What does Birmingham Rathbone do?

It is estimated by Birmingham City Council that there are almost 100,000 people (adults and children) in Birmingham with a learning difficulty. Birmingham Rathbone enables people with mild to moderate learning difficulties, to achieve their full potential and to participate within the local community, using a “person-centred” model of support.

To assist our clients and learners to meet their needs, we provide several services:

• Our education and training provision (Learning, Skills and Employment Services) offers a variety of programmes, training facilities and further education courses. These include: Further Education (both 16-18 years and adults); Foundation Learning (both 16-18 years and adults) apprenticeships and an independent school, offering a vocationally-based Foundation Learning curriculum for 14-16 year olds.

• Our supported living and domiciliary care services (Housing and Supported Living Services) offer varying levels of support to suit the individual needs of clients living in the community.

• Our Supported Employment Service prepares clients to access paid employment, places them in appropriate jobs and supports them to succeed.

• Our Garden Centre and Horticultural Training Centre, based in Selly Oak, provides training in the practical and theoretical aspects of horticulture. The Garden Centre also sells a wide range of plants and gardening products, many of which have been produced by the learners.

Birmingham Rathbone is one of the larger charities in Birmingham, supporting some 900 clients each year.