Wigan Supporting Skills and Futures Team

20/08/2026

To all our Preparing for Adulthood members getting GCSE results today we're so proud of you all, regardless of your results you've all worked hard and are ready for the next chapter whatever that may be.

Our Life Coaches will be available to celebrate with you and support every step of the way.

Change can be scary but remember..."you don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step" Martin Luther King Jr.

11/08/2026

05/08/2026

🍓the future is ripe for picking! 🍓

Join the Preparing for Adulthood Life Coach team for a friendly drop-in session tomorrow:

📅 Thursday 6th August
🕐10:00-12:00
📍Westleigh Family Centre

Come and pick up information, advice, and guidance for your young person’s next steps ✨

28/07/2026

Each month, the Preparing for Adulthood Life Coach team will be holding parent/carer drop ins at Family Hubs across Wigan & Leigh. The drop in is an informal space for all parents/carers of young people with a disability or neurodiversity who are looking for advice and guidance around Preparing for Adulthood.

Our next drop in is:

📅 Thursday 6th August
🕑 10:00 - 12:00
📍Family Hub link site at Westleigh Family Centre, Leigh WN7 5NJ

❌Can't make this session?
✅There will be one drop in every month and each drop in will be held at a different Family Hub in Wigan and Leigh so that you can attend without travelling far.

⌛Busy in the day?
✅Half of the drop ins will be held in the evening for parents/carers who can't make our morning drop ins.

More information will be shared about future drop ins so please watch this space 🙂

13/07/2026

Rach will be joining Hope Parent Group and Our Pride this Thursdsy to share information about all things PfA (Preparing for Adulthood)

She'll be on hand to provide information, guidance and to answer any questions.

🌟 Special Guest This Thursday at Our Pride! 🌟
Have you ever wondered...
💭 What happens when my child leaves school?
💭 What support is available as they move towards adulthood?
💭 How can I help them prepare for work, training or future opportunities?
Whether your child is already preparing for adulthood or they're still young and you simply want to understand what's available for the future, this is a session you won't want to miss.
We're delighted to welcome Rachael Darling, Strategic Development Manager in Wigan Council's Supporting Skills and Futures Team.
With 17 years of experience, Rachael is passionate about creating opportunities for people of all ages and abilities. She works with local employers to help build more inclusive and accessible workplaces and supports young people and adults to develop skills, confidence and pathways into their future.
This is a fantastic opportunity to ask questions, gain valuable information and start thinking about the future—without feeling like you need to have everything figured out.
Sometimes the best time to learn about what's available is before you need it.
As always, everyone is welcome. Come along for a chat, a brew and the chance to connect with other families who understand the journey.
💙💛We can't wait to see you this Thursday!

05/07/2026

Each month, the Preparing for Adulthood Life Coach team will be holding parent/carer drop ins at Family Hubs across Wigan & Leigh. The drop in is an informal space for all parents/carers of young people with a disability or neurodiversity who are looking for advice and guidance around Preparing for Adulthood.

Our next drop in is:

📅 Tuesday 7th July
🕑 10:00 - 12:00
📍Family Hub at The Meadows, Ridyard St, Wigan WN5 9RQ

❌Can't make this session?
✅There will be one drop in every month and each drop in will be held at a different Family Hub in Wigan and Leigh so that you can attend without travelling far.

⌛Busy in the day?
✅Half of the drop ins will be held in the evening for parents/carers who can't make our morning drop ins.

More information will be shared about future drop ins so please watch this space 🙂

03/07/2026

⚽ England may have been scoring goals, but yesterday our SSFT clients and members put it in the back of the net at our very first Reverse Job Fair!

❓A Reverse Job Fair turns a recruitment event on its head. Instead of employers hosting stands, job seekers become the stallholders, giving them the opportunity to showcase their skills, talents and achievements.

🤩 We were proud to have 15 Supported Employment clients, Supported Internship students and PfA Life Coach members hosting their own tables, demonstrating their creativity, confidence and skills.

✨ The event welcomed local businesses and organisations, all keen to meet talented candidates. Employers told us they loved the fresh approach and enjoyed attending an event where they could focus on getting to know potential employees without the need to prepare a stand themselves.

👏 A huge thank you to everyone who attended and helped make our first Reverse Job Fair such a success. Together, we're creating opportunities, challenging perceptions and connecting talented individuals with inclusive employers.

02/07/2026

New starters!
Koby, Callum (pictured) and Jack have started their full time paid employment as a waste loader this week 🙌🙌

26/06/2026

What a week!

Hot hot hot but we still managed to:

👨‍🍳 Provide tailored support for an individual learning the role of Kitchen Assistant in a school
😎 Meet 4 local employers and bag work experience
🎧 Get groovy at The Snug on a sound engineer taster opportunities
🥵 Support a young person in build a new routine for a smooth transition to college
🤩 Get greasy providing support to a work experience placement at a garage. We know loads about leaks now!
👨‍🎓 Attend the 2026 Supported Internship Graduation
🌟 Finalise preparations for our first ever Reverse Jobs Fair
👶 Support an individual to 'Step into Childcare'
🥐We met with Suzanne from the Hide Cafe in Pennington Flash and secured 3 work placements for our young people.

Good luck to our 3 amazing new waste loaders starting next week following a positive work trial