprises that help break the cycle of crime or addiction through employment. If you are looking to start your own business please contact us at Direction for Bedfordshire for more details and we will put you in touch with them.

Areas of Operation:
National

Supporting the unemployed reach their full potential since 2010, Free2learn provides free training courses and programmes to help those in unemployment learn new skills to apply for, secure, and maintain employment.

Areas of Operation:
Luton

We unlock the potential in people of all ages, backgrounds, and barriers. We’re future thinking, focused on leading a change in careers, advice, skills, and training. We’re here to help you to find a way forward and to support you achieve your goals. You could be leaving school and unsure what’s next, looking for a career change or a new job, going through redundancy, looking for support with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, or considering adult training courses. From young people, adults, employers and education providers, we can help with it all and everything in between.

Areas of Operation:
Bedford, Central Beds, Luton

GreenHouse mentors are unpaid volunteers who come from a wide variety of backgrounds, with a whole host of experience. We have many matched mentors, mentoring young people who are facing significant challenges in their lives. Aim: "To create a safe space for young people to enjoy, be encouraged and empowered to unlock their full potential and dare to dream.“

Areas of Operation:
Luton

Impakt Interiors ((formerly known as 4mation) is part of IMPAKT Housing & Support (formerly YMCA Bedfordshire). They sell second-hand, refurbished and new household furniture. Via Impakt Preloved, they also offer household appliances. Offer volunteering opportunities to help people gain skills. Impakt Food Community Larder can provide access to free healthy food essentials.

Areas of Operation:
Bedford

Inside Connections Support CIC is an organisation set up to support individuals with training opportunities that are labour market linked in order to provide a positive pathway into sustainable employment. The individuals for whom we work with have experience of the Criminal Justice System and are either currently serving in a category D establishment or have been released from custody. However, we pro-actively work with young people who need a positive intervention, those in or exiting care and ex-service personnel. Everyone who comes to us is provided with one-on-one mentoring support to ensure the greatest opportunity for success. We support those facing multiple barriers, often excluded from mainstream opportunities, working with all ages to increase confidence, self-esteem and resilience. We deliver training, linked to employment outcomes, that meets the needs of our service users and employers. Open Monday to Friday (9.00 am – 5.00 pm).
Please download our free Inside Connections App (Android/Apple) from Google Play or Apple App Stores.

Areas of Operation:
National

Jobs 22 uses the experience of catch22 and was formed to support people back to work, giving them access to all the tools, advice and guidance they need to thrive. It has secured a contract with the DWP to deliver restart employability programme. Open Monday to Friday (9am - 5pm)

Areas of Operation:
Bedford, Central Beds, Luton

Your local Job Centre can administer claims for Universal Credit. Claims can be made on the website. If you are looking for work you should be allocated a Work Coach who has access to training courses, support with creating your CV and finding a job, a Flexible Support Fund for anything that you need that is considered to be a barrier to employment, and Enterprise Support for those looking to start their own business. There is additional support for those under 25yrs including the Kick Start scheme.

Areas of Operation:
Bedford, Central Beds, Luton, National

Lewsey Farm Learning Centre Trust aims to enhance the quality of life on Lewsey Farm for all who live and work there, offering equality of opportunity in providing training and learning to enable all to participate to their full potential.

Areas of Operation:
Luton

Empowering individuals, improving communities. It's our aim to make all learning accessible and relevant while being an enjoyable and stimulating experience for all of Luton's citizens, communities and employers.

Areas of Operation:
Luton

The Luton Roma Trust supports the Roma community to integrate in a holistic way into life in the UK. Working at the heart of Luton’s Roma community, we meet them in their deepest need, helping them to access accommodation, education, welfare, medical care and employment.

Areas of Operation:
Luton

NOAH Enterprise is a charity which seeks, out of Christian conviction, to help the most disadvantaged in the local community. Particularly, it is concerned with providing a practical, empowering and caring service to people who are homeless, temporary or entrenched rough sleepers, and those who are marginalised and socially excluded, or have simply fallen into poverty. They also provide skills and employment training to people across Bedfordshire.

Areas of Operation:
Bedford, Central Beds, Luton

It seemed only sensible to marry the need for new team members within the hospitality industry with those who, with the right opportunity, would be able to get their lives back on track. The project has expanded to include ex-offenders and veterans and gained the support of those in both the penal system and military support groups. It is important to stress that OAPA is not a recruitment agency and focuses solely on helping those on the project find work.

Areas of Operation:
National

Helping migrants settle, achieve and contribute. Our organisation was formally set up in 2007 and offers services that aim to empower and encourage individuals to become independent, allowing them to take ownership of their issues, understand their rights and the systems that govern the communities in which they live. All our services are free of charge to our clients, delivered mostly by multilingual volunteers, advisors and teachers giving people somewhere to go and speak in their own language, express their concerns and to be listened to. Our holistic approach means anyone who turns to us for help should be confident that they will receive support.

Areas of Operation:
Bedford, Central Beds, Luton

Founded in 1885 and operating across the UK, we have the specialist knowledge and understanding to bridge the gap between military life and civilian employment. We exist to provide life-long, life-changing support, jobs and training opportunities to service leavers and veterans irrespective of circumstances, rank, length of service, or reason for leaving.

