Empowering Individuals with Barriers to Learning & Employment and People with Learning Disabilities to Thrive in Life and Work

What we do

Employment & Training

We believe everyone should have the same opportunities to succeed in life and work. Our Employment & Training service provides support to individuals who experience barriers to employment.  Our team support people who are neurodiverse, including individuals with autism, ADHD, dyslexia and those with mental health challenges and other barriers to employment.

What we offer:

  • Tailored support to pursue career goals, look for work and apply for jobs

  • Training and skills development to build confidence, gain qualifications and enhance career opportunities

  • Employment academies offering job ready training with guaranteed interviews and the meet the employer sessions pre-interview

  • Fast track to employment offering guaranteed interview

  • On the job support working closely with employers to make reasonable adjustments supporting new recruits into roles

Our employer partnerships offer lots of different opportunities across various industries such as retail, catering, hospitality, manufacturing and customer service.

Our Youth Service provides 16 – 24 year olds not in education, training or employment with tailored support to gain new skills, qualifications and work. Our programme focuses on confidence and self esteem, gaining skills for life and work, meeting new people and mentoring.
Training and skills development is the key focus within learning disability support. Our trainees have the option to train throughout our six social enterprises with personal development programmes to enhance overall skill and well-being.
We support communities to skill up, gain qualifications and make positive changes towards a better life. Our training team provide free accredited and non accredited qualifications and courses out in the community to enhance knowledge, well-being and employment opportunities.

Employer Partnerships

We partner with employers to recruit and retain a talented, diverse, and inclusive workforce.

We know that hiring managers are focused on finding the right talent and keeping them. When candidates who face barriers to employment receive the support they need, they don’t just get hired, they thrive. We work with employers to recruit talented individuals to strengthen teams and drive long-term value for organisations.  We are driven in our vision of a socially enriched world, working with our employer partners to build inclusive and diverse workforces.

Stories

Employer Collaborations and Clients

The true measure of our success lies in the stories of those we support and from those who support us. Our clients, partners, and the individuals whose lives we touch inspire us every day.

Stories and testimonials reflect the transformative power of meaningful training, employment, and the incredible partnerships we’ve built along the way.

Our trainees and clients journeys are filled with resilience, growth, and achievement. Through tailored support, they gain the skills, confidence, and independence needed to succeed throughout life and in the workplace. The testimonials from our employer partners show the positive impact neurodiverse individuals can bring to the workforce, helping to foster inclusivity and diversity.  We are exceptionally proud of all that we do and what we have achieved.

About Stepping Stones NI

Founded in 1996

In 1996, a group of dedicated parents, carers, and local business leaders partnered with the health trust to establish Stepping Stones NI. Their shared vision was to create meaningful training opportunities for individuals with learning disabilities, empowering them to access greater opportunities for employment and independence.

We have come a long way since then, establishing six social enterprises which include three cafes, a bespoke wedding stationery business, a guild commended picture framing business and a new horticulture and wellbeing hub at Navigation House. Each business serves as a realistic training platform for our trainees with 100% of our customers money reinvested to support our work.

We support people who face all kinds of barriers to employment including learning difficulties, autism, ADHD, dyslexia, mental health and other barriers across Northern Ireland.

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