Speakers

Martin Sutton is Director of Grassroots Community Service and founder of Worklife, a model helping adults with learning disabilities and/or autism move into genuine paid employment. Frustrated by a system in which 95% of adults with learning disabilities in the UK remain unemployed, Martin developed a structured pathway combining hands-on community training with supported entry into paid work. Worklife is launching its first pilot in September 2026 in partnership with Runnymede Borough Council and local SEN schools, working toward a Surrey County Council commissioning review in 2027. Martin brings a practical, first-hand understanding of the barriers employers face when hiring inclusively, and of the structures needed to make supported employment genuinely sustainable for both individuals and businesses.