Media

Have you ever noticed that young people ask the question “What will I do?” rather than, “Will anyone employ me?” For the majority of us, having a career is something we take for granted.

Unfortunately, not everybody has an equal opportunity to find employment – and for those with learning disabilities, finding an employer that is willing to make reasonable adjustments in the workplace to help them to do their job can be an uphill battle.

Did you know, just six per cent of adults with learning disabilities in England are able to find employment? That’s something that our friends at the Oxfordshire-based charity, Yellow Submarine, say needs to change.

“We believe people with disabilities deserve to live life to the full,” explains Yellow Submarine’s Activity Manager, Jack Barnet. “One of the main challenges people with disabilities face when it comes to employment is a lack of understanding. Businesses don’t think they know how to support someone with additional needs, so they shy away from it. That can leave people with disabilities feeling unwanted.”

To help overcome these hurdles, Yellow Submarine has adopted an innovative approach to supporting people with disabilities. For those looking for a taste of the workplace – and some delicious cakes – the charity runs two cafés and encourages the people they support to work in them. For most, this is their first experience of the working world and immersing themselves in it can help to build confidence and ease any doubts.

For those not quite ready to don an apron and face customers, Yellow Submarine use its one-to-one approach to give them the chance to create something they can be proud of.

Whether they are making items to be sold in the cafés or building up confidence and life skills through workplace training, Yellow Submarine is meeting everyone’s needs.

“We empathise with people with disabilities and help them build the confidence to tackle the issues they face,” says Jack. “This can help young people feel more included in society, which makes going out and earning money, gaining independence and finding a place in the world a more achievable goal.”

We awarded Yellow Submarine a £60,000 grant to help young people with disabilities to find employment.

Last year, we awarded more than £1.6 million to charities that are helping to give children and young people the best start in life.