About GFiE

GFiE is a network of over 20 pathways across the Civil Service that civil servants can use to recruit people into the service who face barriers to employment.

We work across the UK, offering opportunities and working in partnership with Local Authorities, the wider public sector and the Voluntary sector to offer fantastic support to life chance candidates, line managers and teams so that candidates can flourish.

GFiE pathways do things differently to bring new voices into the Civil Service:

We use simplified job descriptions
We work with partner organisations to find candidates
We use streamlined applications and interviews
We provide support to candidates and line managers so that candidates can flourish

Our work increases cognitive diversity, reaching out into communities, bringing new voices and lived experiences into the Civil Service from people who would not otherwise have joined the Civil Service.

Importantly these are real roles, ring fenced for GFiE specifically and recruited via a different approach. As well as bringing benefits to the organisation including new voices and fresh insights GFiE life chance recruitment offers important opportunities to learn and grow for candidates, line managers and buddies.

Contact us: GFIE@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Find a pathway

GFiE pathways recruit colleagues into roles right across the UK

This map shows how many roles were filled using GFiE pathways between April 2022 and March 2025 in all regions of the UK.

Messages from GFiE’s senior sponsors

Fiona Ryland

Government Chief People Officer

We’ve committed to “continue to lead the way in developing a comprehensive life chance recruitment offer across the Civil Service by supporting a thriving community of GFiE pathways representing the geographical and professional range of the Civil Service, to candidates who reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.

I would like to see 5% of recruitment into AO and EO roles to be done using GFiE life chance recruitment pathways and I’d encourage you to share this document with your colleagues to raise awareness of this recruitment route. I’d encourage anyone to get in touch with the GFiE Team and find out how you can work with them to bring brilliant people into the Civil Service.

Dr Victoria Hanna PhD FRSA

Deputy Director – Going Forward into Employment

Embracing New Opportunities: The Journey of Going Forward into Employment

It’s been 7 years since Going Forward into Employment (GFiE) launched. In the beginning, the goal was to help people leaving prison secure meaningful employment within the Civil Service. Today by working with public sector and civil society partners, GFiE has grown to 20 pathways and now recruits people from a range of backgrounds including people with convictions, carers, veterans, care experienced people, autistic people and people from low SEB backgrounds into the civil service.
We have appointed over 1000 people in the last two years and over 3,600 since 2018, and we plan to do much more!
As a team, when we reflect on this journey, we are filled with appreciation for the colleagues who first recognised the diverse and amazing talent we bring into the civil service, and we also feel proud of the candidates who have embraced this opportunity. Their contributions have been invaluable in enhancing the delivery of public services across the UK and NI.