Employ My Ability

Employ My Ability Campuses in Moreton (near Dorchester) & Gillingham, North Dorset. We provide many different vocational training opportunities within our commercial settings.

SEND provision for 16-25s focusing on preparation for adulthood, support for employment, and supported internships with training and qualifications enabling diverse pathways for the future. Employ My Ability, based at The Walled Garden, Moreton, is a unique place for our students, staff and customers. Alongside the acquisition of work-skills, training and real life work-experience we enable our st

udents to leave with worthwhile qualifications and a pathway into employment within their local community. Our students engage with personal timetables and work alongside our tutor-trained industry professionals to develop understanding of the skills required for the workplace. Students follow the Employ My Ability Curriculum and access the wide variety of extra-curricular activities that this offers. With visitors, tourists and regular customers being drawn to our site throughout the year, we set high expectations, standards of service and consequential learning is experienced throughout. Students regularly interact with customers and develop essential social and communication skills. Our students complete tasks that are relevant, worthwhile and have real outcomes for the development of their own learning.

We're excited to welcome people to our campuses in Moreton and Gillingham this week as we host our EMA Open Days - AND o...
27/04/2026

We're excited to welcome people to our campuses in Moreton and Gillingham this week as we host our EMA Open Days - AND our Supported Internship Drop-In session in Dorchester 😃

These events allow parents, carers, and young people to get a first hand look at all the diverse opportunities we offer individuals with SEND in Dorset. We look forward to meeting you!

🌳Moreton Open Day - Tues 28th April
🕒10am-2pm
📍Moreton Campus, The Walled Garden Moreton, Dorset

💼Supported Internship Drop-In - Tues 28th April
🕒3pm-5pm
📍5 Antelope Walk, Dorchester

🌳Gillingham Open Day - Thurs 30th April
🕒10am-2pm
Gillingham Campus, Common Mead Lane, Gillingham, Dorset

All details for these events can be found on our website. Get in touch today to book your open day guided tour, or RSPV for the supported internship drop-in!

🌱Developing skills and promoting positive wellbeing at the allotment!Our Seed2Plate students Dylan and George, along wit...
23/04/2026

🌱Developing skills and promoting positive wellbeing at the allotment!

Our Seed2Plate students Dylan and George, along with Dorset Community Action Supported Internship intern Maisie, have shown amazing determination and teamwork as they bring their allotment project in Wareham to life. During the wet weather, they spent time carefully planning the space, and now they’re making those ideas a reality - building not just growing beds, but confidence and independence too.

🗣“We have dug over and weeded the plot, measured out and put together the bed sections. This week we will be putting the plastic growhouse together and levelling out the beds, ready for planting next week.” - Lydia, Enterprise Co-ordinator for Dorset Community Action

✅These hands-on activities help develop and hone practical skills, concentration, problem-solving, and a strong sense of ownership over their work. Each step of the process gives students the opportunity to work collaboratively, and see the direct results of their efforts.

👩‍🌾Projects like Seed 2 Plate go far beyond gardening. They support physical wellbeing, encourage responsibility, and provide a calm, therapeutic space where students can thrive. The results so far show what our young people are capable of achieving when given the opportunity and support to succeed.

We’re excited to see how the allotment grows over the coming weeks, alongside the skills and confidence of the students themselves!

📣EMA is hiring! We currently have a wide range of job opportunities at our specialist college here in Dorset. 😃🟢 Pastora...
22/04/2026

📣EMA is hiring! We currently have a wide range of job opportunities at our specialist college here in Dorset. 😃

🟢 Pastoral Lead – Moreton
🟢 Curriculum Quality Coordinator – Moreton/Gillingham
🟢 Preparation for Adulthood & Next Steps Coordinator – Moreton/Wareham
🟢 Skills for Employment, Training & Personal Development Tutor – Moreton
🟢 Learning Support Worker – Gillingham
🟢 Education Administrator (Maternity Cover) – Moreton
🟢 Speech & Language Therapist - Gillingham

Also from EMA Social Care
🟢 Day Opportunities Support Worker – Gillingham

🔗 Detailed listings, job descriptions and person specifications can be found on our website: https://employmyability.org.uk/jobs/

If you’re interested in joining a dedicated and friendly team committed to supporting young people with SEND in education and their next steps, and feel one of these roles could be right for you, we’d love to hear from you!

