A project aimed at helping disabled adults in the Highlands to access vocational and pre-vocational training and employment opportunities is to become a Learndirect Scotland virtual learning centre.

Lead North offers an integrated package of support to unemployed disabled adults, covering areas such as increasing income and prosperity, reducing social and economic disparities and raising employability.

It is backed financially by six local enterprise companies, along with the Highland Council social work and community education departments, several colleges including Inverness, North Highland and Moray, and IT training provider, Omnitech.

The award means the centre meets quality guidelines for learning as laid down by Learndirect Scotland and provides learning at a time, place and pace that suits the learner. Equally it will enable the project to access more course and training opportunities, to the benefit of many disabled people across the Highlands.

Lead project manager, Ann Farrell, said: "Lead Scotland is delighted to receive this quality kitemark for our activities in the all the Highland and Moray areas that we are currently operating in. Our organisers provide a high quality of service and their dedication to achieving excellence in performance is reflected through the achievement of this award. Our home-based support service maintained by organisers and trained volunteers
is highly valued by our students and we are therefore very proud to get this recognition for our work."

Fiona Robb of the developing skills team at Inverness and Nairn Enterprise, one of the funders of the initiative, welcomed the news. She said: "Improving the area's skills base, particularly helping disadvantaged groups, is a key priority for the Highlands and Islands Enterprise network so we are very pleased to be able to support this project. This year alone, Lead North has helped around 40 unemployed disabled people in the Inverness
and Nairn area to improve their future employment prospects. Most of thesewill achieve credits towards recognised vocational qualifications. This is a hugely worthwhile project. I am delighted it is to become a virtual learning centre and look forward to seeing the additional benefits this will bring for disabled people in the Highlands."