Direct Education Business Partnership

05/10/2026

We were delighted to attend the most recent Connected Futures East Midlands Employer Forum hosted by GXO, Newark. The main focus was on developing a commission for projects to enhance employment and support for young people with learning disabilities and/or autism spectrum conditions.

The Connected Futures Ambassadors (CFA) also presented an update on some of the work they had been doing recently, including:

🔹 Delivering their first Experience Forum workshop with the Supported Interns at Nottingham College Basford Campus.
🔹 Presenting their inclusive recruitment research at INclusive NottinghamSHIRE: Workplace Inclusion for Employers event.
🔹 Looking at how young people find out about preparation for work opportunities and support.

🗨️ CFA Joe said, “The forum are taking on board my work buddy idea – I am excited to see what will be done with it next.”

🗨️ CFA Abi said, “The meeting built my knowledge of how commissions work.”

🗨️ CFA Alfie said, “It was interesting to see what’s going on in EMCCA and how they are improving things for young people.”

A huge thank you to the employers who contributed and gave valuable insights, including: National Trust, G F Tomlinson and GXO.

East Midlands Combined County Authority Derbyshire County Council Derby City Council Nottinghamshire County Council My Nottingham Direct Education Business Partnership

05/10/2026

Calling all 12 to 25-year-olds in Bolsover district!
Get to have a say on the future of your area by joining Youth Action Bolsover's Youth Forum.
And you can have fun, too, with exciting challenges and activities running alongside the discussions.
Direct Education Business Partnership

05/10/2026

It was a great day Thursday, meeting new people, building connections and supporting fellow businesses across Chesterfield.

In the morning, our employer engagement coordinator, Kelly, attended the Chesterfield Business Expo. The event brought together Chesterfield's business community and provided a fantastic opportunity to network and meet local businesses.

In the afternoon, Kelly was joined by Programme Manager Paula to exhibit at the Unlocking Social Value in Chesterfield event. Here, local construction businesses received practical advice on how to demonstrate and evidence their social value when bidding for contracts. It was great to be part of the event and share examples of how employers work alongside us to create opportunities for young people.

Thank you to everyone who stopped for a chat with us! To find out more about working with us, visit www.debp.org/employers

Derbyshire Business Events Chesterfield Borough Council

25/09/2026

As we reflect on the 2025/26 academic year, we would like to extend a huge thank you to all the employers who generously gave their time, expertise and support to help inspire young people across our region.

Your involvement has been vital in making so many fantastic opportunities possible, including Careers Made in Chesterfield, Careers on a Train, Made in Chesterfield, Mobility South Derbyshire, Open Doors, Supported Insight Scheme®, Supported Internships and more!

As the 2026/27 academic year gets underway, we are excited to continue working together to create even more meaningful opportunities.

25/09/2026

23/09/2026

Our Connected Futures Ambassadors recently took part in a fun team-building activity to help them get to know their fellow ambassadors better.

After discovering more about each other's interests, they put their creativity to work by designing personalised chocolate bar wrappers for their colleagues. And, of course, no chocolate bar activity would be complete without some chocolate to wrap! 🍫

East Midlands Combined County Authority Derbyshire County Council Derby City Council Nottinghamshire County Council My Nottingham Direct Education Business Partnership

18/09/2026

It's been a fantastic first week for our new Supported Internship programme at the Chatsworth Estate.

Learners received an induction and took part in interactive activities to introduce them to the programme and the exciting opportunities ahead. They've also explored the beautiful Chatsworth grounds, helping everyone to get familiar with their new surroundings and the inspiring heritage setting where they'll be developing their skills over the next year.

This Supported Internship is a collaboration between The Devonshire Group, DEBP and Derbyshire Adult Community Education Service. It supports young people aged 18-24 with an Education, Health and Care Plan to work towards paid employment - gaining real work experience, developing practical employability skills, and growing in confidence and independence.

We're excited to see the interns' journeys unfold and look forward to sharing their progress throughout the year.

Read more about Supported Internships at www.debp.org/portfolio/supported-internships

Chatsworth House Derbyshire County Council Derbyshire Adult Community Education Service

27/08/2026

Despite the rain and thunderstorms, we had a fantastic visit to National Trust Calke Abbey earlier today.

It was a pleasure to be able to explore this remarkable National Trust property. From the fascinating artefacts to the amazing facilities, there was so much to discover. We could have stayed all day looking at the exhibits! One particular highlight was seeing some of the rooms used as filming locations for Peaky Blinders.

A huge thank you to Julia Southwell and the entire team for making us feel so welcome.

#𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