It’s Learning Disability Week and we wanted to use this week as an opportunity to share our new 3-year strategy, along with inspiring stories from the young people we support, and fantastic fundraising achievements from our community.

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of our ambitious 3-Year Strategy for 2025-2028. After months of collaboration with our young people, staff, volunteers and partners, we’ve set out our roadmap for reaching even more disabled and neurodiverse young people across the UK.

Our vision remains unchanged: a world where there are no barriers to independence for children and young people who are disabled or neurodiverse. But our plans are bigger than ever. By 2028, we aim to increase our mobility equipment provision from 120 to 140 items annually, support 105 young people through our Employment & Skills Programme (up from 90), and help create 30 new businesses through our Self-Employment Programme.

We’re also launching exciting new initiatives including our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Consultancy service and expanding our Independent Travel Training. With co-production at our heart, everything we do will continue to be shaped by the voices and experiences of the young people we work with.

You can read our full strategy below – and watch out for more updates as we begin implementing these ambitious plans!

What better way to celebrate Learning Disability Week than by showcasing the incredible talents and abilities of our young people? The Employment & Skills team recently took a group to SKY for a production insight day.

They were given various roles both behind and in front of the camera. Thriving in a real workplace environment, they spent the day creating movie trailers, which meant sourcing locations, writing scripts, acting, filming and editing. What made this visit particularly special was watching how naturally the young people communicated and worked as a team.

These experiences don’t just build confidence; they provide valuable additions to CVs and give our young people genuine insight into career possibilities. It’s exactly the kind of employer partnership that challenges misconceptions and opens doors to future opportunities – something Learning Disability Week encourages us all to champion. Thank you to all at SKY for making this day possible.

What an incredible achievement by our seven London Marathon runners who battled soaring temperatures to raise an amazing £20,500 and counting for AFK!

Our fantastic team of runners pushed through the unusually hot weather with every step, motivated by knowing that every pound raised would directly support disabled and neurodiverse young people across the UK.

From first-time marathon runners to seasoned athletes, each of our participants showed incredible determination and commitment. The funds they’ve raised will go directly toward our mobility equipment provision and employment support programmes, making a real difference to the young people and families we work with.

A huge thank you to all our runners and to everyone who sponsored them! Your support means the world to us!

Learning Disability Week celebrates the power of community and collaboration – values perfectly embodied in our inspiring partnership with Paths Through Change. For over two years now, this collaboration has shown how working together can break down barriers and create more inclusive opportunities for everyone.

The partnership began when Eily, the Owner and Founder of Paths Through Change, responded to a post from our Fundraising Manager on the Fundraising Chat Facebook group, where we were looking for charities to team up with. At AFK, our Community and Events team is quite small, so we wanted to find ways to create bigger and better events by combining networks with other charities. The idea was beautifully simple: by working together, we could reach new audiences and support more people through our services – exactly the kind of inclusive thinking that Learning Disability Week champions.

Since partnering with Paths Through Change, we’ve had the chance to try new things and reach more diverse groups through our events. Together, we’ve run everything from Bring Your Baby Pub Quizzes to Santa Sing-Alongs and our most popular event, First Films. First Films is a cinematic fundraiser where we invite families to watch a movie in a relaxed, inclusive setting at the cinema. It’s been a wonderful way to connect with people and raise money in a truly welcoming environment that celebrates accessibility and inclusion.

This partnership has been a real win. Not only have we been able to raise much-needed funds, but we’ve also shared knowledge about grants, trusts, and best practices in the sector. Learning from each other has made both organisations stronger and better equipped to help the communities we serve – demonstrating how collaboration can amplify impact during Learning Disability Week and beyond.