The Engage to Change project has worked across Wales to support young people aged 16-25 who have a learning difficulty, learning disability and/or autism to achieve their full potential.

Using a person-centred approach, Engage to Change has worked closely with young people, their parents/carers and employers to:

• overcome barriers to employment
• develop transferable skills
• offer unpaid work experience
• provide paid supported employment
• find volunteering opportunities
• offer access to supported internships.

This project was made possible through funding from the National Lottery Community Fund in partnership with Welsh Government.

Update – June 2023

Learning Disability Wales and the National Centre for Mental Health at Cardiff University, working with ELITE Supported Employment, are pleased to announce that additional funding has been secured from the National Lottery Community Fund and Welsh Government. Over the next 18 months, this funding will enable Engage to Change Influencing and Informing to take forward the policy, research, and legacy work of the Engage to Change project.

We will continue to work with Welsh Government, DWP, local authorities, health boards, colleges, supported employment agencies and other organisations with the aim of ensuring that supported employment, which includes specialist job coach support, is funded and available across Wales.

The Engage to Change project successfully provided employment support to 1,070 young people with a learning difficulty, learning disability and/or autism over a 7-year period that ended on 31 May 2023 The project is no longer accepting referrals.