Employment charity for people with learning disabilities and autism welcomes new people to team

DFN Project SEARCH, the transition to employment charity for young people with learning disabilities and autism, has welcomed some exciting new people to its team this year.

Project SEARCH is a programme which aims to get 10,000 young adults with learning disabilities and autism into full-time paid jobs over the next decade.

The programme offers a combination of classroom instruction, career exploration and hands-on skills training.

With 70 UK schemes running, DFN Project Search hope the programme will encourage businesses to become more inclusive.

So far, more than 1,480 young people have now graduated and secured full-time paid employment through the programme in the UK.

Driving positive change in workplace culture

Since the start of 2021, DFN Project SEARCH has made an array of new appointments, including:

• Carmel McKeogh – Programme Specialist for the NHS, Scotland and Ireland.
• Lily Beyer – Programme Specialist for Wales, South West, Midlands and Portugal.
• Emma Lord – Programme Specialist for London and the South East and West Midlands.
• Sian Foster – Programme Specialist for the Northern region.
• Martin Wilby – Programme Specialist for the Northern region.
• Jo Busvine – Financial Controller.
• Lucy Webb – Programme Specialist for London South East.
• Vinny De Falco – Programme Specialist London and the South East.
• John Lobato – Learning and Impact Manager.
• Harry Georgiou – Youth Advisory and Co-Production.
• Sarah McQuillan – Director of Development.
• Julie Brennan – Executive Office Manager.

Claire Cookson, CEO of DFN Project SEARCH said: “We are very pleased to be making such positive appointments that will further strengthen our team and support our plans to grow the reach of our programme throughout the country.

“This new expertise will bring even more momentum to our ambition of transforming the lives of young people with learning disabilities and autism and will help us drive positive change in workplace culture in the UK.”

You can learn more about DFN Project SEARCH’s new appointments and the employment programme by visiting their website.