Last Friday, the Senedd member for Aberconwy, Janet Finch-Saunders visited Asda in Llandudno to witness this year’s expansion of the Supported Internship Programme which helps young people with learning disabilities into future employment.
The programme is delivered in partnership with the charity DFN Project SEARCH. Their goal is to tackle the stark employment gap facing young people with special educational needs. Fewer than 5% of people in England, Wales and Scotland with a learning disability go on to secure paid employment once their education finishes, compared to 80% of their peers.
The programme has significantly increased during the last two years and has now provided over 70 students with the opportunity to grow in confidence, learn new skills and ultimately gain employment once they finish their studies. After 66 students took part during the 2024/2025 programme across 11 stores, 46% have already secured employment.
Last year, they have doubled the number of interns and stores participating in the programme, with more than 130 students participating across 22 Asda stores nationwide, offering year-long placements that combine real-world experience with tailored education. This includes colleagues participating at Asda Llandudno.
James Goodman, Chief People Officer for Asda, said:
“We’re incredibly proud to be offering our Supported Internship Programme at Asda Llandudno, as part of our commitment to help young people with learning disabilities into future employment.
“This initiative has had a clear and lasting impact on our stores and local communities over the past two years. With 46% of last year’s interns securing jobs after their placement, we’re delighted to be promoting more accessible pathways.”
Kirsty Matthews, CEO of DFN Project SEARCH, said:
"I'm delighted to see Asda continuing to build on their commitment to create meaningful employment opportunities for young people with a learning disability, who are autistic, or both. We're incredibly grateful to have host business partners like Asda.
Their store in Llandudno continues to open doors that might otherwise have been closed, proving that inclusive employment isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s good for business too. We wish this year's cohort the very best of luck in their new roles."
Janet Finch-Saunders, Welsh Conservative Senedd Member for Aberconwy and Lead Senedd Candidate for Bangor, Conwy and Môn, said:
“I greatly appreciate the invitation to visit ASDA in Llandudno and to meet some of the team including Lyndsey, Rachel and Isobel. It was amazing to see first-hand the excellent work being delivered through this programme.
The fact that fewer than 5% of people with special educational move into paid full time employment after leaving education is concerning. Programmes like this are vital in providing the support and opportunities needed to help people into meaningful employment with businesses like ASDA.
Seeing this programme in action really highlighted its importance, and I hope that initiatives like this will help improve employment outcomes and give more people the opportunity to contribute their skills and talents in the workplace.”
