Where It Began
In 1986, the charity Autism Plus was created by a group of passionate parents. The charity was created to support adults and young people with autism, learning disabilities, mental health conditions and complex needs on a whole life journey, to empower
individuals to gain more control over their lives.
Autism Plus noticed that despite the supportive services they offered, opportunities for employment and developing necessary life skills to become more independent were scarce.
MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT
Research shows that 77% of individuals with autism want to work and feel like they are contributing to society, however only 22% are in meaningful employment, in contrast to 52% of disabled people and 81% of non-disabled people.
Autism Plus responded by creating a range of exciting social enterprises to provide work experience and employment opportunities.
Our Solution
In 2012 Philip Bartey, Group Chief Executive of Autism Plus began discussions with Henry and Mary Scrope, parents of William who has autism. The discussions were around a shared vision of supporting people with disabilities into work. It was this vision that was presented to the Ampleforth Abbey Trust later that year, where a partnership emerged.
Park House Barns is designed to offer a variety of roles for different levels of ability, from crafting, decorating and packaging chocolate, working outdoors in our horticulture centre to administration and customer service.
In 2024, Park House Barns relocated to Knaresborough, joining The Hub (formerly Easi Works), continuing its mission to offer meaningful work experiences for adults and young people with autism and learning disabilities.
Progress Today
With our relocation to Knaresborough, we’ve brought all of our support services together in one building. This expanded space means more opportunities for training, a wider range of activities, and increased capacity to support more trainees.
The Autism Plus employment team provides tailored support, and we partner with local special schools to enhance educational experiences, fostering new skills and personal growth in a supportive environment.
