Disability: New London Scheme for Disabled Youth

The City Bridge Trust, the charitable arm of the City of London Corporation, has launched  ‘Bridge to Work’, aimed at assisting young disabled people in London to find permanent work. Just half of working-age disabled people in the capital have jobs, compared to nearly four out of five non-disabled people. Bridge to Work will provide funding for projects which offer employability support for young disabled people, and strengthen links between employers and the disabled community. Young people looking for work will have improved chances to gain work experience, get advice on employment rights, and job coaching. The total investment in the scheme over five years will be £3.3 million and the money will go to a range of agencies, including a £350,000 bursary scheme for paid internships to Leonard Cheshire Disability to help young disabled Londoners. City Bridge Trust provides grants totalling around £20 million per year towards charitable activity benefitting Greater London.  The Trust has awarded around 7,700 grants totalling over £370 million since it first began in 1995.