Watford FC and our Community, Sports & Education Trust are delighted to support Learning Disability Week, which runs until June 26.

The awareness week is organised every year by the learning disability charity, Mencap. It aims to improve the quality of life for individuals with learning disabilities by raising awareness about important issues, fighting stigma and discrimination, and raising funds for outreach and support programs.

To celebrate, we’re delighted to announce a partnership with Step2Skills and have signed up to their Inclusive Employment Project.

Both the club and Trust have also reached level two of the Disability Confident Scheme and have started working towards level three, which will see us become Disability Confident Leaders as we aim to bring more people with disabilities into our workplaces.

As part of Hertfordshire County Council, Step2Skills adult community learning and employment support service provides opportunities for adults from across the county to get involved in learning and employment within the community.

The service works with people who face barriers to education and employment such as learning or physical disabilities, as well as those with low skills or mental health conditions.

Both the club and Trust share our job vacancies with Step2Skills’ Inclusive Employment Project (partly funded by European Social Fund) and work with their team to consider requests for work tasters or trials, and job carving for their participants.

We also supported a Disability Inclusive Step2Skills job fair, which was held at West Herts College earlier this year and was packed with local employers. The day also offered visitors the chance to meet employers, network with others and discuss local employment and training opportunities.

On the partnership, Dave Messenger, the club’s Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Lead, said: “As part of our EDI Strategy we want our workplaces to better reflect the communities we serve, and working with Step2Skills will help us achieve that.

“We’re already getting some great outcomes and hope this is just the start of a rewarding partnership.”

Georgina De-Allie, Employer Liaison Officer at Step2Skills, added: “We greatly value our collaboration with Watford FC and the Community, Sports & Education Trust. This has already generated multiple opportunities for local disabled people, the club and Trust are committed to improving accessibility and inclusion.”

To find out more about Step2Skills and the courses they offer, please click HERE.

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