Helping people with disabilities into work

As a disability confident leader, we help individuals wishing to look for employment and employers hoping to recruit.

As a service we believe that every individual has something unique to offer. We focus on ability and not disability.

Our main aim is to ensure that employees are matched to the right job, with the right employer at the right time.

How we do it

• We will complete a vocational profile with you to assess your skills, interests and ambitions.
• We will support you to undertake job tasters - these will help you to try out some different jobs which will identify the right job match for you.
• We will help you to look for the right job.
• We will support you at your workplace to learn the job.
• As you become more confident and competent in the job, your job coach will reduce support gradually until you can do the job on your own.

People receiving a service must live in North Lanarkshire and want to work for 16 hours or more per week.

Projects

DFN Project SEARCH

DFN Project Search is a one-year employability course based in University Hospital Wishaw and Monklands.

It provides people who have learning disabilities and autism with real life work experience to find employment. This project is run in partnership with the council, NHS Lanarkshire, Serco, and New College Lanarkshire.

Roots

The Roots programme offers 12-month work placements funded by North Lanarkshire Council to care experienced young people. 

The placements support the young people to attain the necessary skills to gain employment either with the council or in external organisations.

Project Ability

Project Ability is a one-year paid training programme to support young people with disabilities and autism to build on their skills before moving into employment.

Placements are with one of the council's services or with one of our Arm’s Length Organisations (ALEOs).

We aim to support individuals to significantly improve their chances of gaining and sustaining employment leading to improved outcomes for their health and wellbeing.

Additional Support Needs Schools project

Our ASN Schools Project has been created to work in partnership with the Additional Support Needs Schools across North Lanarkshire.

Our job coaches assist pupils from the fourth to the sixth year for around six to nine months before they leave school. The coaches will organise various job tasters and work placements to give the pupils a taste of various job roles in preparation for the world of work.

No Limits

We are delighted to have received funding from the Scottish Governments Young Person's Guarantee to introduce a new project this year called ‘No Limits’. 

We strongly believe there are no limits to what young people with varying abilities can achieve. This project will provide paid work experience placements for senior pupils leaving ASN schools to give them the support they need to start their journey into the world of work.

For more information about supported enterprise

See the supported enterprise homepage or connect with us on Facebook.

North Lanarkshire Industries

North Lanarkshire Industries is a fully established force in furniture production, assembly, refurbishment and maintenance.

We are a leading example of both commercial success and social responsibility by making a positive contribution across our communities by employing people with barriers who are fully trained to a high standard in all aspects of:

• bespoke furniture
• reupholstery
• soft furnishings

These products are bought by North Lanarkshire Council and various public and private sector organisations.