Workwise is an employment support service within Calderdale Council and is committed to working with people across Calderdale to provide in depth advice and guidance to enable local people to gain local employment opportunities.

Our aim is to assist and support people from one stage to another through an individual’s transition towards sustainable employment by means of voluntary work, work placement and/or training.

Workwise Calderdale will work with you at an individual pace. We offer support to people around the following key areas:

• Engagement with an individual Employment Adviser to support you in your transition to work
• Advice and Guidance
• Job skills; Job search and Job tasters/work experience
• Access to benefit advice both before and in work related
• Access to learning and training and job coaching if necessary
• Guidance on managing your health whilst moving on from a period of ill health
• Access to a range of services to support your mental health or disability
• British Sign Language interpreter support
• Liaise with your employer about job re-structuring or redeployment
• Advise you on 'Access to Work' funding and support for workplace modifications or equipment
• Provide appropriate training for your managers and colleagues to support your needs in the workplace

We will give you all the advice and extra support you need until you reach your personal goal.

We remain totally independent whilst working closely with you and your employer and can support you to stay in work.

If you're claiming incapacity, sickness or disability benefits and would like to work but don't know where to start, Workwise can help!

We can even support you to access relevant benefits that can be sustained throughout your time in work. This is known as Disability Living Allowance.

Calderdale is the heart of Pennine Yorkshire, a Metropolitan Borough which comprises the principal towns of Halifax, Elland, Brighouse, Hebden Bridge and Todmorden, as well as a sizeable amount of the stunning countryside which surrounds them. It enjoys good links to Leeds and Bradford in the East and Manchester in the West.

Traditionally, Calderdale was a manufacturing district. Although manufacturing has declined in recent decades the sector still employs around 20% of the local population, which is higher than the West Yorkshire and National averages. Other key sectors include Financial and Business Services, which is the largest sector in Calderdale, and Distribution, Hotels and Restaurants. Smaller, yet no less important, sectors include Creative and Digital Industries and those businesses connected to Tourism.

"The challenge for Calderdale at present is to continue growing a culture of enterprise. It is important that relationships between employers and education institutions are encouraged so that young people are given the skills they need to contribute to, and succeed in the workplace, and product innovation is enhanced. With a great quality of life, we want Calderdale to be the best place in the country to live, set up and do business."  - Councillor Amanda Byrne, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Development, Calderdale MBC.