A project that helps people with disabilities find employment has received a £150,000 grant from the National Lottery Community Fund to continue its work.

The grant will provide funding of £50,000 per year over three years, to support the running of the Portland Pathways programme, which helps both local communities and employers.

Since launching a pilot in Mansfield in 2017, the initiative has gone from strength to strength.

In 2018 it opened a second hub in Sutton and has recently celebrated the second anniversary of opening its Mansfield office.

With a focus on reducing the disability employment gap in Mansfield and Ashfield, the unique roll-on, roll-off programme provides the encouragement and tools for people to excel.

One of Portland Pathways’ first clients demonstrated how successful the initiative is. Hannah Harvey, who has epilepsy, had been looking for work for nearly a year before visiting the Pathways team.

After spending time getting to know her strengths and interests, the team supported Hannah to find an apprenticeship in teaching and learning.

Following the successful completion of the 18-month programme earlier this year, Hannah gained a place at Huddersfield University to pursue her dream of becoming a qualified history teacher.

The initiative has gone on to win two prestigious awards, has supported 96 people into sustainable employment and has seen 188 people complete a Recovery College course.

Portland Pathways offers three different pathways to help individuals and employers to build a more inclusive workforce:

Recovery College — A five-week course, aimed at people with mental health issues, provides.
Preparing for Work — Aimed at people with disabilities who are looking to get into/back into the world of work.
Support for Employers — The Pathways team works with local employers to help them recruit and support employees with disabilities.

Mark Dale, principal and chief executive of Portland College, commented: “This is fantastic news for the Mansfield and Ashfield district.

“As one of the UK’s leading specialist colleges for disabled people, we identified the need to further extend our expertise to support our wider community.

“This substantial funding will enable us to continue bridging the disability employment gap in the region, creating a more inclusive workforce, helping local businesses and transforming futures.”