There are several routes open to you once you are ready to move on from your education, including paid employment, job internships, apprenticeships, traineeships or volunteering.
Ambitious About Autism have created an Employ Autism Toolkit for young people.
Part one includes resources for you to develop and complete with guidance from a careers and employability professional. This will support you to find suitable education, training and work placement opportunities for you. These templates are editable, and you can personalise them to support your individual needs and understanding.
Part two includes information and support to prepare you for a work experience placement, such as interview preparation and advice and support for communicating your needs in the workplace.
We Work For Everyone support individuals looking for work who have a learning disability, learning difficulty or are autistic. They offer support from Employment Navigators to help you find a way into paid work.
Inclusive Internships are a year long education programme for those aged 16-24 years with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). They involve at least 70% of time on a work placement, which may be with one employer or with several rotations of employers. The remaining 30% of the programme is classroom based.
Supported Routes to Employment (SuRE) is an individual learning programme delivered in the workplace. Students will be support by a Tutor and a job coach whilst experiencing a workplace environment. You will be supported to develop interpersonal skills, employability skills and will engage in specific tasks appropriate to your role.
Step Up/Step Up Plus is a bridging programme supporting learners experience emotional, social and/or mental health difficulties to prepare them for their next steps into wider college programmes or supported employment.
Project Search is an employability programme provided through Bath and North East Somerset Council involving work placements, an experienced job coach and support from tutors to develop key employability skills. The end target for this programme is paid employment.
Future option:Mencap Interns and Outcomes. Provisionally scheduled to begin in September 2021, this is a full-time study programme offering a long-term work experience placement. This enables each individual to learn the skills they need for work through practical on-the-job learning, supported by a job coach. If you are interested in exploring this for 2021, please contact Mark.capper@mencap.org.uk.
Apprenticeships: The Council for Disabled Children have some really helpful advice on their website about apprenticeships for people with a disability, including what to expect from an apprenticeships and where to start.
Swallow Charity offer the opportunity for teenagers and adults with learning disabilities to learn life skills, develop their social and emotional skills, and develop skills for employment and independence.
Life Project Bath offer the opportunity to develop social skills in a community setting, all supporting a young person's independence and confidence as they move into independence.
Bath City Farm is a charity offering courses to support young adults and adults to develop key skills supporting them into independence.