Celebrations recognising the team’s 25th anniversary took place at the Newmains Community and Conference Centre, gathering people, past and present, to honour the team’s remarkable journey and achievements over the years. 

The day was filled with positive feedback about how life changing the service and support has been, with many parents commenting on how grateful they are to have found this type of support which is being delivered by highly experienced and motivated staff.  

The event showcased incredible milestones and transformations the service has experienced since its inception in 2000. From empowering individuals with various abilities to achieve their employment goals to fostering strong community relationships, the team’s impact has been profound and far-reaching. 

Jacqui Daly, who was one of the first clients to gain employment with the service’s support, and continues to be employed by the council today, proudly cut the celebration cake with everyone present. 

And pupils from Firpark Secondary and Glencryan School added the cherry on top of the celebrations by generously providing coffee and cakes to those who came along – a lovely touch to the festivities. 

Over the years the Supported Employment Service has delivered key work progammes including Roots, Project Ability and No Limits and also partnered with NHS and New College Lanarkshire on 2 DFN Project Search sites. They have supported senior phase pupils in our Additional Support Needs schools as well as care experienced young people to find a job. Other developments include a supported work experience programme called Blissful Bundles and the opening of a training kitchen/cafe at Volvo Construction. All this on top of supporting over a thousand people in work and many more to gain work experience, training, build confidence and self belief.   

Donella Duff, Supported Enterprise Manager, said: “We are incredibly proud of our dedicated team and the impact they have empowering disabled people to achieve their goals and aspirations. 

“The event served as a reminder of the collective effort and dedication of everyone involved in the Supported Employment team. As we look to the future, we remain focussed on continuing our mission to create inclusive opportunities for all. 

“Thanks to everyone who joined us in celebrating this significant milestone and here’s to many more years of success.”