West Brom Building Society is working with learning disability charity Mencap to help young people with a learning disability gain valuable workplace experience and develop the skills and confidence to progress towards employment.

The West Brom is the first building society to collaborate with Mencap to offer placements through its Supported Internship Programme. Two interns joined the Society at the end of September, with one based in a West Brom branch and another at its head office in West Bromwich.

The nine-month placements will see them spend two days a week with the Society, learning about the world of work in a supportive environment and developing their skills throughout the programme.

They will be supported by a Mencap skills coach, who will work alongside the interns and colleagues at the West Brom, giving them the support and time they need to learn and get the most from their placement.

The relationship is part of the Society’s wider commitment to creating positive change in the communities it serves. By providing meaningful workplace opportunities, the West Brom hopes to help remove some of the barriers young people with a learning disability can face when looking to enter employment.

Sophie Pazzaglia, Chief People Officer and Group Secretary at West Brom Building Society, said: “As a building society, we’ve always believed we have an important role to play in the communities we serve, and that includes helping to create meaningful routes into work for local people.

“Working with Mencap gives us the opportunity to put that into practice, while also helping us learn as an organization, and make sure we are not unintentionally creating barriers that could prevent people with disabilities from accessing opportunities with us.

“A great deal of work has gone into preparing for the internships and we’re looking forward to welcoming our two new colleagues and supporting them throughout their time with us.”

The initiative also builds on the West Brom’s work as a Disability Confident Leader and its wider commitment to making the Society an inclusive place to work.

Alison Wheeler, Employment Engagement Officer at Mencap, said: “We’re delighted to be working with the West Brom to provide these opportunities for young people with a learning disability. We’ve been impressed by the Society’s commitment to creating an inclusive environment where the interns can learn, contribute and show what they can do.”

“Supported internships give young people the chance to experience the workplace with the right support around them, while developing their skills and confidence at a pace that works for them.

“Ultimately, the programme is about helping each young person take positive steps towards paid employment and greater independence.”