Access Employment

What Access Employment does

Access Employment Limited (AEL) is a Northern Ireland–registered charity (NIC100987) and social enterprise established in 1999 as the first social firm in the region, headquartered at 32-34 Pound Street, Larne, BT40 1SQ. It provides training, work experience and employment support to individuals aged 16-60 with learning disabilities, learning difficulties, autism, Asperger's or other disadvantages, delivering over 100 training places per week. Service lines comprise four training programmes — Transitions (school leavers 16-25), Hands on Training (HOT, unemployed adults 16-60), Day Opportunities (NHSCT-referred) and LIFE (bespoke paid support at £55/day) — alongside employer support and disability awareness training, delivered under ISO 9001-accredited processes.

The trading arm comprises eight social enterprises that cross-subsidise the mission and provide diverse work-based learning environments: Candyrush (online repackaging and retail on eBay and Amazon UK, party bags, confectionery, craft products, 99.9% customer satisfaction); sub-contract packaging, assembly and sample making for major NI manufacturers including K-Rend, Brett Martin and Spirit; the 5-star rated Lunchbox Café (sit-in, takeaway, catering, afternoon tea boxes from £12.50); Naggy Burn Garden Centre and allotments (organic horticulture, rainwater harvesting, café supply); Clearer Water (ISO 9001 water bottling); Create Gifts (laser engraving, IFA football club merchandise); Facility Hire (Larne Community Hub from £15/hour); and Groundworks. The Inclusive Employer Charter, launched September 2019 with Bronze/Silver/Gold tiers, sits over 20+ employer partners.

Commercial trading accounts for approximately 75% of income (70% self-generated per other disclosures), with the remaining ~25% sourced from grant co-funding via the Northern Ireland European Social Fund 2014-2020, Department for the Economy, NHSCT and DfC. Customer segments split across four named special school referral partners, NHSCT-referred adults, Inclusive Employer Charter manufacturers and B2B consumers of Candyrush online retail. The entity is governed by a 9-member voluntary board plus a 3-person senior management team, with 100% of profits reinvested into the community mission.

Name

Access Employment

Legal name

Access Employment Limited

Website

https://accessemployment.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Access Employment Limited is a Northern Ireland charity and social enterprise that delivers training, work experience and supported employment to people aged 16-60 with disabilities, learning difficulties or autism, funded through eight trading social enterprises including online retail, manufacturing sub-contract, catering, horticulture and laser engraving.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Larne

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Commercial Trading: 75% of AEL's income comes from commercial activity. The social enterprise operates multiple trading businesses: sub-contract work, Candyrush repackaging, packaging & assembly, sample making, Lunchbox Café, horticulture, laser engraving, and facility hire. 100% of profits are reinvested into the community.
2. Sub-contract Manufacturing: ISO 9001 accredited sub-contract work for major NI manufacturing companies including K-Rend, Brett Martin & Spirit. Services include product repackaging, packaging & assembly, and sample making.
3. Candyrush Online Retail: Branded Candyrush products (Party Bags, Envelopes, Confectionery, Craft Products) sold through eBay and Amazon. Provides work experience in stock control, warehousing, packaging, online listing, and order fulfilment.
4. Catering Services: Lunchbox Café generates revenue from sit-in, takeaway, and catering services including corporate events and afternoon tea boxes. Produce sourced from own polytunnels and allotments.
5. Horticulture Sales: Fresh vegetables, salad, and fruit grown in Naggy Burn Garden Centre polytunnels and allotments. Sells to Lunchbox Café, local restaurants, and individuals.
6. Facility Hire: Larne Community Hub rental for group meetings, training courses, special events, displays, fairs, car boot sales. Rates starting at £15 per hour.
7. Laser Engraving: Create Gifts laser engraving service for personalised merchandise, awards, and bulk/customised products. Supplies IFA football clubs with merchandise.
8. Programme Funding: Some programmes part funded by Northern Ireland European Social Fund Programme 2014-2020, Department for the Economy, NHSCT, and DfC. Approximately 25% of income from grant funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Access Employment Limited (AEL) is a Northern Ireland social enterprise that delivers training and employment programmes for people aged 16-60 with learning disabilities, autism, or other disadvantages. It funds these programmes through a portfolio of commercial social enterprises including Candyrush (online confectionery/craft retail on eBay and Amazon), Lunchbox Café (5-star rated on-site catering), sub-contract manufacturing and packaging for NI manufacturers, Clearer Water bottling, Naggy Burn Garden Centre horticulture, Create Gifts laser engraving, and Larne Community Hub facility hire. 100% of profits are reinvested into training and community programmes.

