Leeds SEND Museum Careers Program Wins Top National Award

A groundbreaking Leeds project helping young adults with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) step into museum careers has been named Public and Not-for-Profit Training Initiative of the Year at the British Training Awards.

Established in 2019, the initiative delivers targeted workshops in schools, work taster days, careers fairs, and hands-on work experience. The sessions give participants direct access to museum experts, offering practical activities such as site visits and object handling to bridge the gap between education and employment.

Since launching, Careers for All has delivered more than 140 hours of work experience to over 40 students with additional needs, alongside running more than 600 careers activities across the city.

Carl Newbould, learning and access officer at Leeds Museums and Galleries, accepted the accolade on behalf of the service. “This is an incredibly proud moment, not just for all of us in the museums service, but for the many talented and dedicated young adults we’ve worked alongside over the years,” Carl said. “Supporting their passion and desire to learn has also allowed us to benefit from their experiences of work and the barriers to it, in turn informing the way Leeds Museums and Galleries recruits so we can be more inclusive to disabled and neurodivergent applicants.”

The national recognition comes at a critical time for disability employment. Figures from learning disability charity Mencap highlight that just six per cent of young people with a learning disability are in sustained employment—despite an estimated 70 per cent having the capability to work. Furthermore, data from the Careers and Enterprise Company shows that a young person with four or more high-quality encounters with an employer is 86 per cent less likely to become unemployed or disengaged from education.

Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for economy, praised the team's achievement: “We’re exceptionally proud of Careers for All and the important work they do making a real, tangible difference to the lives and careers of young adults looking to take their first steps into a job. This award is a huge endorsement of that work.”