Employing people with learning disabilities is a rewarding and beneficial opportunity
Don't just take our word for it...
We asked local and national businesses to share their experiences as a Team Domenica employer partner.
Watch the adjacent video to hear from five of our partners as they share how a diverse and inclusive workplace has benefited their business.
With less that 5% of adults with learning disabilities in paid employment (NHS Digital, 2023), our community helps candidates find and maintain paid work, giving them a sense of direction, purpose and belonging. From providing work placements, to offering paid employment, you too can help us build a brighter future.
The benefits
There are multiple benefits to working with our candidates, some of these include…
- Our candidates want to work and can work
- By working with us, you can build a diverse workforce that reflects the community you serve
- Supporting people with learning disabilities increases staff morale and has a positive impact on the team (Beyer & Beyer, 2017)
- A placement helps businesses better understand and cater to other neurodiverse employees and customers
- 87% of UK customers would prefer to give their business to a company that hires people with learning disabilities (Siperstein et al, 2006)
- Compliance with the Equality Act 2010 and the opportunity to join the government’s Disability Confident Scheme
How can you work with us?
Supported work placements are key to our candidate’s success.
Our employment team works to establish mutually-beneficial opportunities for our young people and employers alike.
Learn more about becoming an employer partner by watching Kieren’s story. In this short video, Kieren and his team at Premier Inn, Gatwick North, demonstrate the benefits that come from having a diverse and inclusive workforce, not only for people like Kieren, but for the entire workplace, and beyond.
Learn more about Kieren’s story by following this link, or join our growing network of partners by contacting our team at supported-employment@teamdomenica.com
Support our vision by offering one, or more, of the following:
Work Experience Placements:
Our external work experience take place in three blocks. These unpaid placements are two hours a week, for up to seven weeks. All candidates are accompanied by a one-to-one Team Domenica Training Mentor. This experience gives our young people a gentle introduction to different work environments and gives candidates an idea of what type of job they enjoy, so they can consider their future career.
Supported Internships:
A candidate completes an extended, unpaid placement with a partnered employer for 12+ hours a week, over approximately 26 weeks. Each internship is chosen based on the young person’s skills, interests and ambitions, as well as the needs of the business. Our candidates and employers are also supported by one of our Job Coaches. If all goes well, paid work is typically offered within three to six months.
Paid Work:
After an offer of employment, we make a commitment to our candidates and employers. We keep in regular contact and provide tailored support depending on each person’s needs. Thanks to our Wrap Around Programme, 95% of our young people remain in employment for over a year or more.
Looking to champion workplace inclusion? Contact us at: supported-employment@teamdomenica.com
Our Support
Our employment team are on hand for support throughout every step of the candidate’s workplace journey.
They create and maintain thoughtful partnerships with local companies, consider a candidate’s aspirations when finding their ideal placement and provide guidance and advice on employing young people with learning disabilities. Discover more about our support by talking to our friendly team at: supported-employment@teamdomenica.com.
Job Coaches:
Our employment team manages our experienced band of Job Coaches. This group works onsite, alongside the candidate and employer, offering bespoke training for both parties throughout their employment journeys. Using their wealth of experience and knowledge, Job Coaches ensure that all skills gaps are identified and filled, and that any problems are effectively resolved. To find out more about the support provided by a Job Coach, follow this link.
Training and Information-Sharing Presentations:
It can be intimidating when taking the first steps into building an accessible workplace. Our employment team, and candidates, therefore offer training and information-sharing presentations where they discuss the charity’s impact, answer any questions and offer advice to the wider-business. As an example, they have recently presented at both Pizza Pilgrims’ area meeting, and Premier Inn’s regional meeting.
We have gained invaluable support from our candidate’s Job Coach, Jill. She is the glue that guides this whole process. She makes sure that everyone is happy and helps our team if we have any questions.Stephanie, Guest Experience Team Leader at SEA LIFE Brighton
100% of our partners say that working with our candidates has benefitted their business
Join Our Growing Network
Team Domenica’s Employer Partner Celebration:
Each year, we host a collaborative event where employer partners and candidates can come together to share their experiences and recognise the work they’re doing to improve diversity in the workplace. Attendees can see the wider community they’re a part of, meeting like-minded businesses and celebrating their success.
In 2024, we enjoyed presentations from our Founder and Chairman, Baroness Rosa Monckton MBE, and partnered employers, Pizza Pilgrims and Brighton i360. We also heard from Sarah Springford, the CEO of Brighton Chamber, and Peter Kyle MP.
Learn more about last year’s Employer Partner Celebration by following this link or emailing our employment team: supported-employment@teamdomenica.com.
Employer Forum:
Coming soon… Our Employer Forum will create a safe space for our partners and new businesses to come together and explore the wonderful world of working with people with learning disabilities and autism. It will be guided by the interests and needs of our employers, whether that be filling training gaps, sharing information/experiences, building stronger connections or bringing in outside expertise.
Our Partners:
We have an excellent reputation with our partnered employers. We currently support over 50 local business, across a variety of industries. Examples include: Café Rust, Brighton i360, The Mercure Hotel, Morrisons, The Grand Brighton, Pizza Pilgrims, Hobbycraft, Theatre Royal and SEA LIFE Brighton.
Pizza Pilgrims, Brighton has hosted two successful supported internships and numerous work experience placements. Sam, the restaurant manager, says…
Hospitality can often be about driving profits, but creating an opportunity for someone has been so rewarding. They’ve added so much to our team. Before working with the candidates, you might worry that you’ll get things wrong, but there’s nothing Team Domenica won’t do.If you’re a company thinking of closing the recruitment gap, all I can say is do it. It’ll be one of the best things you’ll ever do.
Sam, Manager at Pizza Pilgrims, Brighton
Work with us
Interested in joining our growing community of employer partners and want to discover how your workplace can help create futures for people with learning disabilities?
Email our team at:
To view our employer partnership information in PDF format, please click here.
Alternatively, if you’re looking for other ways to get involved – such as through corporate partnerships, volunteering or fundraising – we have plenty of exciting opportunities that help businesses meet their objectives, whilst making a meaningful impact on the lives our candidates and their communities. Click here to find out more.
