The Beatles Story welcomes its first Strawberry Field 'Steps to Work' trainee

THE Beatles Story recently welcomed Abbie O’Neal to its guest services team as part of our ‘Steps to Work’ programme.

‘Steps to Work’ is aimed at giving young adults with learning disabilities the chance to gain skills and experience in the workplace.

Last year, The Beatles Story pledged its support to the much-anticipated project, by offering sponsorship and job opportunities for our trainees.

Abbie, who is 18-years-old and from Tuebrook in Liverpool, is one of the first eight trainees who joined the programme in 2018. In a three-way partnership between The Salvation Army, The City of Liverpool College and local employers, the trainees will now be found work opportunities at participating businesses throughout the City Region. Last month Abbie joined the team working in the Fab4 Cafe, based on Liverpool’s Royal Albert Dock.

Of one million people with learning difficulties in the UK, 93% are unemployed and 31% have no contact with family or friends. ‘Steps to Work’ is a 12 to 18-month programme designed for people (aged 18 to 25 years), with mild to moderate learning difficulties and who do not reach the threshold for additional support from their local authority, to build the skills and knowledge needed for mainstream employment.

Opportunities on the programme are varied with roles working in customer services, retail, garden maintenance, business administration and catering amongst those offered by local employers, as well as placements on site at Strawberry Field, when we open to the public later this year. 

Martin King, Manager at The Beatles Story, said: “I am delighted to welcome Abbie to our team. As a longstanding leader in the City Region’s visitor economy, The Beatles Story is in full support of the ‘Steps to Work’ programme and its aim to bridge employment into this growing industry sector. Everyone in the Beatles Industry is looking forward to the new Strawberry Field Centre opening later in the year, and it is good we can work together in such a positive partnership. I think John would have approved that we are giving such employment opportunities to young people as part of the Beatles’ legacy in Liverpool.”

Lauren Phipps, ‘Steps to Work’ Programme Manager, said: “We believe that everyone should be able to access the right employment support. We are increasingly concerned that many people are disengaged from the support that’s available to them. The Salvation Army is addressing this gap and supporting people not currently being helped by national government programmes back into employment — we’re in a unique position that enables us to take a relational approach and invest more time with job seekers, reaching people who have haven’t been reached by national initiatives.”

If you would like to find out more about Steps to Work or if you know someone who would be interested in applying for a place on the programme please email stepstowork@strawberryfieldliverpool.com or call Strawberry Field on 0151 252 6135.

And, if you would like to know more about The Beatles Story please visit https://beatlesstory.com