Southampton City Council secures funding to help adults with learning disabilities gain employment

Southampton City Council has secured £210,000 to help adults with learning disabilities to find and maintain employment.

People with learning disabilities can face a variety of barriers when looking for work. The grant funding from the Local Supported Employment (LSE) initiative will enable the council to build on its existing work to support people into employment.

The new initiative will run alongside the Learning Disability Employment Service that works with people with a learning disability who use the council’s day services and/or are supported by the council’s Learning Disability Team. The LSE funding will enable the council to extend employment support to individuals in the city with a learning disability who do not currently access these services.

In addition, it will complement the City Council’s Solent Get Into Employment (SGIE) project that provides free one-to-one to support to help people with a neurodivergent condition to get into employment or volunteering. Neurodivergent conditions can include a learning difference or disability, autism, dyslexia, and dyspraxia. Solent Get into Employment is part funded by the European Social Fund. It is run in partnership with Department of Work and Pensions, Autism Hampshire, and the Prince’s Trust.

Councillor Lorna Fielker, Cabinet Member for Health, Adults and Leisure said: “Everybody should have the same opportunities to access and succeed in employment. We know that people with autism and learning disabilities can face particular barriers when looking, and applying, for a job that is right for them. We hope through this new employment initiative we can break down these barriers and help people fulfil their potential.”

Find out more about the Council’s employment support for people with learning disabilities, autism and neurodivergent conditions at Learning Disability Employment - Access Southampton (access-southampton.co.uk).