Nicola Stanway, Employability Manager at Caudwell Children, praised the students’ progress: “I’m incredibly proud of what these young people have achieved. Many of them started the programme feeling anxious, but today they stood tall with confidence. Luke, one of our kitchen staff, had never even been inside a restaurant before, let alone worked in one. Their growth has been extraordinary.”

According to recent figures published in the Buckland Review of Autism Employment, only 3 in 10 autistic people of working age are in employment. This means that 7 in 10 of them are unable to access the independence and fulfilment that employment can bring. Since launching earlier this year, Shaping Futures has already seen 75% of participants progress into positive destinations, including employment, further education, and volunteer work.

James, Operations Manager at The Grill Pub Co, spoke highly of the collaboration: “The students showed incredible development in such a short time, going from nervous beginners to delivering a professional lunch service. It’s been a phenomenal experience for both the students and our team at The Milehouse.”

Lexi, aged 16 took part in the Milehouse Takeover and worked front-of-house, said “Shaping Futures has helped me understand what I want to do in the future and what I need to do to get there. I have really enjoyed talking to the customers, they were really friendly and have made me feel more confident in myself.”

Over 20 local businesses were in attendance and included Michelin Tyres, Trentham Foods, Halcion, and Knights Solicitors and Plinkfizz. Guests enjoyed a two-course lunch, while networking with like-minded professionals and learning more about neurodiversity.

Clare Wherton, SME Partnerships Manager at Caudwell Children said: “It was a great networking opportunity that brought local companies together and provided valuable insights into what Caudwell Children’s Charity offers to neurodivergent children and young adults. The impact of the event was truly impressive.”

Knights solicitors chose to support Caudwell Children’s networking lunch to learn more about what the charity does and the impact they have on the local area.

Rachel Kalnins a Senior Associate for Knights said “What Caudwell Children does with the children is fantastic, and to see the confidence today that they have is incredible, a lot of work has gone into today.

“Shaping Futures has definitely enabled the young people to find their passion in life and it’s amazing to see. The students have done amazing and the turnout is great, I wasn’t expecting to see so many people. The amount of support here for Caudwell Children is fantastic.”

Rob Hewitt from Michelin Tyres shared his thoughts on the day “I think Shaping Futures is a great idea, the programme encourages young people by supporting them into work. It’s a really proactive approach and needs to be supported by many businesses. I’ve learnt so much but also, I’ve experienced a great day of networking with some lovely food.”

Also in attendance was Sonya Farrall from BabaBaboon, a company which helps to promote local businesses and organisations with a variety of PR services.

Sonya said “Hearing the stories of how the young people got here today is amazing and I think more businesses should be getting involved with programmes like Shaping Futures. The atmosphere here today was great and the food was delicious. Seeing the smiles and achievement that the young people did was incredible, you could see how much it meant to them, there are no words that can describe that.”

To conclude the afternoon, students hosted a raffle that featured prizes such as Stoke City tickets, a chocolate hamper by Danny’s Chocolates UK and two £50 Milehouse Vouchers, raising additional funds for Caudwell Children. Every penny from the raffle will directly support disabled and autistic children.

For more information about Caudwell Children’s Shaping Futures Programme and other services, please visit www.caudwellchildren.com