Stockton-on-Tees, UK—Fedcap’s Clubhouses, which support people to improve their mental health while they are looking for work, won the prestigious Inclusion Quality Improvement Initiative at The Quality Professionals Awards: Further Education and Employability. The accolade recognizes how Fedcap's Clubhouses embed inclusive practices, remove barriers, and support all members, helping them improve their mental health and progress toward sustainable and meaningful employment.

Nine in 10 members have improved their health at Fedcap Clubhouses, with nearly a third finding sustainable employment—a significant percentage among those who have traditionally struggled to achieve sustainable employment. Without this support, they would have been highly unlikely to return to work.

“It is a huge honor for Fedcap’s UK Clubhouses to win a Quality Professionals Award.” said Christine McMahon, CEO and President of Fedcap. “Fedcap is a mission-driven organization that supports people and their families to achieve greater economic well-being. This recognition validates the hard work, dedication, and innovative thinking of the entire Fedcap team.

“By embedding inclusive practices, we’re supporting all Clubhouse members to remove barriers and improve their mental health as they progress toward sustainable employment.”

The Clubhouses were launched by Fedcap in 2023 in Surrey and Sussex as places where unemployed people with complex mental health and social needs could meet, develop skills, and enjoy positive social interactions as part of a work-ordered day.

They were developed in response to delivery insights showing a cohort of customers facing more complex barriers to employment, particularly related to mental health and broader health or social needs. Clubhouses operate as part of the Department for Work and Pensions’ Restart Scheme, which Fedcap delivers as a prime provider across south central England.

“We’re honored to receive this award because it recognizes something we see every day: mental health remains one of the biggest barriers to employment for many people,” said Susan Paterson, Executive Director of Fedcap Employment. “Through Restart, we had the opportunity to scale our Clubhouse model in a way that brought more tailored, community-based mental health support into employment services—something that has been genuinely transformative for participants who need more support. We’re deeply grateful to the Department for Work and Pensions for its vision, partnership, and willingness to support innovation that helps more people move forward with confidence, dignity, and the right support around them.”

It’s the second award in eight months for Fedcap’s Clubhouses, which celebrated winning the Holistic Wellness Integration category at the national Shine Awards last year for the difference they made to mental health and workplace well-being.

Read more about Fedcap’s Clubhouse Sustainable Employment Model