Ifill challenges assumptions about ability
Council vice-president Kerryann Ifill urged employers to recognise young people’s skills and avoid treating every disability alike. “Their disabilities make them no less competent,” she said. Trainers covered disability rights, sign language, visual impairment, practical support for wheelchair users and accessible environments. [1]
Mentoring continues in the workplace
A week earlier, labour minister Colin Jordan had called for more employers to join Job Start Plus. He described preparation expanded to three weeks and continuing workplace mentorship. The programme’s disability expansion, announced in the 2024 budget, connected training with opportunities to gain work experience. [2]
A wider age range for disabled participants
The government’s March 2025 recruitment notice invited unemployed young people aged sixteen to twenty-four, and disabled people aged sixteen to thirty-four, who were not enrolled in training. It described career guidance and placement opportunities. Ifill’s August remarks also acknowledged that improved understanding had yet to translate clearly into employment figures. [3][1]