Product overview

Access Employment Limited (AEL) operates as a social enterprise providing a coordinated portfolio of training programmes and social enterprise businesses. The core training arm includes the Transitions Programme for school leavers aged 16-25, the Hands on Training (HOT) Programme for unemployed adults aged 16-60, Day Opportunities for NHSCT-referred individuals, and the LIFE Programme offering bespoke support. These are supported by commercial social enterprises including the Candyrush repackaging operation, Packaging & Assembly services, Sample Making, the 5-star rated Lunchbox Café, Naggy Burn Garden Centre and Allotments, Create Gifts laser engraving, and Facility Hire at the Larne Community Hub. The ecosystem is rounded out by Employer Support Services, the Inclusive Employer Awards programme, Community Shed, and Social Club — all designed to create employment pathways and community inclusion for disadvantaged individuals aged 16-60 with learning disabilities, autism, or other disadvantages.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Clearer Water: Bottled water brand - AEL's Clearer Water is an ISO 9001 accredited water bottling plant producing bottled water products
• Candyrush
• Lunchbox Café
• Naggy Burn Garden Centre and Allotments
• Create Gifts
• Larne Community Hub
• Inclusive Employer Charter

Products and services

• Transitions Programme Work-based learning and training programme for school leavers aged 16-25 with learning disabilities, difficulties, autism, or other disadvantages, providing OCN Level 1 Enterprise Project qualifications and structured work exposure.
• Hands on Training (HOT) Programme Part-funded training programme for unemployed individuals aged 16-60 with learning disabilities, providing work experience across production, online retail, packaging, catering, and horticulture, with OCN qualifications at Level 1 and Level 2.
• Day Opportunities Community-based day services for individuals diagnosed with learning disabilities referred through the Northern Health and Social Care Trust (NHSCT), offering volunteer opportunities 1-3 days per week.
• LIFE Programme Bespoke person-centred support programme promoting independence and fulfilment for adults with learning disabilities through daily living tasks, socialisation, recreation, education, and teamwork, with attendance from 1-5 days per week at £55.00 per day, payable through Self Directed Support or Personal Agreement.
• Candyrush Registered social-enterprise brand repackaging party bags, envelopes, confectionery, and craft products for sale through eBay and Amazon UK stores, with 99.9% customer satisfaction across tens of thousands of feedback ratings.
• Packaging & Assembly ISO 9001 accredited sub-contract packaging and assembly services covering products from mouse-traps to bottles of beer, undertaken alongside Candyrush product packaging.
• Sample Making ISO 9001 accredited manufacturing and preparation of product samples for companies including K-Rend and Brett Martin.
• Lunchbox Café On-site 5-star Environmental Health and 5-star Facebook rated café at AEL's Larne headquarters supplying sit-in, takeaway, and catering services including afternoon tea boxes from £12.50, with produce sourced from on-site polytunnels and allotments.
• Naggy Burn Garden Centre and Allotments State-of-the-art horticultural project producing fresh vegetables, salad, and fruit for the Lunchbox Café using organic principles and a rainwater harvesting system gravity-fed from the main building.
• Clearer Water ISO 9001 accredited water bottling plant producing bottled water products under the Clearer Water brand.
• Create Gifts Laser engraving service offering personalised gifts, awards, and bulk merchandise, supplying IFA football clubs with customised merchandise.
• Facility Hire (Larne Community Hub) Disabled-accessible venue rental at the Larne Community Hub for group meetings, training courses, special events, displays, fairs, and car boot sales, with hourly and daily rates starting at £15 per hour.
• Employer Support Services B2B services for employers including time and resource-saving practical work tasks, Learning Disability Awareness training workshops for staff and volunteers, and on-site hands-on support for trainees during external work placements.
• Inclusive Employer Awards Charter certification programme with Bronze, Silver, and Gold rated tiers recognising employers committed to providing work opportunities for people with additional needs.
• Community Shed Safe and supported environment enabling local residents and AEL trainees to work on horticulture, woodwork, educational, and hobby subjects, with produce grown for resale.
• Social Club Weekly social activities for people aged 15+ with learning disability, difficulty, autism, or Asperger's, offering pool, darts, gaming, beauty, cooking, arts, and crafts.

