North Swindon MP Visits National Star College

Local MP and Minister for Disabled People, Justin Tomlinson, has joined colleagues Alex Chalk MP & Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP at the National Star College in Cheltenham, to see first-hand their ‘Steps into Work’ programme.

The National Star College enables young people with disabilities to realise their potential through education and personalised learning opportunities, and by providing other transition and accommodation services.

The college itself offers programmes that are tailored to meet individual aspirations and abilities, with a strong emphasis on creative and performing arts, sports, communication skills and life skills. Learner progress is monitored through the setting of individual goals and targets, and a strong multi-disciplinary team, including speech and language therapists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and behaviour specialists, ensure a holistic and person-centred approach is taken.

As part of its work to help improved the life and employment chances of disabled people, the college has set up the Steps into Work programme. Steps into Work, which has been running since 2014, has seen 83% going on to paid employment.

Nationally 47.8% of working-age people with disabilities are in employment compared with 76.4% of working-age non-disabled people.

The Government has set a target to halve the ‘disability employment gap’ by 2020 – the difference between the number of people in work with disabilities work and the number of people without them.

In order to achieve this, since becoming the Minister, Justin has expanded schemes such as Disability Confident and Access to Work, as well as working with colleagues to reform education and training, including apprenticeships.

Justin Tomlinson MP said: “The National Star College is a vital part of helping realise the skills and aspirations of people with disabilities. It was a pleasure to meet with the staff & students, alongside fellow local MPs, and see first-hand their ‘Steps to Work’ programme. Steps into Work is a fantastic programme for young people with disabilities, providing real tangible opportunities which lead on to meaningful employment. It’s inspirational projects like this that will help us to halve the disability employment gap and change attitudes towards disabled people”