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Only 4.8% of people in England (and 4.1% of people in Scotland) with a learning disability who are known to local authorities go on to secure paid employment, compared to 80% of their peers (1).
So, we’re thrilled to have teamed up with DFN Project SEARCH via the Social Business Trust to support the transformation of the lives of young adults with a learning disability and/or autism.
Our Schroders Giving charity partners, including the Social Business Trust, help us to create lasting positive impact in our society. We prioritise supporting programmes that focus on improving equity.
Since 2021, we’ve volunteered more than 50 days of organisational support to DFN Project SEARCH, alongside other global corporations, with a total worth of £163,000. This support included expanding DFN Project SEARCH’s reach to more areas across the UK, building their capacity internally to ensure facilitation of high-quality internships and offering guidance on honing and developing their message to businesses.
DFN Project SEARCH is an international transition to work programme committed to transforming the lives of young adults with learning disabilities. Their aim is to challenge misconceptions and change the way society views and enables the potential of young adults with learning disabilities and/or autism.
Their goal is to support 10,000 young adults with learning disabilities and autism into full-time paid work by 2030.
We’ve partnered with DFN Project SEARCH to create supported employment internships for young adults in the last year of education, helping them to take positive first steps into the world of work. The internships have been at businesses such as Whitechapel Library, Moorfields Eye Hospital and Marriot Hotels.
As a result of this programme, on average 60% of DFN Project SEARCH graduates move into full-time permanent roles, and 70% gain jobs in total.
This year’s supported internships start this September, and we’re looking forward to welcoming them soon in April 2024!
Our people have been involved in supporting DFN Project SEARCH. We caught up with Andrew Jones, General Counsel, Corporate and Wealth Management, to get an insight into what he does to help out:
“As Social Business Trust investment director for DFN Project SEARCH, I have regular catch-ups with Claire Cookson, CEO of DFN Project SEARCH. Claire keeps me updated on areas in which they could benefit from support.
“She was very open about the need to improve their online presence. Claire was impressed by Schroders’ online content and was keen to ask for our help! We got in touch with our own marketing team who were happy to help with DFN Project SEARCH’s videos.
“It’s refreshing and rewarding to have the opportunity to support such an important initiative with our everyday skills and knowledge.”
Claire Cookson, Chief Executive Officer of DFN Project SEARCH, said: “From day one in his role, Andrew has continuously supported our team to ensure that we have a sharp clear focus when it comes to engaging with business. He has pathed the way for a strong partnership, and we are thrilled to be launching a programme with them!’
Find out more about DFN Project SEARCH's success stories.
- https://www.dfnprojectsearch.org/about-us/
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