The Lord Mayor of Liverpool has hosted a special afternoon tea to celebrate young adults with additional needs taking up paid employment opportunities across the city.
Through the European Social Fund (ESF) Ways to Work Intermediate Labour Market (ILM) Programme, the council’s ILM Special Educational Needs Disabilities (SEND) Team have worked closely with eight young adults aged between 16-25, and prospective employers over the past six months to break down barriers, organise work trials and create ‘job carved’ positions to help them into employment.
Prior to enrolling on the programme none of the young adults had been in paid employment only taken up volunteer roles. To date, six out of the eight, have secured part-time employment and two have full-time employment with a range of employers including The Brain Charity, Sandfield Park School, Sports Alive North West, and ADHD Foundation.
Lord Mayor, Councillor Anna Rothery, said: “I am delighted to be marking the achievements of these young adults and hearing about their amazing opportunities they’ve had through their work placements. They are an amazing group of people that have really taken on this challenge and the team around them have done a great job in supporting and paving the way in getting them into paid employment.”
“At Liverpool City Council, we believe there should be no barriers in anyone achieving their full potential and I hope that more organisations get on-board and give more lifelong opportunities that other young adults, in similar positions, might not ever get.”
During the working lunch, which included Cabinet Member for Education, Councillor Barbara Murray, the young adults talked about their employment and in return they had the opportunity to ask Lord Mayor questions around about her role.
