Enable Ability’s Social Enterprise project ‘Inter Activ’, based in Portsmouth, is celebrating today after being awarded almost £390,000 in funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK.
Enable Ability will use this part-funding to continue its well-established Social Enterprise, which is now in its 4th year. Through the Social Enterprise, its mission is to support adults with mild to moderate learning difficulties and disabilities gain the necessary skills to help them find meaningful employment. Participants are provided with practical, educational and technical support to enable them to learn new skills, build confidence, improve self-esteem and develop personal capabilities through a variety of community-based work opportunities.
These include food preparation and front of house roles in their café at Landport Community Centre, computer repairs and servicing at the Computer Repair Shop, and producing virtual immersive tours of local venues such as Gunwharf Quays to assist people with anxiety and learning disabilities view venues before visiting. The project also offers an arts, crafts and gardening work stream and a website management & marketing work stream.
Inter Activ is available to those who are eligible and who require support to improve their employability. Participants must be over the age of 17 and not be currently working.
Being awarded this funding will make a huge difference, not only to the charity in terms of being able to continue this very successful project, but for the people who use the service. It is regrettably common that people with disabilities find it much harder to find meaningful employment, so receiving this funding means that local people with disabilities have been given a significant opportunity to learn and obtain the skills and experience they need to enable them to become employable and a valuable member of their community.
This new National Lottery funding will enable at least a further 75 people with a disability or learning difficulty to gain the relevant skills and experience needed to obtain employment, further education, or to be work-ready at the end of (or before) their 12 month term with the programme. Funding will begin in September so that all of the enterprises 5 work streams can continue effectively.
If you would like to join Inter Activ, and you have a mild to moderate learning difficulty or disability, you can refer yourself to the programme by contacting us using the details below. We also accept referrals from college staff, friends or family members. Please contact Karen Bristow (Inter Activ Project Manager): 02392 296703/ email: interactiv@enableability.org.
National Lottery players raise over £30 million a week for good causes across the UK. The National Lottery Community Fund distributes a share of this to projects to support people and communities to prosper and thrive.
Karen Bristow, Project Manager at Inter Activ said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, this grant means that we can support even more people with disabilities into employment with the support of our experienced Personal Skills Coaches. It means so much to us all as a team as it is so rewarding! This will make a big difference to people’s lives– we are hugely grateful to the National Lottery for having the confidence in us to provide funding for another 3 years.”
Helen Bushell, Head of Regional Funding for London, the South East and East of England at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “We are delighted this funding will support Enable Ability to continue improving the lives of local people with disabilities. Thanks to National Lottery players, this project will help people to gain the skills and experience needed to find meaningful employment, and in turn boost their confidence, reduce feelings of isolation, and support them to prosper and thrive.”
During the pandemic, in 2020 alone, The National Lottery Community Fund distributed almost £1 billion to charities and community organisations across the UK.
To find out more visit www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk
