People First learners celebrate successes at awards

Learners with People First have been celebrated at an awards ceremony.

Held at The Halston in Carlisle, learners from the People First Academy marked their achievements and qualifications in front of 200 people.

The evening featured a talk from Jill Johnston from The Cumberland, who shared powerful insights on what it means to be an inclusive employer in action.

Jill spoke about the importance of creating workplaces where everyone feels valued and able to contribute, and how inclusion must be embedded in our everyday culture, not just policy.

The awards also marked a new chapter for Creating Careers – People First’s innovative supported employment initiative – as it begins to expand the programme into West Cumbria and Westmorland and Furness.

Funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, Cumbria Community Foundation, Cumbria Tourism and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the initiative puts partnership at the heart of its work in supporting people with a learning disability and/or autistic people to prepare for and succeed in the workplace.

David Blacklock, CEO of People First, said: “The stories we’ve celebrated tonight show the real, lasting impact of the People First Academy.

“It’s vital that we continue to expand our Creating Careers offer so that more people can access the same opportunities to work and live independently. Everyone deserves that chance, and it’s clear to see that our approach is working.”

Over the next 12 months, People First will support eight people into new placements in West Cumbria.

Graduates from the People First Learner’s Programmes were Kieran Little, Abi Ng, Ben Herring, Elizabeth Kavanah, Joseph Byrne, Ellie-May Graham, Emily Kriese, Natalie Davidson, Connie Dodds, Kallum Lowther, Stuart Irving, Mia Jepkes, William Sewell