Helping those with disabilities secure work

BALLYHOURA Development CLG will offer a new Ability Programme in Mitchelstown, focusing on bringing young people with disabilities between the ages of 15 and 29 closer to employment.

Only a limited number of spaces remain.

The programme is designed for young people who are not currently ready for work, and it offers them a range of person-centred supports.

“This approach assists young people to identify and follow progression routes based on both their potential and their needs,” Sadie Allen explained.

“As a result, the programme promotes positive pathways into education, training and employment for participants.”

The programme is aimed at assisting young people with disabilities to develop the confidence and independence required to participate in education, training and employment. As well as that, it also hopes to help such participants at key transition points between education, training and employment.

Building the capacity of mainstream employment services, education and training providers to support the progression of young people with disabilities is another aim of the initiative, as well as building the capacity of employers to recruit and retain young people with disabilities within their workforce.

“The Ability Programme promotes employability and meaningful social roles for young people with disabilities,” Ms Allen added.

This programme is recruiting now and will run two sessions a week in Mitchelstown until July, 2019.

The programme will focus on confidence-building; daily routine; and expression through art from now until December, with an option for driver theory classes on completion of the core group sessions.

Between January and July 2019, the programme will cover matters including HACCP, food handling, manual handling, safepass, work placement, career guidance and pathway development.

Ability is co-financed by the Irish Government and the European Social Fund as part of the ESF Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning 2014-2020

To find out more about the course, you can phone Sadie Allen, Ballyhoura Development CLG, at (025) 85213.

The programme is free, and payment will not be affected by participating.