Mint

MINT is a local project set up by City College Norwich. We focus on getting young people, aged between 16 & 25 years old, who have a barrier to work, into sustainable paid employment.

MINT prides itself on offering a unique, flexible and free service to all our young people and employers. Over the last 5 years we have used hard work and determination, as well as consistent support and innovative training ideas, to help an unprecedented number of young people find and stay in employment, which led to our 2013 Ofsted success.

Our aim at MINT is to find sustainable paid employment for the young people we work with by helping them overcome their barriers to employment through a variety of methods tailored around their specific needs.

Training

We work with 16-25 year olds who are referred to us from a wide variety of sources, including schools and colleges, Jobcentre Plus and Youth Services. Everyone who joins MINT does so on the basis that they want to work, even if they are currently a long way away from the job market – we can help facilitate their move into employment, but only if this is what they want.

Each young person will be assigned an Employment Job Coach who will work closely with them, tailoring their support and training around that individual according to their needs. This generally includes a combination of 1:1 and group training, assistance with creating CVs, applying for jobs and interviews.

Many young people find our short group workshops an enjoyable way to learn with others, and these cover topics such as customer service and communication styles; in addition we run pre-employment courses which are 12 weeks in duration, combining training at MINT and work placements with key local employers.

Gaining employment

We liaise directly with employers across Norfolk to secure work experience and paid work for our young people. Employers benefit by having the financial costs of recruitment taken away and being introduced to employees who are keen to work hard and prove what they can do, having received training and support from us. Our young people appreciate the chance to make the most of these opportunities in a highly competitive employment market, as well as gaining further independence and reaching their potential.

Job coaching

Once our young people are in employment, our job coaching means they continue to be supported in whatever way necessary, from managing their day-to-day responsibilities at work to learning new tasks. We can also support the employer in any way necessary to ensure the best possible outcome for themselves and their new employee.

Timescales

We have funding to work with our young people for up to 2 full years – 12 months up to the point where they get sustainable paid work or an apprenticeship, and then another 12 months from that point to provide in-work support. Beyond this time we encourage our young people to keep in touch and let us know how they are getting on, and we are very happy that many do choose to do this.

Is MINT right for me?

Ultimately the only thing we ask of our young people is that you want to get into paid employment, you may not feel comfortable to go into work straight away but it must be your long term goal.

We also need you to be between 16-25 years old when you are first referred to us, and not in education or employment.

We really do tailor your support around you as an individual, so don’t worry if aspects of what we do seem scary at first – we will go at a pace that’s right for you.

At MINT, although you will be assigned an Employment Job Coach who will work closely with you, you will also get to know others who work at MINT through our workshops and other training, and often get to know other young people we are working with too.

We are a friendly bunch and you can always come to have a chat with us before you are referred if you want to find out more about what we do and what it’s like at MINT. You can get in touch with us here.

Your Help You Choose adviser can refer you to Mint (spaces dependent) Speak to your adviser if you would like to find out more about Mint and find out if you are eligible. If you haven't got an adviser contact the Help You Choose Helpdesk on 0344 800 8022 or email helpyouchoose@norfolk.gov.uk

You can read more about Mint here: https://www.ccn.ac.uk/employers/mint/refer-a-young-person-to-mint/?query=mint