Leonard Cheshire

Leonard Cheshire is one of the UK's largest charities, with the aim of changing attitudes to disability and serving disabled people. Through our Innovative Projects team we deliver a wide-range of projects and services that support disabled people to:

• achieve equality of opportunity in the job market
• be in paid employment that meets individual career aspirations
• be able to start-up in business as a serious employment option
• have the opportunity to take full advantage of their individual talent and skills
• access volunteer opportunities and work experience as genuine pathways into employment

Ready to Start is an initiative aimed at encouraging and providing support for disabled people to start their own business and utilises a network of financial experts, business entrepreneurs, disability groups and personal buddies from Barclays Bank to support this initiative around the UK. To find out more follow the link to the Ready to Start website.
The programme is FREE and provides support for the whole journey of getting into self employment:

• FREE computer equipment and software
• Providing training programmes that meet individual learning needs
• Giving business advice for specific start-up issues and pointing people in the right direction for relevant trade bodies and business associations
• Access to a ‘buddy’ who will be on hand to offer friendly support and encouragement

Enabled 4 Enterprise is designed to address the wide ranging barriers facing disabled entrepreneurs and would-be entrepreneurs and to ‘raise the bar’ in terms of the availability of the knowledge and support needed by Enterprise Agencies and other providers. The purpose of the project is to raise awareness and build a significant skills base within the enterprise sector in London that will provide disability-appropriate business support. The project will deliver a series of workshops, accredited qualification linked to an online learning programme and regular informal network meetings. The launch event for Enabled 4 Enterprise will take place on 21st November 2007.
To find out more email: innovation@lc-uk.org

Workability is for disabled people who are working with our partners to access online accredited learning or are receiving employment support. The project is being re-launched in October and will include further additions such as:

• interactive employment support zone with CV builder and careers information
• e-learning academy to help ‘brush up’ skills
• provision of free computers

We are also delivering a range of other project initiatives such as In Touch, a project concerned with the sexual health needs of disabled young people, opening a national media centre, developing a Sports Academy for disabled athletes, and a communications project working with people who have communication difficulties.

To find out more about the work of Innovative Projects at Leonard Cheshire please call: 0845 671 7173 (local rate number)
or email: innovation@lc-uk.org
Minicom: 020 7802 8214
Fax: 020 7802 8250

Website: www.readytostart.org.uk

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