Disabled people - employment and training schemes

The Stepping Stones scheme, part of the Council's Vocational Services team, helps people with a learning disability find voluntary work and part time paid work. We provide a service in various locations across Dorset.

You can join Stepping Stones if you:

• Are 16 years or over
• Live in Dorset (not Bournemouth or Poole)
• Are not on Job Seekers Allowance

We can help you to:

• Identify your skills and strengths
• Identify your training needs
• Look for jobs, fill in application forms, put together a CV
• Prepare for interviews

Once you are in a job your Vocational Support Officer will keep in touch with you and your employer to make sure things are running smoothly.

The team also run projects providing people with the opportunity to gain work experience and develop skills within a supportive environment.

Please note as of the 30 November 2012 this service can only accept referrals from people who have a learning disability.

Referral and criteria form (SS01) (pdf, 239kb) (opens in a new window)

• Oh Crumbs Catering Services

  Vocational Services runs Oh Crumbs Catering Services as part of its work based projects. The teams provide training in both catering and customer service skills

• The Germinators Mobile Gardening Service

  Do you have an interest in gardening? The Germinators are a Dorchester based group offering disabled people the opportunity to get involved in a mobile gardening service, undertaking garden work for older and vulnerable people in Dorchester and Weymouth.

• Office4You

  Interested in working in an office environment? Office4You is a work experience project based in Wareham, offering adults with a learning disability the opportunity to gain office and IT skills and training.

• Are you ready for work?

  Do you have a learning disability, and would you like to take part in a course to see if you are ready for work?

• Information for employers

  Vocational Services currently work with over 120 local and national employers, but are always on the look out for more employer partnerships.

• Top tips for job hunting

  Top tips to help you find and hopefully secure a job. Good luck!

• Stepping Stones Success Stories

  Please click on the links to find out how our customers and employers feel about their success at work.

• Tat to Treasure

  This project gives people the opportunity to gain a range of employment skills. Items donated to the group are either recycled or turned into craft items to be sold on eBay.