DFN Project SEARCH Celebrates Landmark Achievements in Disability Employment at 2024 Conference in Leicester
Leicester, UK: National charity DFN Project SEARCH celebrated transformative progress in enabling young adults with learning disabilities to find meaningful employment at its 2024 Annual Conference and Awards Gala Dinner in Leicester.
Held on 7th-8th November at the Mattioli Woods Welford Road Rugby Ground, home to the Leicester Tigers, the event convened over 300 delegates from public and private sector organisations, local authorities, education providers, and supported employment services, making it the landmark conference on supported internships in the country.
Themed “Don’t Stop Me Now”, the conference served as a platform for sharing knowledge and building momentum for inclusive employment practice. Attendees engaged in interactive workshops, expert-led plenary sessions, and inspiring talks, with key speakers including DFN Project SEARCH Chair Mark Hudson, Chief Executive Kirsty Matthews and the CEO of the conference headline partner, Youth Futures Foundation, Barry Fletcher.
In her opening address, the charity’s Chief Executive Kirsty Matthews addressed delegates by saying:
“The ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ theme represents our collective determination to open as many doors as possible for young adults who have a learning disability or who are autistic. We need to bridge the gap between education and employment, ensuring that the young people we work with aren’t left facing limited opportunities when they’re ready to start their professional journeys. When we see young adults not only securing jobs but also gaining confidence and achieving greater independence, we know our work is making a difference.”
Last academic year, 431 DFN Project SEARCH interns secured paid employment – the largest number achieved to date. In Scotland, 75% of interns found employment, while across the UK, 63% of interns found employment on average while seven programme sites reached a 100% employment rate for their interns, and eight sites achieved between 80% and 99%. The diversity of roles taken up by interns – from car maintenance to patient care and landscaping – underscores their wide-ranging talents and the value they bring to the workforce.
The conference featured workshops and contributions by the National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi) and the British Association of Supported Employment (BASE), who, together with DFN Project SEARCH, form the Internships Work consortium. With funding and direction from the Department for Education, Internships Work aims to double the number of high-quality supported internships in England by March 2025. The conference follows a recent report published by the House of Lords Public Services Committee, Think Work First, which incorporated evidence from DFN Project SEARCH and recognised supported internships as a proven way to bridge the disability employment gap.
During the Awards Gala evening, DFN Project SEARCH honoured the achievements of individuals and organisations championing inclusive employment, including David Biaby in London, who recently took part in the Supported Internship programme with ISS, a leading workplace experience and facility management company, and was named as the ‘Jurgen Donaldson with Amazon Graduate of the Year’ for his remarkable success as part of the ISS team.
The event and the awards evening were supported by DFN Project SEARCH partners and sponsors: Youth Futures Foundation, Compass Group UK & Ireland, Sodexo, and the DFN Charitable Foundation.
DFN Project SEARCH’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” campaign aims to challenge stereotypes and dispel myths surrounding employment for young adults with learning disabilities, calling for more inclusive hiring practices and access to high-quality supported employment programmes, such as supported internships, in every local authority.