Quantifiable outcome

• 36% of HOT programme completers progressed to paid employment (Oct 2015-Mar 2018)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles8 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Inclusive Employer PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 201920+ local employers who have provided work tours, placements, long-term volunteering, and paid employment opportunities for AEL trainees. Launched Inclusive Employer Charter in September 2019 with Bronze, Silver, and Gold rated certificates.
• K-RendcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor Northern Ireland manufacturing company that uses AEL's sub-contract services including sample making and manufacturing support. ISO 9001 processes ensure consistent quality in deliverables.
• Brett MartincoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTop Northern Ireland manufacturing company receiving sample making and manufacturing services from AEL. Activities regulated with ISO 9001 processes to ensure consistency and quality.
• SpiritcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor Northern Ireland manufacturing company partnered with AEL for sub-contract work services.
• eBaycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline marketplace platform hosting Candyrush online store for party bags, envelopes, confectionery, and craft products with tens of thousands of feedback ratings.
• Amazon UKcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline marketplace platform hosting Candyrush store for online retail operations with 99.9% customer satisfaction score.
• Northern Health and Social Care Trust (NHSCT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner for Day Opportunities programme. NHSCT refers adults diagnosed with learning disabilities who have been approved for community-based day services.
• Roddensvale SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool in Larne providing referrals to AEL's Transitions Programme for school leavers aged 16-25.
• Castle Tower SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool in Ballymena providing referrals to AEL's Transitions Programme for school leavers aged 16-25.
• Rosstulla SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool in Newtownabbey providing referrals to AEL's Transitions Programme for school leavers aged 16-25.
• Hill Croft SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool in Newtownabbey providing referrals to AEL's Transitions Programme for school leavers aged 16-25.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• United Response: United Response is a national UK disability charity providing supported employment, training, and community services. Comparable in mission (disability employment) and mixed social enterprise model, though larger and broader in geographic reach than AEL.
• Remploy: Remploy was the UK's flagship disability employment social enterprise, providing training and supported employment for people with disabilities. Following restructuring, services continue under MAXIMUS UK. Directly comparable as a UK disability employment and training provider with a social enterprise structure.
• Hft: Hft is a major UK charity supporting people with learning disabilities, including employment and day services. Similar to AEL in serving adults with learning disabilities through structured programmes and community-based activities.
• Pluss: Pluss is a UK social enterprise supporting people with disabilities and other disadvantages into sustainable employment. Directly comparable to AEL in combining training programmes with commercial social enterprises to generate employment outcomes.
• Realise (Learning Disability Alliance): Realise provides specialist employment support for people with learning disabilities in the UK, helping them find and retain paid employment. Directly comparable to AEL's employment programme mission for the learning disability population.

Broad incumbents

• Mencap: Mencap is the UK's largest learning disability charity, operating employment programmes, supported employment, and training services. Comparable to AEL on employment support for people with learning disabilities, though Mencap is significantly larger and operates UK-wide.
• Sense: Sense is a UK national disability charity supporting people with complex disabilities including learning disabilities and autism. Comparable to AEL in serving similar populations and providing day services and employment support, though at significantly larger scale.
• Leonard Cheshire: Leonard Cheshire is an international disability charity supporting people with disabilities into employment and independent living. Comparable in mission to AEL with employment support services, though it operates at much larger scale across multiple countries.
• The National Autistic Society: The National Autistic Society is the UK's leading autism charity providing employment support, training, and education services. Comparable to AEL in serving autistic individuals within its service population and providing supported employment pathways.

Regional players

• Aspire Training: Aspire Training is a UK-based training provider offering vocational programmes and supported employment for disadvantaged groups. Comparable to AEL in delivering training and employment programmes for people facing barriers to work, though it operates across wider UK regions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCRbvVXbX_yIZyT8XIEp7qVQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/pg/accessemployment.co.uk
• Xx.com/accessemployme1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/access-employment-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Access Employment