Working in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), East Kent Colleges Group (EKC Group) has been running a range of initiatives and courses aimed at creating opportunities for local adults in East Kent.
This has included a Jobcentre Takeover event for the community to discover more about courses at their local college, new study programmes designed to support people into work, and so much more.
Roberta Fullarton is a Work Coach Team Leader at Folkestone Job Centre and has played a key role in the ongoing partnership between EKC Group and the DWP.
Regular meetings between the Jobcentre and EKC Group help to identify local skills gaps and opportunities for collaborative programmes all aimed at supporting adult education in the county.
“We’ve got a strong relationship locally with East Kent Colleges Group, built upon a good relationship with the team,” Roberta Fullarton said.
One example of the work that EKC Group and the DWP have been collaborating on is the new Empower Programme – a course designed to build the aspirations of, and provide opportunities for long-term unemployed adults.
Roberta explained: “At the beginning of the year, we held meetings to develop a new and unique programme of learning for our long-term unemployed customers, specifically those that have been unemployed for a minimum of 18 months, have been through other initiatives, but have not yet progressed into the labor market.
“Together, we developed a 12-week-long programme, and launched a pilot in April 2026.”
Angela is a graduate of the programme and described the impact it had on her.
She said: “The most important skill I’m coming away from the course with is my confidence, which has been really built up.
“I’ve learnt how to communicate with people a lot better, and how to deal with an interview situation.
“I’m now looking to the future, and not looking backwards anymore.”
Following the success of the pilot programme, EKC Group’s adult training provider, EKC Training, is now planning to run the course across East Kent at its centres in Canterbury, Swale and Folkestone.
Alongside the Empower Programme, two more targeted programmes have been launched thanks to the collaboration between EKC Group and the DWP.
The Ignite programme is aimed at confidence building, while the Thrive programme is aimed at those with health conditions who may need more support.
Industry specific ‘Get Into’ programmes delivered by EKC Training, which is part of EKC Group, also helps adults gain the skills they need to get a headstart in industries such as Hospitality, Retail, Early Years, Health and Social Care, and more.
One Thrive Programme participant, Teresa, described how the course has been life-changing for her.
“I decided this course might be a good way for me to focus on getting out of the house because, for me, that was a big issue,” she said.
“I had a lot of anxiety, so having the course just as a focus to get up and do something that day has been quite beneficial for me.
Teresa, 46, added that the programme helped her rediscover her passion for working with people.
She said: “For me, I quite like working with people, so even if I were to maybe go into voluntary work, I would definitely look at doing some community-led stuff, whether it be crafts or just helping at an event.
“Recently, I helped out at a community pride event. It was really beneficial for me, and I got to meet lots of new people. It’s also something that I would never have dreamed of doing before I started this course.”
Alongside supporting participants to regain their confidence, many have been successful in gaining employment.
Roberta added: “We’re changing lives within the community through this collaboration.
“All of the outcomes that we’ve had from the courses that we’ve been involved in so far have been fantastic, and they really showcase to other customers just what is possible.
“We’ve been able to look at the provision we’ve got locally, and adapt it for the needs of the community, and that’s only possible through working in collaboration.”
The partnership marks another example of EKC Group’s commitment to ensuring that everyone has a chance to learn, upskill, or retrain.
In addition to the collaborative courses, earlier this year, EKC Training and EKC Folkestone College ran a College Takeover Day at the Folkestone Job Centre to showcase the variety of options on offer for adults to get back into education.
With over 200 people attending over the space of four hours, the event gave a unique opportunity for users of the Jobcentre to discover their options, and find their next path.
Roberta explained: “Weston-super-Mare Jobcentre in the West Country had previously launched their own College takeover, and picking up on that, we decided to see if we could run the first of its kind in Kent, and so we reached out to our colleagues at East Kent Colleges Group.
“We aimed for a date in June just ahead of enrolment at the College, and they came and took over the whole floor of the Jobcentre.
“It gave our customers exposure to things that they might not have seen before, especially as may not have actually put a foot through the College door.
“It was a way of showcasing that there are different things out there, and there is the potential to access them when you might have thought that you can’t because of funding, or how it will affect your benefits.
“By working together, we were able to give people information on the funding via the College route, but also how that affects benefits.
Following the success, another takeover day is being planned for 2027, and a number of attendees have signed up for courses with EKC Folkestone College, and EKC Training.
Work Coaches at the Jobcentre have also been supported to learn more about the courses on offer in their local Colleges and Training Centres, enabling them to inform their customers with confidence.
Roberta added: “Our work with the College has been going from strength to strength, and we’re always discussing more courses.
“Through our collaborative work with the Group, we’ve been able to broaden the offer for our customers and the community.
“It’s been great to see how DWP benefit from that, because we’ve been able to ensure we’re maximizing the opportunities available.”
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