Mencap Training Academy employer awards 2024

On November 5th, The Mencap Training Academy was proud to host our first ever employer awards ceremony.

We wanted to recognise the incredible efforts our employer partners make in supporting young people with a learning disability and autism to take their first steps into the world of work. 

We couldn’t have held the event without the generous support of Greene King. The Coach House room at their historic George pub by London Bridge provided an impressive and welcoming backdrop to the event.

Attendees mingled before the awards ceremony, enjoying the excellent food at the buffet and the range of drinks on offer. They were excellently served by staff at The George, as well as by Mencap Training Academy learners Eitan and Kamari who signed them in at the front desk.

Mencap CEO, Jon Sparkes kicked off proceedings with a speech thanking all attendees for their efforts in supporting our learners. Jon contrasted the 26.7% rate of people with a learning disability found in our Big Learning Disability Survey with the 68% of Mencap Training Academy learners who in 2023/24 progressed from our supported internship programmes into a paid job. This impressive statistic is testament to the dedication of our employer partners to supporting inclusion in the workplace.  

The winners and nominees in full are:  

Best Workplace Culture Winner

Delfont Mackintosh provides a super friendly and welcoming environment at several of their west end theatres for our learners, inviting them along to team socials and offering them opportunities to grow.  

Nominees: CBRE, The Entertainer, Royal Sun Alliance and Wincanton

Biggest Individual Contribution Winner

Gez Prendergast, Wincanton has spearheaded the development of a fantastic partnership that has resulted in at least 3 of our learners getting a paid job each year. Gez is a constant champion of our programme and of our learners. 

Nominees: Eloise Heneghan - West Northamptonshire Council, Paul Imber – King's College London, Pawel Salaga – The Big Table Group, Robert Cooke – Greene King.

Above and Beyond Award

Fair Shot Cafe has gone above and beyond by supporting the recruitment of learners, as well as extending amazing additional opportunities to them like making a film. They also help secure interviews for learners with other hospitality companies meaning all our learners who did work experience with them last year were offered a paid job at the end of the programme!

Nominees: The British Heart Foundation, Evri and The Financial Times.

Local Employer Partner of the Year

The Midlands Arts Centre hosted 5 of our learners in placements last year ranging from technician work to working in the cafe. 2 of our learners got paid jobs at the centre, while they also hosted our Birmingham cohort’s end of year celebrations.

Nominees: 3 Beans Cafe (Birmingham), Howden’s (Northamptonshire), Mark’s and Spencer’s (Paddington) and Yusen Logistics (Northamptonshire).

National Employer Partner of the Year

Greene King has been an incredible champion of our programmes and learners over the years. In 2023/24 12 of the 17 learners who did their placements in Greene King pubs secured a paid job. We work with Greene King in every area where we deliver the supported internship and look forward to building further on our successful partnership for many more years to come. 

Nominees: Bella Italia, Wincanton.

We received lots of wonderful feedback

“We cannot thank you enough for inviting us to this wonderful celebration with like-minded people. You provided a welcoming, happy, and inclusive space for everyone. Being recognised is an overwhelming, joyous moment.”   

Find out more about Mencap Training Academy or get in touch at employment.support@mencap.org.uk .