Nationally, significant attention is being paid to employment rates. In the context of economic challenges and a cost-of-living crisis, helping people to access work opportunities has never been more present in public, political and social conversation.
Against this backdrop, employment rates for those with a learning disability continue to be much lower compared to those of the general population. Currently, just 6% of people with a learning disability are currently in work, despite significant desire for opportunity (source, Mencap 2025).
Creating Careers is our supported employment programme, funded by the National Lottery Community Fund. We help people with learning disabilities and autistic people prepare for and succeed in the workplace. From delivering vocational education and training to work placements and work shadowing; from preparation for interviews and work trials to onboarding and job matching; our team of Creating Careers Job Coaches have walked side by side with motivated people as they work towards their employment goals.
When we launched Creating Careers in 2024, we always knew we would extend beyond Carlisle. Towards the end of 2025 we saw interest and demand from employers in West Cumbria grow. Employers with real, live opportunities, looking to work alongside us as we support people into work. This led us to recruit for a West Cumbrian based Job Coach.
Our Job Coaches work directly with candidates looking for work, to identify where they want to work and to support individuals into paid employment. Our Job Coaches also stand alongside employers and provide support and guidance, if needed. Roseanne joined the Creating Careers team and has hit the ground running! She has worked incredibly hard to link in with different organisations and businesses across West Cumbria who are wanting to work with us, to support people into employment.
If you live in West Cumbria and know somebody with a learning disability looking for work or you have a learning disability and would like some support seeking employment, please do head to our website and complete our Easy-Read application form and a member of our team will get back to you; or click here.
Let this Learning Disability Awareness Week be the start of your next chapter and help us change those statistics.