What is Inclusion EB8?
Inclusion EB8 is a specialised employment transition service launched in 2024 by Inclusion Education. Designed specifically for young adults aged 18 and over, EB8 provides individual support for students with mental health and additional learning needs as they take crucial next steps toward meaningful employment.
As part of Inclusion College, we’ve created a comprehensive programme that combines education, practical work experience, and personalised support to create a unique pathway to employment success.
“We help young people to develop their essential workplace skills and advocating for their neurodiversity in their future workplace!”
Inclusion Team Member
Our Why
Why EB8 Matters
Young adults with mental health and additional needs face significant barriers to employment:
At EB8 we’re addressing these challenges directly, creating a bridge between education and employment that empowers young people to succeed, transforming their lives and safeguarding their future.
Strategically located for success
Our programme is based at Belvedere House in Basing View, Basingstoke, deliberately situated in the heart of the local business community, providing opportunities for natural networking with local businesses This location creates an authentic office environment that embraces neurodiversity-friendly workplace design principles, to help students transition into “work mode”. It’s also perfectly placed for public transport access, supporting independent travel skills.
Programme Structure
1. Employability Skills
Our dedicated tutors work alongside learners, encouraging confidence, curiosity, and a love of learning through a specially designed employability curriculum.
Structured employability training increases job placement success rates by up to 64% for young adults with additional needs⁴.
- Communication and teamwork
- Reliability and time management
- Problem-solving and decision making
- Organisation and planning
- Workplace technology skills
2. In-house Work Experience
Through our partnership with The Hygiene Bank charity, students gain hands-on experience in a functioning business environment. They develop practical skills in stock management and inventory control, while also learning customer relations and communications techniques. The partnership provides opportunities to understand order fulfilment and logistics processes, explore marketing and promotion strategies, and cultivate leadership and teamwork abilities. This carefully controlled, but authentic, work environment provides psychological safety for students to learn and grow, while supporting a valuable community cause.
3. Supported Work Placements
We coordinate external work placements tailored to each student’s interests, abilities, and career goals. We personally match our students with employers we know will be suitable for their unique needs. We provide pre-placement preparation and accommodation planning to set students up for success from day one. Then throughout the placement, we offer ongoing support, regular feedback sessions and targeted skill development to both students and employers, creating a safe environment for growth.
These placements often lead to potential long-term employment opportunities as employers witness firsthand the unique value our students bring. Research indicates that supported work placements increase long-term employment outcomes by 73% compared to traditional employment approaches for young people with additional needs⁵.
4. Holistic Support
Our programme goes far beyond simply skills training to provide:
- Access to qualified job coaches
- Mental health support tailored to workplace challenges
- Regular progress reviews and personalised goal setting
- Advocacy with potential employers
- Transition planning for long-term success
Success Stories
How to Get Involved
For Young People and Families
If you’re interested in joining the EB8 programme:
- Email us at EB8@inclusioncollege.org.uk
- Request a visit to our Belvedere House location
- Speak with your current education provider about referral options
For Employers
We welcome partnerships with local businesses:
- Offer work placement opportunities
- Deliver career talks or workplace insights
- Provide mentoring or shadowing experiences
- Help develop inclusive workplace practices
Contact us today at EB8@inclusioncollege.org.uk to discuss how we can work together to create inclusive employment pathways that benefit both young people and employers.
¹Department for Work and Pensions. (2023). Employment Statistics for Disabled People. ²Disability Rights UK. (2022). Employer Attitudes Survey. ³National Autistic Society. (2021). The Autism Employment Gap. ⁴British Association for Supported Employment. (2023). Effectiveness of Transition Programmes. ⁵Learning and Work Institute. (2022). Employment Outcomes for Young People with SEND.
