Our candidates want to work, and can work. By partnering with Team Domenica, you can build a diverse workplace that reflects the society it serves. 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.
With less that 5% of adults with learning disabilities in paid employment (NHS Digital, 2024), 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 open doors to the world of work and so much more.
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.
What You Can Offer...
Work Experience:
Our external work experience take place in three blocks. These unpaid placements are two hours a week, for approximately six 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 approximately 16 hours a week, for up to 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, 93% of our young people remain in employment for over a year or more, and 69% of our young people go on to stay in work for over three years.
Looking to champion workplace inclusion?
Work with Team DomenicaOur Support
Job Coaches & Mentor:
Our Job Coaches or Mentors work onsite, alongside the candidate and employer, offering bespoke training for both parties. Using their wealth of experience and knowledge, they 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 Presentations:
It can be intimidating when taking the first steps into building an accessible workplace. Our employment team, and candidates, offer training and information-sharing presentations to answer any questions and offer advice to the wider-business. As an example, we’ve presented at both Pizza Pilgrims’ area meeting, and Premier Inn’s regional meeting.
Our Employer Forum:
This is a welcoming, non-judgmental space for new, existing and potential partners to explore what it means to work with our candidates. Each meeting is tailored to the interests and needs of our employers, whether that be filling training gaps, sharing information and experiences, gaining practical support or celebrating achievements.
Regular Review Meetings:
If one of our young people are completing a supported internship, we hold regular review meetings with the candidate, their mentor, job coach and manager to check in on progress, address any concerns, and set agreed work targets. These targets are then integrated throughout the young person’s training – both in the classroom and in the workplace.
100% of our partners say that working with our candidates has benefitted their business
Work with Team DomenicaWork With Us
Interested in joining our growing community of employer partners and want to discover how your workplace can help open doors for people with learning disabilities? Please fill out the below form and our friendly team will be in touch within three working days*.
*By completing this form, you consent to Team Domenica contacting you about our partnership opportunities
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.
Our Partners
By working with Team Domenica, you’ll be a part of something bigger. You’ll join our ever-growing network, working together to create a brighter, more inclusive future for people with learning disabilities and autism. Here are just some of the over 50 charity and employer partners we’re working with:
