Pastoral Care

We provide expert support to help you on your learner journey. This includes mental health and neurodiversity, careers guidance and academic and financial challenges.

Supporting you to be mentally healthy in work

The Access to Work Mental Health Support Service, funded by the Department for Work and Pension, supports people in permanent or temporary employment who are experiencing mental health problems. It’s easy to access and there’s no cost.

They offer emotional well-being, support and advice for nine months. You can use the service if you have a mental health concern (diagnosed or undiagnosed) that is making your job difficult or has resulted in workplace absence

Neurodiversity

We partner with 2 neurodiversity specialists, Genius Within and Support Connect. Learners have the option of which organisation they wish to work with.

  • Genius Within offer remote access to a specialist counsellor who on a 1-1 basis can support with mental health, learning needs or emotional needs.
  • Support Connect in addition can offer IT and software support for specific learning needs and mentoring support.

To work with either organisation, you will need to complete an online screener that will identify any potential challenges. You will then be contacted by an expert workplace psychologist.

To be referred to support connect, you will need to speak to your tutpr who can arrange this for you. If you prefer to engage with Genius Within, then you can complete the initial screener via the button below.

The Screening Questionnaire takes about 15 minutes to answer. The questions focus on practical, work-related issues. For each issue, Genius Within provides you with top tips for working at your best at work or in training. Following an online assessment, any apprentice whose results indicates challenges is able to receive support from an expert workplace psychologist.

Academic & Financial Support

Do you find study difficult? Or maybe there are new issues such as a change in family circumstances, a lack of motivation or childcare duties which are impacting your apprenticeship? Maybe you have changed jobs. 

JGA may be able to help with: 

  • Paying for childcare arrangements
  • Work clothing
  • Benefits or financial support

  • Difficulties with your course and workload
  • Personal and relationship difficulties
  • Health, diet, smoking cessation and sexual health
  • Support is offered to all apprentices who get into trouble and reach the Disciplinary process

Perhaps you are worried that you might be impacted by mental health conditions or you really struggle with maths or find spelling very difficult. Historically you may have thought that admitting your concerns would do you no favours in work or education.

In recent years attitudes towards these barriers to learning have changed and there is government money put aside to help with many of these challenges. JGA works with professionals to assess issues and give you help and tips about how best to cope, whether the issue is practical or health/mental health oriented.

Your tutor can help you with any pastoral care issues.

More pastoral care services

In addition to what’s above, we have put together a PDF with more great services for you to access.