📣EMA EVENTS NEXT WEEK!📣Stop by to discover all the pathways we offer young people with SEND in Dorset!🌳Moreton Open Day ...
21/04/2026

📣EMA EVENTS NEXT WEEK!📣

Stop by to discover all the pathways we offer young people with SEND in Dorset!

🌳Moreton Open Day - Tues 28th April
🕒10am-2pm
📍Moreton Campus, The Walled Garden Moreton, Dorset

💼Supported Internship Drop-In - Tues 28th April
🕒3pm-5pm
📍5 Antelope Walk, Dorchester

🌳Gillingham Open Day - Thurs 30th April
🕒10am-2pm
Gillingham Campus, Common Mead Lane, Gillingham, Dorset

🟢 Preparation For Adulthood
🟢 Support For Employment
🟢 Supported Internships
🟢 Transitions

All details can be found on our website. Get in touch today to book your open day guided tour, or RSPV for the supported internship drop-in!

🗣"EMA provide a safe space for George, where he can be out of the home, and it’s ok to be George. The staff have quickly...
16/04/2026

🗣"EMA provide a safe space for George, where he can be out of the home, and it’s ok to be George. The staff have quickly grasped a good understanding of him and all his quirks. EMA is very unique, very calm, very tranquil. Just what he needs” - George's Mum

George’s journey at EMA along with feedback from his parent, highlights the positive impact of a personalised, compassionate approach, tailored to his complex needs. ✅

Through his sensory-led learning environment, George is enabled to try new experiences and engage more with the world around him. Staff adapt their support and respond sensitively to his non-verbal communication, while providing regular opportunities for choice-making and self-expression. This allows him to access learning through meaningful and diverse sensory activities that support engagement, attention and emotional regulation.

📖 Read more of George’s story on our website and see how our EMA Gillingham campus in North Dorset supports him - and others with SEND and PMLD - to achieve their goals.

🔗https://employmyability.org.uk/georges-journey/

🌳Developing skills and independence through work experience!We’re proud to share a brilliant first work experience sessi...
08/04/2026

🌳Developing skills and independence through work experience!

We’re proud to share a brilliant first work experience session at St Martins House for Gillingham students Lillie and Saffron. Both students have been able to take skills they’ve learnt in our hospitality training kitchen and pop-up cafés, and apply them to a real work setting.

For their first session just before the Easter break, they got straight to work, starting by cleaning, and preparing the dining area before carefully setting tables for lunch. This included placing cutlery, serviettes, condiments, and organising water jugs and glasses for residents.

They then spent time in the coffee lounge meeting residents, building confidence in a real workplace setting and developing their communication skills. In the kitchen, they supported with washing up, learned how the dishwasher works, and shown important processes such as oven use and temperature recording.

🗣“It was great to see Lillie growing in confidence - asking and answering questions and engaging positively throughout the session. Saffron showed a brilliant attitude, getting stuck in straight away and sharing that she really enjoyed the experience.” – Natalie, Tutor

This session supported a range of positive outcomes, including:
✅Developing communication and social interaction skills
✅Following instructions and completing tasks within set timeframes
✅Building independence and confidence in a workplace environment

A brilliant start for both students - we’re looking forward to seeing their continued progress and will check-in again before the end of the new term!

Magna Housing

🌳EMA Supported Internships - One year programmes with established Dorset employers!Is someone you know looking for the n...
03/04/2026

🌳EMA Supported Internships - One year programmes with established Dorset employers!

Is someone you know looking for the next steps in finding their future? Supported Internships are a practical way for young people (16-25) with an EHCP to develop skills with our employment partners and kick-start their careers.

