A valued local service in Ilminster, Somerset, that has transformed the lives of many young individuals with learning difficulties, including autism, is under serious threat due to funding shortages. Silver Lining, an internship programme dedicated to helping young people gain employment and develop essential life skills, now faces the risk of closure.
The Silver Lining programme offers more than just job placements; it provides comprehensive support covering workplace integration, home life adjustments, health education, and communication skills. These efforts empower participants aged 16 to 28 with additional needs to live more independent and fulfilling lives within their community.
However, despite its success and importance, Silver Lining is grappling with the loss of crucial financial backing from both government bodies and local authorities. Somerset Council maintains that because Silver Lining employs young people directly rather than offering formal internships, it does not meet the criteria for funding. This bureaucratic impasse has left families and community members deeply concerned about the future of the programme.
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A recent demonstration at the Gamesmaster Café in Ilminster, one of Silver Lining’s two venues, highlighted widespread support for the cause. Somerset Councillor Sue Osborne attended the event to underscore the urgency of the matter, stating, “This is a really valuable facility for Ilminster, in particular for some of its most vulnerable young people, and to lose it would be a very, very real tragedy."
Somerset Council clarified that Silver Lining is not registered as an internship provider, and therefore, no funding mechanism currently exists to support it. They expressed openness to collaborating with new providers who meet official standards to secure funding, but stressed the importance of regulatory compliance.
Evelyn Ashford, owner of Silver Lining Internships and Gamesmaster Café, voiced her concern over national trends affecting disability support programmes. “Cuts to the Department of Work and Pensions’ Access to Work scheme are devastating,” she said. “For many of our interns, this means returning to isolation. This dire situation is worsened by Somerset County Council’s refusal to engage in discussions about educational support.”
As the funding dispute remains unresolved, families and advocates wait anxiously, hoping that this vital service will continue to provide pathways to independence and opportunity for vulnerable young people in Somerset.