SIX young adults with disabilities and autism from DFN Project Search Barrow completed a challenging hike to demonstrate the importance of supported internships.
Together with their families, friends and colleagues, the group is raising awareness of National Supported Internship Day, held on March 27 each year.
Leanne Hirst, Project Search Coordinator, said: "This group wanted to help challenge the everyday misconceptions and pre-set work cultures that all-too-often unfairly shape the lives of young adults with a learning disability and autism across the UK by completing three Wainwright summits in the Lake District.
"This adventure took an impressive 8 hours climbing Fairfield, Great Rigg, and Stone Arthur comprising of 22,000 steps over 15 kilometres.
"There is a place in the world for everyone and that includes the world of employment. This group of individuals wanted to demonstrate that having a disability does not define them or their ability to work. With the right support and guidance, anything is achievable which upholds the core values of national supported internships."
As stated by DPN Project Search, only 4.8% of people in England with a learning disability and autism go on to secure paid employment, compared to 80% of their peers.
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