👩‍🍳👩‍🌾👨‍💻On-site experience
💼 Work skills
🚌Travel Training
✅Tailored support

All Supported Internships come with a dedicated job coach, and are designed to get young people with SEND on the path to paid work.

Why wait? Apply today and find out more! 😃

Call us: 01929 405685
Email us: referrals@employmyability.org.uk
New placements from September 2026

📣EMA OPEN DAYS in APRIL!📣🌳 Book your tour of either campus, meet our staff, and get a first-hand look at our vibrant com...
01/04/2026

📣EMA OPEN DAYS in APRIL!📣

🌳 Book your tour of either campus, meet our staff, and get a first-hand look at our vibrant community in Dorset, designed to support young people with SEND as they find their future.

🗣 "The atmosphere is nice, and it's very relaxed. I love baking and cooking. The staff help me a lot!" – Saffron, Gillingham student

🗣 "EMA is a safe and friendly place full of nice people. There's a lot of support if you're struggling. It's amazing!" – Dylan, Moreton student

🗣 "I'm so grateful that I get to come here. Staff have helped me with my patience, and they're all so supportive and understanding. EMA is such an inclusive college." – Aaron, Moreton student

📍 Moreton Open Day – Tuesday 28th April
Set within The Walled Garden, a five-acre formal garden, Moreton is designed to support students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to achieve their potential through a combination of education and hands-on learning experiences in real working environments, such as The Dovecote Café, formal gardens, and alongside our animals (including goats, guinea pigs, and reptiles).

The site is open to the public as a visitor attraction, and students develop both independence and employability skills in their chosen areas, as well as maths, English, and digital skills.

📍 Gillingham Open Day – Thursday 30th April
Our Gillingham campus does not have areas open to the public and is designed to meet the needs of students with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD), anxiety disorders, and other special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

The campus focuses on preparation for adulthood, with dedicated classrooms, a multi-use games area, an independent living suite, and a hospitality training space. This provides students with an immersive learning experience as they develop their skills and independence.

Why wait? Get in touch to book your tour!
📧office@employmyability.org.uk
📞01929 405685

We look forward to meeting you! 😃

👏On National Supported Internship Day, we celebrate our interns currently on placement!Asher, Yasmine, Ryan and Elliot a...
27/03/2026

👏On National Supported Internship Day, we celebrate our interns currently on placement!

Asher, Yasmine, Ryan and Elliot are all continuing to succeed and develop at Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Dorchester.

Asher has massively increased his independence this term, moving much more freely between tasks set for him – whether that’s out on the restaurant floor or supporting food preparation in the kitchen. He is now taking steps to apply for jobs!

Yasmine continues to flourish on the wards, making patients smile and ensuring they are kept comfortable and refreshed. She is exploring a route towards working as a ward clerk.

Ryan has been gaining experience across the restaurant and the wards - trying different roles and discovering what best suits his skills and aspirations. As he heads towards the latter stages of his placement, he is full of ideas for his future, and we are all proud of his progress this year.

Elliot has also entered the job application stage and has set his sights on an apprenticeship next year. The feedback from staff at DCH has been fantastic, and he continues to grow in new areas within the kitchen setting.

🗣Tom Gordon from Dorset County Hospital recently shared: “They are all rock stars, and seeing how they’re growing is truly brilliant. I have to say that the foundation EMA has put in before they started their placement is a huge key to their success. It’s all positive!”

🌱Last but not least, Maisie is on placement with Dorset Community Action and has been working in Wareham as well as Moreton. She has been involved in plot preparation and planting at an allotment, continuing to gain experience using a range of tools, while working hard to maintain her focus and take on even more responsibility.

