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Employment

Learn more about our employment services below

At WALK we believe that everyone who wants to work, have a job and a career can do so, given the right supports. Our role is to facilitate individuals to fulfil their career and employment ambitions in life by supporting them to realise their potential, access opportunities and build their own natural supports.

Article 27 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities recognises the right of persons with disabilities to work on an equal basis with others; this includes the right to the opportunity to gain a living by work freely chosen or accepted in a labour market and work environment that is open, inclusive and accessible to persons with disabilities.

WALK have developed and piloted two innovative programmes aimed at increasing the rate of employment for people with intellectual disabilities and Autism in Ireland.

“It’s vital for people with disabilities to have access to such employment supports”

Anne Rabbitte TD – Minister of State for Disabilities

Dormant Accounts Fund Projects

Dormant Accounts Fund Projects

WALK are delighted to have 2 of the 45 projects to receive funding form the Department of Social Protection in 2021. The funding is part of the Dormant Accounts Action Plan 2021 and is administered by the Department of Social Protection in conjunction with Pobal.

The primary purpose of the funding is to provide people with disabilities the opportunity to gain and sustain employment/self-employment or access education and training to improve their employment prospects.

Speaking at the launch of the funding, Minister Humphreys said “As Minister, I am determined to support people with disabilities in every way I can – whether it’s helping them upskill or arming them with the supports necessary to achieve their ambition to set up their own business or social enterprise”


WALK REAL programme.  You can find out more here.

WALK PEER programme. You can find out more here.

WALKways Tallaght University Hospital

Transition programme

WALKways Tallaght University Hospital Programme offers a one-year structured learning programme run in partnership between Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board (DDLETB) and WALK, a community organisation involved in the education and training of young people with intellectual disabilities, across Leinster.

Learn more about this exciting, unique and innovative programme here.

WALK PEER Programme

WALK PEER Logo

Providing Equal Employment Routes

Providing Equal Employment Routes


WALK PEER Programme is a ‘Supported Transition’ Programme, aimed at young people who are in ‘special’ education to successfully transition to the world of work by taking steps into further education and training and employment. WALK PEER is designed to support students with Intellectual Disabilities and/or Autism, aged between 16 and 24, to discovery their career and employment ambitions in life, experience work in the real world and develop their own individual transition plans.

While participating on the WALK PEER programme, students are supported to recognise where their interests, skills and talents lie, realise where they might best fit in the labour market and learn the skills associated with successfully finding and keeping a job. Participants grow in self-confidence and have greater expectations of and for themselves and greater prospects for a future career.

Realising Employment Ambitions in Life

REAL Programme

While the rate of unemployment for people with disabilities is reported as 56%, the rate is in excess of 85% for people with intellectual disabilities. WALK recognises that there is a very real gap in services for people to avail of employment opportunities. The WALK REAL Programme is designed to support adults who have an intellectual disability and wish to explore the world of work and experience paid employment.

Benefits for participants Include:

  • Professional Job Coaching that will advance career development.
  • Earning money, to allow for more independence.
  • Personal growth, increased confidence and self-esteem. Increasing network of contacts and friends.
  • Increasing skills development and decision making.
  • Ongoing support and follow up care whilst maintaining relationships and providing necessary training and support for the employer.

Employees busy at work!

The OWL Programme

The OWL Programme is an applied learning, development, and socialisation programme for adults with an intellectual disability which was launched as a pilot programme by the Ceann Comhairle, Seán Ó Fearghaíl TD in September 2018. The Houses of the Oireachtas is the first Parliament in the world to host a programme of this kind. The OWL Programme is facilitated by the Houses of the Oireachtas Service in collaboration with WALK and KARE. The programme is also supported by the Adult Education Service run by the City of Dublin Education and Training Board and by the Health Service Executive.

The goal of the OWL Programme is to provide trainees with the skills, knowledge and ability to gain meaningful paid employment. It offers a unique opportunity to gain practical work experience and for trainees to be accredited for their learning, with a QQI module built into the week. The trainees complete 3 “rotations” (work experience placements) in different sections of the Houses of the Oireachtas, as an opportunity to experience different types of working environments.

You can read more about the OWL Programme, and download the Toolkits for Public Sector organisations here:

https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/how-parliament-is-run/houses-of-the-oireachtas-service/equality-diversity-and-inclusion/owl-programme/

Our Address

our address

WALK Head Office, 1 Longmile Road, Walkinstown, Dublin 12

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Contact Us

contact us

Phone: +353 (0)1 465 03 88
Fax: +353 (0)1 460 78 99
Email:

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WALK is a registered Charity. Charity number is CHY 10777. Companies Registration Number 322400. Registered Charity Number (CRA Number) 20028008
WALK is the trading name for Walkinstown Association for People with an Intellectual Disability Limited. All rights reserved. © WALK 2015
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