This week is Learning Disability Week, and Milton Keynes City Council is aiming to raise awareness of the achievements of local people with learning disabilities. More than 60 adults with learning disabilities have been skilled-up, opening potential rewarding employment opportunities thanks to a development programme the city council is supporting
The initiative is delivered by local charity MK SNAP as part of a wider £4 million investment from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, managed by the city council to help communities thrive and ‘level up’.
Through funding made available by the city council, MK SNAP has partnered with Bletchley-based M&M Supplies, which is now employing a number of individuals with learning disabilities in a range of roles – from data entry and customer service to warehouse operations.
MK SNAP, through its Enable programme, provides tailored training and support to adults with learning disabilities, helping them build the skills and confidence they need to succeed in the workplace. The charity has been empowering people in Milton Keynes for over 30 years, offering life skills, education, and employment pathways.
This is just one of many projects supported by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which also includes improvements to local parks and community spaces, energy efficiency upgrades to reduce household bills, skills development programmes to boost employability and support for female tech entrepreneurs.
“It’s absolutely wonderful to hear these brilliant stories about local people thriving in their workplaces, giving them independence, empowerment and opportunity in paid employment. My thanks go out to MK SNAP, who are doing extraordinary work to help people with learning disabilities realise their true potential.”
"This project is changing lives of people with learning disabilities and employers, opening up opportunities that may not otherwise have been available."