Caxton Youth Organisation
Breaking down barriers
Caxton Youth Organisation is a specialist youth club in Westminster, supporting learning disabled and autistic young people since the 1980s. They understand the barriers these young people face in terms of access to employment, culture, the arts and outdoor activities.
We are proud to support Caxton Youth Organisation with a grant of £25,000 towards two programmes for 11 to 25-year-olds. The Employment Support programme will help Caxton members into work while the Creating Communities and Opportunities Programme will build a network so young people can follow their interests.
- Caxton was set up in 1948 and has worked with disabled young people in Westminster since the 1980s.
- Only 5.1% of adults with a learning disability in England were in paid work in 2021 according to NHS Digital.
- 66% of Caxton members report improving or maintaining positive feelings about themselves in the past year including feeling confident in themselves, being happy in who they are, and accepting themselves.
Opening access to work and culture
Caxton’s Employment Support Programme gives young people the targeted, long-term support they need to get and maintain employment. An Employment Youth Worker works one-to-one with members to set goals, write CVs, and prepare for interview, building their confidence. Workshops, guest speakers and peer mentoring help the young people learn vital practical and interpersonal skills and become more independent.
The Creating Communities and Opportunities Programme includes holiday programmes and day trips to places such as Tate Britain, regular residential trips to outdoor centres with specialised equipment for disabled youth, and free and low-cost tickets to experiences such as the theatre. Caxton will invite facilitators to run workshops and seek out creative projects, for example a trip to a music studio. As a result, Caxton members will gain new skills, develop their sense of belonging and explore opportunities. Read about our previous grant to Caxton Youth Organisation here.
“Molly* (*name changed) had been asking to see The Lion King at the theatre for over 10 years, but the cost and accessibility barriers meant that her Mum wasn’t able to take her. Caxton arranged discounted tickets to an accessible showing and Molly was able to take her Mum as her support person. Her Mum was endlessly grateful we were able to provide this opportunity for her daughter, and other young people like Molly.”
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