voluntary organisations, social enterprises and volunteering
voluntary organisations, social enterprises and volunteering
Awards celebrate success of young people with disabilities and health issues
Created: 3/17/2017Young people with disabilities and health issues were recently celebrated at an event run by Fife Council to recognise their achievements in completing a Modern Apprenticeship Academy Programme, called Accessible Fife.
Accessible Fife is designed to tackle the imbalance of people with disabilities and health issues entering Modern Apprenticeships, which currently sits at about 3% of apprenticeships take ups.
Accessible Fife is a partnership between Fife Council’s Supported Employment Service, Fife Voluntary Action, Skills Development Scotland, Capability Scotland and Fife Employment Access Trust.
The Awards Ceremony, focussed on promoting a more diverse workforce, took place on 10 March at the Carnegie Conference Centre, Dunfermline.
The young people involved were offered a two week pre-apprenticeship Academy Course and the opportunity to undertake a work placement.
Three third sector employers, Cambo Estate, Fife Ecology Centre and Fife Centre for Equalities have offered work placement and apprenticeship opportunities for the young people who completed the training. Fife Council have offered Guaranteed Interviews in entry level positions such as Catering, Child Care and Janitorial Services.
Robbie Young, who took part in the course, said “I took part in a placement with Fife Centre for Equalities. This helped me to see that having a disability or health issue doesn’t define you. I learned so much about the sector that I want to work in, and want to thank everyone for the experience I’ve been given. From CV Building and growing in confidence, I have developed some essential skills for moving forward into the work place.”
Angela Hamilton, Team Manager, Fife Council’s Supported Employment Service, added “This is a unique programme in Scotland. We need to promote the success of Accessible Fife and make sure that more opportunities like this are made available to other young people in Fife with similar backgrounds. We’ve proven that disability or health issues are not a barrier to entering a Modern Apprenticeship.”
Fife Council’s Supported Employment Service provides a range of employment training and work placement opportunities for people with disabilities or health issues who live in Fife. Find out more at www.fifedirect.org.uk/swses
If you are an employer and would like to offer opportunities for people with disabilities or health issues, or are looking for advice about employees you already have with disabilities or health issues please contact the Supported Employment Service on 01592 583142.