Areas of Operation:
National

Reactiv8 delivers innovative programmes designed to encourage engagement and social inclusion for people of all ages. The programmes allow for confidence building, self-assessment, mentoring and employment support. It confronts existing perceptions, challenges clients to take control of their future and supports the clients to a more positive pathway.

Areas of Operation:
Bedford

Re-Track: Career and Employment Centre We give practical support to those who have lost their jobs during the pandemic. We do this by supporting people in obtaining and maintaining employment and bringing hope and encouragement at this particularly difficult time. If you are looking for employment right now, we will help you create a good CV, search for jobs that suit your skills and abilities, apply for the right jobs and then prepare for interviews. In fact, we will walk through the whole process with you.

Areas of Operation:
Bedford

Skills-Tu Employment™ is an accredited educational programme that will help you both step out of your comfort zone and improve your pitch to an employer. The main aim of the programme is to give people tools to change their language and presentation.

Areas of Operation:
National

SPS Training Solutions limited is an award-winning Hertfordshire based provider offering training opportunities to adults across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire. We have easily accessible learning centres in 3 key locations and work with learners to gain qualifications, improve skills and to provide opportunities to find and sustain work. Our staff are experts in their field and are passionate about working with and helping individuals to achieve their goals. We offer training and support online and face to face in a wide range of topics and areas.

Areas of Operation:
Bedford, Central Beds, Luton

SSG offer two core services: Training and Activities. They provide corporate and professional training as well as offering a range of vocational qualifications. Their four main activity brands Fish 2 Water, Kidzsize, Active Adventure & Battlefield Live provide year round activities.

Areas of Operation:
Bedford, Central Beds, Luton

The Seed Sowers Training Project offers work-based training to small groups of vulnerable adults, who currently find an ordinary workplace too difficult.

Areas of Operation:
Central Beds

We are here for people affected by disability or with a long term health condition; carers, friends and professionals too.

Areas of Operation:
Bedford, Central Beds, Luton

Run by the charity Unlock, this site is a comprehensive source of online self-help information on a wide range of issues that criminal convictions can affect, including disclosing to employers, criminal record checks, buying insurance, housing and travel abroad. There is an online forum, webchat or contact form for further information.

Areas of Operation:
National

The Jobs Hub offers people of all ages who live in Bedford Borough bespoke careers advice and guidance, help to find work, training and business opportunities. They run dedicated workshops to help find employment, apprenticeships or start your own business, and offer support and guidance on volunteering opportunities, gaining new skills, building confidence, and finding a job.

Areas of Operation:
Bedford

​Training 4 U Services is a Luton based work-based learning provider. We help people develop their skills to recognised certified standards. Our courses are for school pupils, school leavers and individuals in employment and unemployment. We help businesses develop their strongest asset: staff.​

Areas of Operation:
Luton

UpRising exists to open up pathways to power and leadership for 18-25 year olds and equip young people with the tools to follow them. Stand Out is a FREE one-month online programme to help you find a job plus a year of professional mentoring to help you stand out in a competitive job market. The Leadership Programme is a free, online, six month programme that will help you to fulfil your potential and become the leader your community needs.

Areas of Operation:
Bedford, Central Beds, Luton

A visit to "THE HUB" quickly confirms all rumours are true, we literally change lives in each and every session we run, it could be learning valuable new skills in construction from a range of trades, Arts and craft workshops, Media presenter training, Entrepreneurial acceleration, Mental health workshops, Street first aid training, Personal growth through coaching sessions, learning how to make your current operation greener with things such as carbon zero, Pre employment crash courses specific to industry. The list is growing daily as we continually upskill and empower people to thrive!

Areas of Operation:
Bedford

Established in 2010, Walking With The Wounded supports a pathway for vulnerable veterans to re-integrate back into society and sustain their independence. At the heart of this journey is employment. We recognise the inherent skills of our armed service personnel and want to complement these qualities, as well as provide support to transfer their skills into the civilian workplace. We offer assistance through our programmes to those vulnerable veterans who have been physically, mentally or socially disadvantaged by their service and assist them in sustaining their independence through new sustainable careers outside of the military. This includes providing support to homeless veterans and veterans in the Criminal Justice System, areas which are too often ignored.

Areas of Operation:
National

The South East Midlands Start-up Programme, funded by the European Regional Development Fund, provides residents of Bedfordshire, Central Bedfordshire, Milton Keynes, Aylesbury Vale and Cherwell, Northampton, Corby, Daventry and Wellingborough with access to 12 hours of FREE support for small businesses and start-ups. This can be in the form of: - one-to-one business advice - webinars and workshops - access to business start-up services - business incubation workspace - specialist social enterprise support

Areas of Operation:
Bedford, Central Beds, Luton

Supported housing units. All residents are allocated a Project Worker who helps them work towards goals they set themselves. Residents must be willing to/and actively engage in work, training or employment during their stay. All residents must commit to at least 10hours per week employment, education or training.

Areas of Operation:
Bedford, Luton