Support for people with disabilities and long-term health conditions
Work experience and training in employability
The DFN Project SEARCH programme provides real work experience, combined with training in employability and independent living skills, delivered in an integrated business setting to help people make successful transitions to productive adult life.
It is a partnership between the Employability and Skills Partnership, Dumfries and Galloway College and Dumfries and Galloway Council. The goal is to achieve full or part-time paid work for our interns in an integrated setting.
Applications via the college website open in January 2025 course runs along an academic Calendar from August to June.
Eligibility
Young people with a learning disability or autism spectrum conditions, or both.
How to make a referral or find out more
Email Project Search.
Email: [email protected]
Work placements
Placement Plus is a 6-month paid placement within Dumfries and Galloway Council, designed to support people with disabilities to get into work.
Clients will be supported by a designated Employability, Skills and Partnerships Service Keyworker to ensure barrier removal and reasonable adjustments are in place within the internal organisation to allow clients to thrive and gain valuable work experience.
Training opportunities are also available to develop and enhance skill sets.
Eligibility
Find out if you're eligible for support.
How to make a referral or find out more
Contact Placement Plus.
Email: [email protected]
Whole family support for disabled young people and families
Whole Family Support Key Workers offer support to identified young people, with a disability, in their transition to leaving school.
Intensive support is provided to the young person 6 months prior to, and 6 months post school, with a pathway plan created with the young person at the heart of it, to support their aspirations for the future.
In addition, the team will support the wider family by offering advice, guidance and signposting to services where appropriate.
How to make a referral or find about more
Made via the school as an RFA.
Disability Engagement and Barrier Removal (Positive Progressions)
The purpose of this programme is to support people with disability barriers to work who are further away from employment. The programme is delivered by Triage.
Support areas, depending on individual needs, may include:
- identifying relevant community-based support groups which align with the participant’s interests and hobbies to increase confidence and reduce isolation.
- confidence building throughout the programme
- motivation and changing mindset and resilience
- coping with anxiety
- life skills and basic digital skills
- signposting to specialist support with warm handovers, - for example, mental health, debt and more
- goal setting
- better off in work calculations can be provided as part of goal setting and motivation
Supported Employment (Progression to Work)
The purpose of this programme is to support people with disability barriers to work who are closer to employment or who already in employment. The programme is delivered by Triage.
Support includes:
- vocational profiling to determine aspirations, learning needs, skills, experience and job preferences.
- support and training around barrier resolution, personal development, skills, CV creation and other job-related activity such as job searching
- employer engagement on behalf of the client. This may include arranging work tasters, job carving/matching and interview preparation, including mock interviews. A limited number of Employer Recruitment Incentives are also available as part of this contract
- better off in work calculations can be provided as part of goal setting
In-work support and career development including on and off the job support, supporting issue resolution, workplace mentoring and buddy systems and supporting the employer with adjustments.
Eligibility
People who are eligible for No One Left Behind (NOLB) support and have a disability.
How to make a referral or find out more information
Email DG Employability to make a referral:
Email: [email protected]