The CareTech Charitable Foundation is excited to announce a new partnership with Action For Kids (AFK), providing £51,930 in funding over three years to support crucial training and develop tailored recruitment pathways for young people with disabilities and autism interested in seeking employment in social care.
Since 1992, AFK has been a national charity dedicated to helping disabled children, young people, and their families. Their goal is to equip young individuals with learning disabilities and autism for life after school through accredited education, training, and work experience programmes. AFK also supplies mobility equipment not covered by the NHS for disabled children and young people up to age 25 throughout the UK.
By collaborating with AFK, the Foundation is committed to empowering disabled and neurodiverse young people with the skills, training, and experience they need to find meaningful and sustainable employment in the care sector. These positions will not only provide stable job opportunities but also allow individuals to make valuable contributions to their communities.
Project Goals:
Over the next three years, the Foundation and AFK will work together to:
- Provide training, work placements, and various employment opportunities within the care sector for 24 disabled and neurodiverse young people each year until 2026.
- Create pathways for AFK and disabled young people to discover relevant paid job opportunities in the care sector.
- Share insights to enhance understanding of inclusive recruitment practices and training for young disabled and neurodivergent talent.
KPIs include:
- Access: Identify 20 young people classified as NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training).
- Employment: Secure job interviews for 24 young people, aiming for at least 10 to land paid positions.
- Training: Ensure that a minimum of 10 young people complete company training and receive relevant work placements.
In keeping with the Foundation’s Partnership Grants offering, AFK will utilise the access and expertise of CareTech Ltd, who will join the programme through the in-kind agreement with the Foundation. This in-kind support ensures that charitable partners benefit from social care expertise. CareTech Ltd is one of the UK’s largest providers for Adults, Specialist Services and Children’s care. AFK’s young people will be able to access CareTech Ltd’s multiple office (HR, IT, finance, AAC) and frontline (care homes, schools) services to find the right fit for them. An important element of this programme will be testing training for staff so they are best-placed to mentor and help the young people succeed.
"This partnership is significant for AFK. We specialise in bespoke career planning, supporting young people to seek out opportunities in the fields they want to work in. By working with CareTech, the charity will be able to offer more diverse work placements for young people who are preparing for employment. Furthermore, it will help us to secure paid roles for those with additional needs, who are seeking work in the care sector, not to mention all the non-frontline roles available at such a large company. We’re very excited."
"We are delighted to be entering this partnership with AFK. At CareTech Foundation, we believe that every young person, regardless of their background or abilities, should have the chance to succeed in the workplace and contribute to their communities. Social care needs new pathways of recruitment and it is a sector best suited to host a diverse, young workforce, due to the variety of roles available. By providing funding for training and tailored recruitment pathways, we empower disabled and neurodiverse young people to gain the skills, experience, and confidence they need for meaningful employment. This programme is as much about staff training and awareness as it is about showing the care sector what is required to welcome these incredible young people who are an asset for any organisation."
