Welcome to Lighthouse Futures Trust
My name is Katie Parlett and I am the proud founder and CEO of Lighthosue Futures Trust. We are a specialist college for young adults, aged 16 to 25, who experience diverse challenges and barriers. Our purpose is to prepare them to be independent in life and develop skills that enable them to enter the world of work. We do this by offering bespoke pathways that empower them to build confidence, skills and knowledge, and to thrive.
We provide an innovative programme of activity, including 1-1 support, workshops and seminars, external speakers, company visits, work experience and placements. We recruit and train specialist staff who are compassionate about their work and provide a truly person-centred approach to help unlock the hidden talents of each and every intern. We are highly aspirational, encouraging our staff, students and employers to aim high so everyone is able to reach their full potential.
About us
Lighthouse Futures Trust is an innovative, ambitious and forward-looking charity with a mission of pioneering progress in neordivergent inclusivity in the workplace.
We are a Specialist Post-16 Institution (SPI), with a focus on supporting young adults aged 16 to 24 to develop the self-confidence and skills they need to move into paid employment. We design and deliver a bespoke and engaging curriculum that helps prepare young adults for life and the world of work.
Our interns have a range of support needs; some have mild to moderate learning disabilities, others are neurodivergent in other ways and have some social and emotional health support needs.
Lighthouse Futures Trust is a warm and welcoming environment which changes lives. We’re here to offer the support that young people may never have had, to help them develop their independence, social skills and to get into work.
About you
If you’re reading this because you’d like to apply to join Lighthouse Futures Trust, the questions below will help you to think about whether it’s the right place for you.
- Are you looking to get into paid employment in the next couple of years?
- Will you be aged between 16 to 24 years old in the September you’re thinking about starting?
- Do you have an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP)?
- Are you already an independent traveler, or willing to learn?
What we can offer you
We offer two core internship programmes, both of which help students move into paid employment (full or part-time). They are available for young adults aged 16 to 24 with an Education & Health Care Plan (EHCP) who want to get into work. Click below to read more.
Our Values
Why we do it
Only 15% of autistic adults and 5% of those with learning disabilities are in paid employment in the UK. We want to challenge the barriers neurodivergent and learning-disabled people face in accessing paid work by raising the profile of the
many benefits that having a neurodivergent workforce can bring to employers, to community and to society. Our pioneering programme includes college and work-based internships delivered in partnership with some incredibly inclusive employer hosts.
The Social Model of disability
The lens through which we view and understand disability matters. Our work is rooted in the Social Model of Disability, which recognises that it is societal barriers which are disabling to people, not their impairment or difference. Through this lens, people are disabled rather than have a disability. As opposed to placing the responsibility with the disabled person, the Social Model recognises that it is society which needs to adapt in order to create accessibility and inclusivity for all.
Our Incredible Partners
We are fortunate to be based in Leeds which has a wealth of employers of all shapes and sizes across a range of sectors and a focus on being a “compassionate city with a strong economy”.
Since 2015, we have supported 254 young people to develop employability skills, including creating over 100 supported internship opportunities. Our results over the past two years, despite the impact of the global pandemic, have been remarkable, with success rates of between 80-90% of students moving into paid employment.
It’s not just about work, it’s about you
Our internships are not just about getting young people into work, it’s bigger than that. We work with young people to help them grow their independence and social skills, build their confidence and help enable them to live a fuller life.
We do this by matching them with work-based role models who will help them grow into a different version of themselves. Alongside this our health and wellbeing work, and social opportunities, help the young people we work with flourish.