Showcasing Orchardville
On Wednesday 8th October, Orchardville was delighted to welcome Minister of Health, Mike Nesbitt, to our Headquarters at Lagan Village Tower.
During his visit, the Minister met a number of our participants, learning first-hand about the valuable opportunities offered through programmes such as Community Connections, TAP2, and Transitions. These initiatives provide people with learning disabilities and autism the chance to develop new skills, build confidence, and take meaningful steps towards independence and employment.
A More Joined-Up Approach
The Minister also met with members of our Community and Employment teams, who discussed the importance of a more joined-up approach between the statutory, community, and business sectors. Together, they explored how stronger collaboration can create more inclusive work opportunities for individuals who are currently economically inactive due to disability.
This discussion followed the Minister’s recent comments in the media that highlighted Northern Ireland’s disability employment rate of 41.3 per cent. Both the Minister and Orchardville’s team agreed that more can and must be done to help people with disabilities access meaningful and sustainable employment opportunities.
Funding for Vital Services
As part of the visit, the Minister met with Orchardville’s Chief Executive, Cara Cash-Marley, and members of the Senior Leadership Team to discuss the organisation’s current funding landscape, including Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF), Trust funding, and foundation funding. The conversation also focused on the opportunity Orchardville presents to help bridge gaps in transition services, ensuring young people with learning disabilities and autism receive the support they need as they move from education into adulthood.
Cara Cash-Marley, Orchardville Chief Executive:
“We were delighted to welcome Minister Nesbitt to Orchardville today and to showcase the incredible achievements of our participants. The Minister’s visit provided an important opportunity to discuss the need for a more joined-up approach across government, business, and the voluntary sector.
At Orchardville, we are committed to supporting people with learning disabilities and autism to develop skills, confidence, and independence — and by working closely with employers to create meaningful, inclusive opportunities.”
The visit provided a valuable platform to highlight the breadth of Orchardville’s services, the impact of our work, and our ongoing commitment to ensuring that every person with a learning disability or autism has the opportunity to reach their full potential.
