Gemma G Photography

AEL was established in 1999 as the first social firm in Northern Ireland! As a social enterprise we provide people age 16 - 60 who have learning disability/difficulty, aspergers, autism or other disadvantage, with training and employment opportunities, enhancing their lifestyle, and thus allowing them to engage more effectively in the community. Our aim is to develop sustainable businesses in which we can provide disadvantaged people with the skills, experience and confidence to find employment within the open labour market. We also aim to create employment within our own businesses for those we are seeking to help. We currently provide over 100 training places per week to individuals, where they gain work based skills, improve their interpersonal skills, and develop self-confidence and self-esteem. Individuals are given the opportunity to work as part of a team and complete tasks as part of a mixed ability workforce.