Making connections in the City for Learning Disabilities Week

This Learning Disabilities Week, Southampton City Council focused on helping people with learning disabilities to reconnect with friends and their communities

27/06/2022

Players and coaches at the Thursday Football session

The theme for Learning Disabilities Week (20-26 June), was reconnecting. Work and sport provide great opportunities for making social connections.

For many of us our jobs provide a chance to interact and meet people but finding the right role can be challenging. People with a learning disability in Southampton can get help find work with the ‘Solent Get into Employment’ scheme.

The initiative is open to people with a neurodivergent condition or a learning disability. Neurodivergent conditions can include a learning difference or disability, autism, dyslexia, and dyspraxia.

Dedicated staff offer free tailored support to help people gain and retain employment, including:

Confidence building
Employability skills
Work-based training
Preparation for work
CV writing
Support with interviews
On the job support
Ongoing support to stay in employment

Apply to Solent Get into Employment: mandy.burdfield@southampton.gov.uk.

Solent Get into Employment is part funded by the European Social Fund. It is run in partnership with the Department of Work and Pensions, Autism Hampshire, and the Prince’s Trust.

Councillor Lorna Fielker, Cabinet Member for Health, Adults and Leisure said: “The workplace is a great environment to learn new skills, including social skills, helping people to make those vital connections. Solent Get into Employment supports people with learning disabilities or neurodiversity challenges, to find the right job for them, helping them to grow and fulfil their potential.

“The council’s Day Services actively supports people with learning disabilities to make, and reconnect with, friends and communities. They offer a variety of activities including sports, theatre trips and arts sessions. I am pleased that the evening football sessions for people with learning disabilities are restarting on Thursday 23 June. This will be the first time the session has run since it had to stop in March 2020 due to Covid. The Football sessions are not just about playing sport and keeping active, they offer the opportunity to meet new and old friends, learn new skills, and have fun.”

Evening football sessions: Thursday evenings 6-7.30pm, the sports hall at Great Oaks School, contact Nicki on 07917 557139 to find out more.