LIGHTYEAR FOUNDATION

Lightyear Foundation breaks down barriers to disabled children getting into STEM through creative sensory workshops, engaging virtual labs, highlighting great disabled role-models across the sector plus workplace inspiration trips.

We are experiencing a record high in requests for our work and managed a 43% increase in the number of children through our active learning workshops in the past year. At a time when disabled children and their families are in need of our work more than ever, we know we need to do more to meet the demand, but we need your help!

Our programmes are unique in working with a wide range of disabled children to help them reach their full potential, filling a gap in service delivery and education that is offered by no other organisation. 

For some, our work is sensory exploration packed with fun which builds social skills and teaches essential life skills such as choice making or dealing with unexpected outcomes.  For others, it’s giving confidence, skills and direction to help them pursue a career in science. 

The need for our work

Recent years have seen some headway in tackling science’s inclusivity and diversity issues but it’s still work in progress. One significant subsection of society – that makes up 20% of working-age adults – remains largely overlooked, and that’s disabled people.

The good news is that there’s a growing realisation that the same kind of workforce tends to come up with narrow-focused solutions. To overcome the big global challenges, our scientists and engineers of the future need to come from all walks of life.

78% of the Autistic Community and 95% of people with a learning disability are unemployed yet many ‘disabilities’ are in fact advantageous. For example an autistic coder may excel at attention to detail and find comfort in repetition or a visually impaired scientist could detect tactile details that someone else might miss. 

The ‘Jobs of the Future’ study revealed that science, research, engineering and technology jobs will grow at double the rate of other occupations creating 142,000 extra jobs between now and 2023. With a severe lack of employment opportunities for disabled people and still currently underrepresented in the STEM workforce, we need to mobilise this untapped pool of talent.

Lightyear Foundation Projects 

Our unique 6-part programme mobilises this untapped pool of talent and the  project streams work together to excite, inspire and enable disabled children (such as those with autism, visual impairment, cancer or cerebral palsy) to access STEM:

1.     Active Learning Workshops – fusing science with dance

2.    Sensory Science - participatory hands-on wow experiences 

3.     Virtual Lab – an online exploratory

4.     Role Models - showcasing disabled scientists across the sector

5.     Work Inspiration Trips - accessible group visits 

6.     SEN in STEM – sector wide network breaking down barriers 

To help amplify its impact, Lightyear created a SEN in STEM Network (Special Educational Needs in STEM), a widespread community of people committed to making STEM accessible. Building on its expertise it creates opportunities to share, learn and showcase across the 220 member organisations who collectively represent the UK’s science community. 

We are a small team of specialist scientists, leaders and creative professionals passionate about helping change the trajectory of disabled children’s lives. Together we can build a different future.