Six young people with autism and learning disabilities have graduated from an internship programme hosted by the council.

The cohort have all graduated from Lancashire County Council's supported internship programme, DFN Project Search to help prepare them for employment, with two going on into employment within the council.

On Monday, July 4, six interns and their families came together to celebrate their achievements.

Cabinet member for education and skills, Cllr Jayne Rear said: "The opportunities DFN Project Search programmes can give young people are life-changing.

"They give young adults with autism and learning disabilities the skills and confidence to succeed in the workplace and provide a pathway that is often not there.”

The council works with Preston College and HFT, a national charity providing services for people with learning disabilities, to deliver the programme.

The programme helps interns acquire competitive, transferable, and marketable job skills and helps them gain increased independence, confidence, and self-esteem.

Since introducing the programme in September 2018, 16 young people with learning disabilities from Lancashire have gained paid employment within the local community.

The County Council now has five operational programmes in the county – alongside this one at our main offices in Preston, there is also one with Calico in Burnley and one with Progress Housing in Leyland.

Two new programmes based at Lancashire Constabulary in Hutton and Royal Lancaster Infirmary both start in September.