Around 40 supported learning students from Walsall College have been given the chance to explore different career paths and build confidence in the workplace through an employability programme delivered with Walsall Council and HomeServe.
The Employability and Neurodiversity Empowerment programme introduced students to people working across a range of roles, with council and HomeServe employees sharing their own career journeys, workplace experiences and lived experiences of neurodiversity.
A key focus of the sessions was helping young people recognise the strengths they could bring to an employer. Students also heard how inclusive workplaces can support different needs and benefit from a workforce made up of people who think, communicate and approach problems in different ways.
As part of the programme, students were also invited to take part in a SEND Internship Day at Walsall Council’s Environmental Depot on 22 May.
The visit gave the group an opportunity to see a working environment first-hand and find out more about careers within environmental services. Students toured the depot, spoke to members of staff and discovered more about the work carried out each day to help keep Walsall clean and safe.
Interactive demonstrations formed part of the experience, giving students a chance to become more familiar with a workplace setting while discovering roles they may not previously have considered, including careers outside a traditional office environment.
Councillor Matt Eason, Portfolio Holder for Culture, Health and Wellbeing, said:
“ Everyone deserves the opportunity to achieve their potential and build a rewarding career.
“These sessions and the internship day have helped demonstrate that there are a wide range of opportunities available, whatever someone’s background or abilities. By working with partners such as HomeServe and Walsall College, we can help young people build confidence, recognise their strengths and take the next steps towards employment. “
Mark Hickman, Healthy Spaces Community Officer, added:
“ It was a privilege to meet so many enthusiastic students and share our experiences of the workplace.
“It has been incredibly rewarding to see students grow in confidence throughout the sessions, and I hope they leave knowing they have valuable skills to offer future employers. I am excited to see where their ambitions take them next.
“The programme was developed and coordinated through Walsall Council’s Healthy Spaces team as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, which connects local businesses and organisations with opportunities to make a positive difference in their communities. It is making a significant impact across the borough by helping residents build confidence, develop skills and realise their potential. “
Feedback collected after the programme suggests it had a considerable impact on students’ confidence and ambitions.
Eight in ten students said they would like to work in the future, while 70 per cent said they felt confident or very confident that they could secure a job.
There was also a notable rise in the number of students who believed an employer would support their individual needs. Before the sessions, 45 per cent felt confident they would receive appropriate support, compared with 80 per cent afterwards.
Students described the programme as a positive experience, with comments including: “It has helped with my anxiety”, “It has made me feel more confident”, “I have learnt to focus on my strengths” and “They showed that disability can be a superpower.”
The initiative was coordinated through Walsall Council’s Healthy Spaces team and forms part of its wider Corporate Social Responsibility programme, which works with businesses and organisations to create opportunities that benefit people and communities across the borough.