Page Updated: 18/08/2026
Education, Support Programmes
Organisation: Spear
Local Authority: Bristol City Council
Location : Bristol
Introduction:
Spear is a free programme for 16 to 24 year olds who are not in education, employment, or training. Our coaches support you to find your confidence, learn skills and succeed in interviews.
If you're looking for work, education, or training, Spear can help you gain the skills and mindset needed to succeed.
What to do next
Or keep reading for more details
More about the role
What will I be doing?
In the Bristol Central centre (Clifton), we support young people back into work or education by running a year-long programme which starts with a 6-week Foundation course to help young people build work-readiness skills through a mixture of group sessions and 1:1s.
For our Bristol North West Centre (Avonmouth), this is a 4-week programme followed by 6 months follow on support.
We use coaching to help empower the individuals to make personal changes through mindset coaching, practical support and developing soft skills in order to help the trainees feel work-ready.
We ask that the young people that join the Spear programme are keen to get into work, willing to step outside their comfort zone and feel ready to make a change.
Our programme dates can be found below:
• Programme Start Dates 2026-2027 (Clifton):
• Autumn A 22nd September
• Autumn B 10th November
• Spring A - 19th January
• Spring B - 9th March
• Summer A - 11th May
• Summer B - 29th June
Who is this opportunity suitable for?
16–24-year-olds who are not currently in education, employment or training to support them back into work.
The young people that we work with generally have faced at least one barrier to employment. This could be:
• Having mental health illness that significantly impacts daily activities
• Having a learning difficulty that significantly impacts daily activities
• Having a physical disability that significantly impacts daily activities
• Carer – looking after a child, family member or friend for 16 or more hours a week
• Low Educational Attainment (less than 5 GCSEs A*-C/4-9 when leaving school)
• Received free school meals in year 11
• Criminal Record
• Someone in household or a close friend has been involved in crime/gone to prison
• Parents/Guardians claimed benefits
• Had (or still have) a social worker
• Have lived in care at some point
• Housing situation – Council/social housing, Supported accommodation/in care, temporary/emergency accommodation, NFA/Sofa surfing
• Court case pending in next 6 weeks
• Other stress factor – assessed on a case-by-case basis
What age is this suitable for?
Who will be there?
If you would like to refer a young person, please fill out the referral form here https://www.spear.org.uk/spear-programme/find-out-more/
We will get in touch with the young person directly and you can refer a young person at any point in the year.
Start date and time
Programme Start Date 22nd September 2026 until 29th June 2027
About the organisation
Who we are
Spear is a youth employment charity working across the UK.
Website
Address
Bristol
Would you like to hear more?
Our team will get in touch
Use the button below to contact us and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
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