✅The feedback we have received from the professionals our Interns work alongside, their Job Coach, and our Careers Lead at EMA is filling us all with pride as we head into the Easter break. We are excited to see how everyone progresses in the coming weeks and months, and we send a huge thank you to our employment partners for giving our young people these amazing opportunities to develop their skills and explore their path towards a career!

| Seed2Plate DFN Project Search HQ |

🌳EMA OPEN DAYS - April 2026 - Book your campus tour today!🌳🟢 Preparation For Adulthood🟢 Support For Employment🟢 Supporte...
25/03/2026

🌳EMA OPEN DAYS - April 2026 - Book your campus tour today!🌳

🟢 Preparation For Adulthood
🟢 Support For Employment
🟢 Supported Internships

Book your guided tour today and get a first-hand look at the diverse pathways and facilities we offer young people with SEND in Dorset. We provide tailored support and specialist environments designed to help young people achieve and build their independence.

🗣“I looked at many colleges, but they didn’t seem to fit my characteristics and what I was looking for. EMA just stood out – it was the perfect fit. It was everything I was looking for in a college. My timetable is nicely done, and I think the teachers here are really nice and friendly and they have kind voices!” – Charlotte, EMA Student

🗓Moreton Open Day - Tuesday 28th April
🗓Gillingham Open Day - Thursday 30th April

📧office@employmyability.org.uk,
📞 01929 405685

We look forward to seeing you!

📣Stop by The Coach and Horses Wimborne in Wimborne this Thursday to find out about Supported Internships!Parents, carer...
16/03/2026

📣Stop by The Coach and Horses Wimborne in Wimborne this Thursday to find out about Supported Internships!

Parents, carers, young people and SEND professionals are encouraged to attend and meet with EMA staff at our partner venue for a chat and to get a closer look at what a Supported Internship can offer and how the placements work.

👨‍🍳Our Greene King Supported Internships are for young people with an EHCP who are looking to kick-start their career in the hospitality industry. Interns are supported by a dedicated job coach while developing real skills at their own pace.

🗓Thursday 19th March
🕚11am-2pm
📍Coach & Horses, Poole Road, Wimborne

FREE to attend. Please RSVP via our website here: https://employmyability.org.uk/supported-internships-drop-in-sessions/

✅ John accessing the community and building his independence!We're kicking off the week with more success from the Gilli...
16/03/2026

✅ John accessing the community and building his independence!

We're kicking off the week with more success from the Gillingham campus for John. Following on from his amazing progress story at the start of 2026, he continues to make huge steps towards independence and has been accessing the local community every Monday.

💪 The local leisure centre
🏀 Basketball court
🛒 Independently shopping at the supermarket

🗣 "These successful and regular visits to spaces in the local community for John are the result of tailored support, preparation and trust-building, enabling his motivations, and he’s continuing to do amazingly. He is following instructions with minimal support and showing that he understands community-based activities with basic safety in mind – following safety and social expectations with a familiar adult. We are all very proud of him." - Sarah, Tutor at Gillingham

From travel training and road safety to understanding how to use money and taking part in physical activities to promote wellbeing, trips out into the community give our students many opportunities to develop their skills as they progress towards adulthood. Keep it up, John! 👏

Address

The Walled Garden
Dorchester
DT28RH

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 9am - 4:30pm
Thursday 9am - 4:30pm
Friday 9am - 4:30pm

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About Us

Employ My Ability, based at The Walled Garden, Moreton and Thorngrove Garden Centre, Gillingham, is a unique place for our students, staff and customers. We provide many different vocational training opportunities within our commercial settings. Alongside the acquisition of work-skills, training and real life work-experience we enable our students to leave with worthwhile qualifications and a pathway into employment within their local community. Our students and service users engage with personal timetables and work alongside our tutor-trained industry professionals to develop understanding of the skills required for the workplace. Students follow the Employ My Ability Curriculum and access the wide variety of extra-curricular activities that this offers. With visitors, tourists and regular customers being drawn to our site throughout the year, we set high expectations, standards of service and consequential learning is experienced throughout. Students regularly interact with customers and develop essential social and communication skills. Our students complete tasks that are relevant, worthwhile and have real outcomes for the development of their own learning. The team welcome you to see the opportunities available at Employ My Ability.