A life-changing learning project giving young people with additional educational needs the chance to work with a spectacular collection of historic museum exhibits has scooped a prestigious national award.

Careers for All, run by Leeds Museums and Galleries was named Museums and Heritage Award Learning Programme of the Year 2020 for providing young people with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) with an exciting stepping stone into the world of work.

One of the UK’s top industry gongs, the Museums and Heritage Awards celebrate examples of best practice and innovation from museums across the country. This year’s awards were presented online by Di Lees, Director General of the Imperial War Museum, who praised Leeds Museums and Galleries for delivering “incredibly fantastic work.”

Using museum resources and objects from the city’s world class collection, Careers for All gives participants the opportunity to get practical experience and careers support, doing everything from putting together a CV to planning and curating their own exhibitions and displays.

Last year a partnership with the Swarthmore Education Centre saw students working with the scheme develop an exhibition on 100 years of Leeds United and use Egyptian artefacts to explore how computer game World of Warcraft draws on ancient civilisations.

The programme is funded by the Eranda Rothschild Foundation through the Real World Science Partnership with the National History Museum.

This marks the second year in a row that Leeds Museums and Galleries have won a Museums and Heritage Award, with the Leeds Curriculum bringing home  Educational Initiative of the Year at last year’s ceremony.