Frontline Adviser

This award seeks to recognise an individual employment adviser who has demonstrated exceptional commitment, either through directly helping jobseekers to overcome barriers to enter and maintain work or supporting employers to employ and support in employment jobseekers who have been long term unemployed.

Employment support providers are asked to nominate employees who:

• Have gone above and beyond the reasonable expectations of their employer (and of the wider industry), in their commitment to customer service.
• Have a sustained track record over a significant period of time of demonstrable high performances.
• Have supported colleagues to embrace a customer-centred ethos, leading by example and helping co-workers to apply best practice in the support they provide jobseekers.
• Attract testimonials from current and previous customers (whether jobseekers or employers) who can vouch for the specific impact that their efforts have made to their personal lives or operations.

The award winner will be a truly inspiring industry exemplar of how effectively and compassionately to support the long term unemployed into successful and sustainable employment.

Frontline Manager

This award seeks to recognise an individual managing front-line staff, who has demonstrated exceptional commitment, enabling their team to help jobseekers to overcome barriers to enter and maintain work. This individual will be overachieving against expectations and offering their team a supportive and focussed culture in which to thrive.

Providers are asked to nominate managers who:

• Have gone above and beyond the reasonable expectations of their employer (and of the wider industry), in their commitment to customer service.
• Have a sustained track record over a significant period of time of demonstrable high performances.
• Have developed a customer-centred ethos, leading by example and enabling their team to apply best-practice in the support they provide jobseekers.
• Attract testimonials from team members, colleagues and directors who can vouch for the specific impact that this person’s efforts have made to their team’s performance and standards.

The award winner will be a truly inspiring industry exemplar of how effectively and compassionately to support front-line staff who are working in a challenging environment, supporting long-term unemployed people into successful and sustainable employment.

Employer Partnership

This award seeks to recognise exceptional collaboration between an employment support provider and an employer. This award celebrates partnerships that have demonstrated a strong commitment to working together to improve employment opportunities for long-term unemployed individuals.

Employment support providers should nominate a specific employer who:

• Have shown outstanding collaboration, with both parties sharing resources, expertise, and best practices to overcome barriers to employment.
• Has made a measurable and positive impact on jobseekers’ lives, such as successful job placements into ‘good work’.
• Has developed long-term solutions that meet the needs of jobseekers, focusing on lasting success in the workplace.
• Attract testimonials from jobseekers, employees, and stakeholders highlighting its specific impact on individuals’ lives and operations.

The winner will be an employer who has created a successful partnership with an employment support organisation which has resulted in creating good, sustainable jobs for participants.

Outstanding Participant

Recognising a specific jobseeker who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to overcoming barriers to enter and maintain work.

This award seeks to recognise a successful former jobseeker who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to overcome significant personal and/or social barriers to enter and maintain employment.

Providers are asked to nominate jobseekers who:

• Have surpassed expectations in overcoming barriers to work.
• Have demonstrated personal dedication above and beyond expectations to improve their employability.
• Have successfully moved into sustained employment and grown in their job to acquire new skills and responsibilities.
• Have acted as a positive role model in inspiring other jobseekers to follow their example.
• Attract testimonials from advisers and their employer, who can vouch for the journey that has been undertaken and the success achieved.

The award winner will be a truly inspiring individual who will have overcome adversity and demonstrated immeasurable dedication to overcome barriers to work and achieve sustained employment.

Employer Engagement Practitioner

This award acknowledges an individual who has demonstrated exceptional skills and dedication in engaging employers to create employment opportunities for jobseekers. This award recognises the crucial role played by these practitioners in fostering strong relationships between employment support providers and employers, ultimately leading to successful employment outcomes.

Employment support providers should nominate an employer engagement practitioner who:

• Has shown exceptional abilities in engaging employers, going above and beyond to build productive relationships and secure employment opportunities for jobseekers.
• Has understood the needs of local employers and this has led to sustainable partnerships between employers and an employment support provider.
• Has demonstrated creativity and innovation in developing strategies and initiatives to effectively engage employers, adapting to changing market needs and demands.
• Attract testimonials from employers, jobseekers, and colleagues to highlight the practitioner’s specific impact on securing employment opportunities and improving jobseeker outcomes.

The winner will be an individual who excels in forging connections with employers, ensuring mutual benefits and long-term success.

Community Outreach

This award is for a delivery team or an employment support organisation that can demonstrate success when reaching potential participants in local communities, bringing them onto provision and moving them into good work.

Entrants should show:

• Examples of reaching into communities and engaging people who have not been referred by the DWP Jobs and Careers Service. This demonstrates their commitment to extending support beyond traditional channels and targeting individuals who may face additional barriers to employment.
• A track record of successfully engaging and connecting with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including marginalised or ‘hardest-to-help’ groups. This could include outreach strategies, partnerships with community organisations, or innovative approaches that have proven effective in reaching and resonating with individuals.
• Evidence of the positive outcomes achieved through their community outreach efforts. This may include the number of individuals who have been successfully brought into provision, their subsequent progression into sustainable employment, and any relevant success stories that highlight the impact of their engagement initiatives.

