AEL welcomes £0.5million funding boost for 'vital' youth programme Transitions

Access Employment Limited was awarded the £500,000 grant to run their successful Transitions programme for another five years.

Transitions provides work experience, learning and social opportunities for young people with learning disabilities or learning difficulties.

On average, it supports 20 trainees per week from four different schools, with a new cohort each term. Young people who are not school attenders can also take part.

Over the past five years approximately 250 pupils have taken part in Transitions, which was originally supported by the National Lottery Community Fund in 2016.

The latest cash boost comes once again from the NLCF, who recently announced £4,978,381 of grants benefiting 117 community projects across Northern Ireland.

An AEL spokesperson said: “[The funding] is a real lifeline not only to AEL, but to the pupils and the families we support through the programme.

“It enables us to continue the good work we have been doing, but also to build on that even further, providing more opportunities for more pupils and allowing them to get ‘actively’ engaged in the world of work. It also enables them to make informed choices about their lives when school ends.”

Past participants had plenty of positive feedback for the Transitions initiative, with one noting: "Everyone is very friendly and helpful and I feel like I have made new friends already outside of my school social circle."

Others said the programme offered a 'change from the classroom' and a 'chance to try new things'.

"I look forward going into AEL each day," another pupil said.

AEL, which is based on Pound Street, continued: “Thank you to all who have enabled us to continue providing this vital service in the Mid and East Antrim (MEA) area. A huge thanks also to the schools who work in partnership with us, our trainees, their families and our staff and volunteers.”

Several other schemes in the MEA area also benefitted from the Lottery funding, including LoveHope&Faith in Ballymena; Ballymena Substance User Support Group; Cairncastle LOL 692; Carrickfergus and Larne Child Contact Centre; Glenarm LOL 1121; The Braid Development Group, and The Ulster Grenadiers Flute Band.

Paul Sweeney, the Fund’s NI Chair, said: “I’m proud to see the impact every day that our funded projects have across communities in Northern Ireland.”

“These new grants are supporting a diverse range of projects, who are meeting the needs of people, helping them to rebuild and thrive.”