Ipswich-based social enterprise Realise Futures has won a contract to provide supported employment services for adults with disabilities across a wide area of Essex.

The three-year deal, awarded by Essex County Council, will cover the districts of Basildon, Braintree, Brentwood, Castle Point, Chelmsford, Colchester, Epping Forest, Harlow, Maldon, Rochford, Tendring and Uttlesford.

Referrals will be made through social work teams around the county, with Realise Futures then supporting individuals in gaining or retaining employment and addisting their employers through the process.

The service includes help with skills and training, including mainstream education, in order to build people’s confidence to allow them to progress to paid employment.

Realise Futures is a community interest company employing around 400 people, 40% of whom are themselves disabled or disadvantaged. It specialises in learning and development, careers advice, and skills and training for employees and employers.

It helps around 95,000 people across the eastern region every year with careers advice and 8,000 people in Suffolk, including 2,000 people under the age of 24, to access community learning.

Jenny Brick, director of employment and business development at Relaise Futures, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have won this new opportunity and to be able to extend the reach of our supported employment services into Essex. “Realise Futures is passionate about developing the potential of disabled people, a fact that is reflected by the percentage of our own workforce who are disabled. We look forward to working with new customers, their parents/carers, Essex County Council and employers across the county.”