Innovative Employment Support

This award recognises programmes, projects or services that are redefining how employment support is designed and delivered.

Employment support providers should nominate programmes or initiatives that:

• Demonstrate creativity and originality in addressing barriers to employment.
• Introduce new approaches, partnerships or delivery models that improve outcomes.
• Show evidence of measurable impact on engagement, progression or sustained employment.
• Respond effectively to participant and labour market needs.
• Demonstrate potential for wider adoption across the sector.

The winner will be an initiative that is transforming employment support through innovation.

The Team Behind the Scenes

This award recognises a team whose work underpins excellent employment support delivery.

Employment support providers should nominate a team that:

• Demonstrates exceptional support for frontline delivery through functions such as performance management, IT, operations, quality, research, data, communications or service design.
• Has introduced improvements that enhance efficiency, service quality or participant outcomes.
• Works collaboratively across teams and departments.
• Demonstrates innovation and adaptability.
• Attracts testimonials from colleagues and stakeholders that highlight their impact.

The winner will exemplify excellence behind the scenes, enabling frontline services to succeed.

Partnership and Collaboration

The award seeks to recognise an exemplar group of organisations delivering employment support directly to jobseekers on behalf of, or with, another provider as part of a subcontracted or partnership agreement.

Entrants should address the following criteria:

• Be clear about the geography of delivery and profile of jobseeker with which you are working, and how you have tailored your services to meet the needs of this cohort.
• Provide quantitative evidence that performance is good (and preferably improving).
• Provide qualitative evidence of the positive impact of services delivered, including customer or partner feedback.
• Explain how you support service provision outside your direct delivery, through best practice sharing with partners.
• It is desirable that the entrant’s application is endorsed by an employer, Jobcentre Plus or local authority.

Motivating Senior Leader

This award recognises a senior leader who has inspired and empowered their organisation.

Employment support providers should nominate a senior manager who:

• Demonstrates exceptional leadership and motivates others to achieve ambitious goals.
• Creates an inclusive, supportive and values-led culture.
• Successfully leads organisations or services through change.
• Encourages innovation, collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Attracts testimonials from colleagues, partners and stakeholders.

The winner will be an inspiring leader who creates an environment where people can thrive.

Adding Social Value

Applications are invited for providers who have delivered over and above requirements and have provided exceptional value for money, both in terms of the public purse and value in communities.

Entrants should be able to:

• Demonstrate clear examples of providing additional benefits to local communities, economies and people.
• Provide clear evidence of the measurable social impact they have achieved, including reduced inequalities, improved community well-being, savings to the taxpayer, or other positive outcomes.

The winner will be an organisation that exemplifies a commitment to creating positive social change while efficiently utilising resources and maximising value delivered to taxpayers.

Introducing AI

Applications are invited for providers who have implemented AI into their organisations, either to make processes more seamless for frontline advisers or for participants.

Providers should demonstrate:

• How AI has streamlined processes, reduced administrative burden, and enabled advisers to spend more time supporting participants directly.
• How AI has been used to personalise support, provide timely interventions, or improve accessibility and engagement.
• Evidence of improvements in performance, efficiency, or participant outcomes.
• A commitment to responsible AI, ensuring fairness, transparency and inclusivity.

Addressing the NEET Challenge

Applications are welcomed for programmes and initiatives that have demonstrated outstanding success in engaging and supporting young people who are NEET. These interventions should effectively transition young people into meaningful employment, offering career opportunities and training that address the specific challenges faced by young jobseekers.

Providers should demonstrate:

• Exceptional ability to connect with young jobseekers, understanding their specific needs and barriers to employment.
• Substantial career pathways leading to sustainable and fulfilling employment.

• How you work collaboratively with skills providers, colleges, employers and local partners.

• Tailored support addressing barriers such as lack of experience, education gaps or socio-economic disadvantage.
• Evidence of positive outcomes, including job placement, retention and progression.

Health Solutions for Work

Applications are welcomed for innovative join-up between health and work. These can be programmes and specific interventions that enable individuals to secure and sustain employment.

Providers should demonstrate:

• Creative approaches combining health and employment support.
• Holistic support addressing physical, mental and emotional health barriers.
• Improved wellbeing and employability outcomes for participants.
• Support for sustaining good work over the long term.
• Measurable outcomes such as improved health and employment retention.

Long Service Award

This award recognises an individual who has demonstrated exceptional dedication and commitment working in the employment-related services sector over a sustained period.

Employment support providers should nominate an individual who:

• Has dedicated a significant proportion of their career to supporting people into employment.
• Has consistently demonstrated professionalism, commitment and passion.
• Has positively influenced colleagues, participants and partners throughout their career.
• Has contributed to improving services, organisations or the wider sector.
• Attracts testimonials that demonstrate their lasting impact.

Outstanding Contribution

Applications are invited for an exceptional leader who contributes to the sector as a whole.

Providers should nominate a leader who:

• Demonstrates exceptional leadership across the sector.
• Has driven innovation and improvement in employment support.
• Has influenced commissioning, policy or system change.

Has contributed to a fairer and more effective labour market.