East Sussex Supported Employment Forum (SEF)
The East Sussex Supported Employment Forum (SEF) was set up seven years ago by Little Gate Supported Employment.
We commission the forum to support more young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) into employment. The forum brings together local partners and organisations that can do this by developing supported employment pathways.
This includes local implementation of the national Internships Work project.
SEF priorities
Members of the SEF work together to identify local gaps and priorities to create an action plan. The priorities include:
- shaping good quality routes and pathways that will support more young people and adults with SEND/learning disabilities/autistic people into paid employment
- identifying, developing, and promoting training and resources that schools, colleges, training providers and employers can access to make meaningful paid work a realistic outcome for all young people and adults with SEND/learning disabilities/autistic people
- champion better and more effective employer engagement across East Sussex
- sharing national and local intelligence and updates that will help shape and inform the quality and direction of supported employment pathways.
If you would like to find out more about the East Sussex Supported Employment Forum or become a member, please contact: sef@littlegate.org.uk
Members
Members of the East Sussex Supported Employment Forum include:
- county-wide supported employment providers
- local education providers including schools, colleges, training providers
- voluntary and community sector
- employer champions
- local authority including Children’s Services, Adult Social Care, and Skills & Employability
- employment support services, such as the Department for Work and Pensions
- careers related services and information advice and guidance
- parents and carers*
- clients and service users*
Members will have an opportunity to network, share intelligence and examples of good practice with the forum. They will also have access to national and local updates and training, and play a vital role in shaping the priorities and direction of future meetings.
*To promote collaborative planning, wider engagement and effect change locally, specific forum events and workshops will be aimed at parents and carers and young people and adults with employers. Acknowledging that these key stakeholder groups may need a targeted approach and a different method and means to securing effective engagement/participation.
Useful dates
The East Sussex Supported Employment Forum meets five to six times annually to foster a more collaborative and coordinated approach, driving forward key priorities outlined in our terms of reference.
Meetings are both online and in person.
Meeting dates
- Tuesday 25 November 2025 11am-1pm (in person)
- Thursday 26 February 2026 10.30am-12.30pm (in person)
For more information, please contact: sef@littlegate.org.uk
Training & Events
One of the top priorities of the Internships Work programme is to train all SEND Employment forums to develop, enhance and grow their supported internship/employment offer.
This will support teams to offer high quality supported employment provision and support employers to offer high quality work placements that enable growth in opportunities.
For more information about this training and national and local dates please email sef@littlegate.org.uk
Training & event dates 2025-26
| Training/event | Date | Event information |
|---|---|---|
| BASE Training Portal | Home · Starter Portal (powerappsportals.com) | |
| BASE Internships Work | Various | Internships Work - The British Association of Supported Employment |
| Supported Internship E Learning This e-learning provides an introduction to Supported Internships. The content of this short course has been developed entirely by the National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTI) and is hosted on the platform by the Council for Disabled Children (CDC), part of the National Children's Bureau (NCB). This e-learning is part of the RISE Partnership contract, funded by the Department for Education (DfE). | Introduction to Supported Internships - Overview | Rise 360 | |
| Employer Ambassador Training for Supported Internships If you manage or mentor young people with a learning disability or autism or both and are passionate about changing lives this is for you! | Employers can access online training in their own time through the interactive YouTube resource. | |
| DWP Disability Services support for SEND Schools, Colleges and Support Organisations Password: DWP2026 | Support for SEND Schools, Colleges and Support Organisations - 27/01/2026 Tickets, Tue 27 Jan 2026 at 13:00 | Eventbrite Support for SEND Schools, Colleges and Support Organisations - 18/02/2026 Tickets, Wed 18 Feb 2026 at 13:00 | Eventbrite | |
| Access to Work Payments Password: DWP2026 | Access to Work Payments - External Stakeholders 28/01/2026 Tickets, Wed 28 Jan 2026 at 13:30 | Eventbrite Access to Work Payments Upskilling - External 25/02/2026 Tickets, Wed 25 Feb 2026 at 13:30 | Eventbrite | |
| Training for SEND Employment Forums | Various | Support and Resources for Employer Ambassadors | NDTi |
| Registering your involvement as an Employer Ambassador | Support and Resources for Employer Ambassadors | NDTi |
Terms of reference and minutes of meeting
Terms of reference
Meeting minutes
Meeting minutes are available on request, please contact:
Supported Employment Forum Success 2022-2023
Transition into paid employment
From September 2022 to August 2023 we supported 64 people into paid employment:
- 16 from supported internships
- 37 from supported employment schemes
- 4 from supported apprenticeships
- 7 from traineeships
Employer Engagement
We worked with 165 employers from 14 sectors:
- Health and social care
- Hospitality
- Administration
- Tourism
- Education
- Manufacturing
- Horticulture
- Agriculture
- Leisure
- Animals
- ICT
- Creative Arts
- House Keeping
- Retail
Schools and Colleges
We engaged with 61 schools and colleges and 38 students enrolled on supported employment provisions for September 2023 to August 2024.
Useful Resources
The East Sussex Supported Employment Forum Supported Internship Videos
The East Sussex Supported Employment Forum (SEF) have created two videos. The videos show the journey of young people on supported internship programmes. The videos features local employers, a parent and interns from local providers. Providers include:
- East Sussex College Group (Hastings),
- Project Search (Eastbourne),
- Plumpton College, and
- Little Gate College.
- East Sussex Supported Internships
- East Sussex Supported Internships
Inclusive Recruitment
This video was created as part of the Internship Works project which aims to double supported internship provision in England by 2025. It is designed to support more young people with additional needs to have greater choice and control over their future, opening up opportunities that prepare them for adult life and independent living.
This video provides examples of good practice in relation to inclusive recruitment and is a resource for SEF members to support employer engagement and to improve outcomes for adults with additional needs.
- SEF Inclusive Recruitment Video
Training and resources for employers
Internship Works - resources for employers.
Lets be Clear (So Employers Know What You Are Asking For) - this document was created by NDTi and seeks to add some clarity about what we mean when we are approaching employers for work opportunities for young people with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND).
Careers East Sussex exists to support and inspire young people to make the right career choices and by providing opportunities by linking local businesses with schools and colleges to help bridge the gap between education and employment. This web page highlights the many ways employers can support young people.
Employer Ambassador Training - our Training & Events page includes dates for DFN Employer Ambassador Training which is open to managers or mentors who provide (or would like to) opportunities for young people with special educational needs and disabilities.
Which skills are employers seeking in your area?
Which skills are employers seeking in your area? - Office for National Statistics
Explore which jobs are advertised the most in your UK local authority area, and how many local residents have the relevant skills to fill them.
National Autistic Society (NAS) Employment Hub
NAS have launched a new employment advice hub on their website, full of evidence-based advice and guidance and practical resources tailored for autistic adults, their families and supporters.
The hub has new practical resources to empower autistic people and their families to advocate for themselves. These include letter templates to request reasonable adjustments as well as a list of common examples of adjustments.
It also includes advice for autistic people during recruitment and in the workplace, including guidance on what support is available and deciding whether and when to disclose autism to employers.