Gibraltar Disability Society

Breaking down barriers for Gibraltar’s young people with special educational needs

Work placements and community activities are important ways young people gain valuable life experience. But for those with special educational needs and disabilities there can be barriers excluding them

We gave a grant of £15,678 to help fund an app that will support young people in Gibraltar to be more independent. The Synergise app is aimed at 15 to 30 year olds with special educational needs; social, emotional, mental health and behavioural difficulties; health issues; and those who are disengaged from education.

Synergise is affiliated with the Gibraltar Disability Society, a charity that’s been supporting disabled people and their families since 1966.
Our grant of £15,678 will support the development and first year’s maintenance of the Synergise
The Synergise app will be used by students from the Gibraltar College of Further Education undertaking work experience placements, as well as those already in employment – around 60 young people.

Building confidence and independence

The app offers young people options that suit them and their needs. For example, when it comes to recording their work experience log, the app allows the young person to choose whether they want to use a voice clip, text, or simply have photos or video taken by their support worker.

There is also an inbuilt messenger that only Synergise members have access too, so they can exchange secure messages. Other functions include memory games and maps of local bus routes to help with travel.