People with learning difficulties who struggle to find work could benefit from a new career service in the borough.

The charity Mencap has employed a co-ordinator to work with Barnet Council for a year to find possible vacancies for people who find it difficult to get a job.

The initiative coincides with this week's Learning Disability Week, which aims to increase paid employment opportunities for people with learning disabilities.

The council is one of five in the south-east of England to have entered the Right4Work scheme, and it hopes to employ 40 people with learning disabilities by June 2009.

Councillor Lynne Hillan, cabinet member for community services, said: "I am delighted a co-ordinator is now in place to help the council employ a more diverse workforce and help to achieve one of our corporate aims of supporting the vulnerable.

"We are taking the lead in an area of corporate social responsibility that very few employers have effectively embraced."

Only ten per cent of disabled people fit to work in the borough are employed, while Mencap research shows 65 per cent of people with learning difficulties nationally would like to be in paid work.

Dexter Hanoomansingh, executive director of Disability Action in Barnet borough, said the organisation hopes to help people live a life of their choice and give them independence to a level they want.

He said: "Employers have to be accessible and incorporate somebody's disability to ensure they support their needs to allow them an equal chance to work."

Barnet Primary Care Trust and Barnet Mencap worked with other groups from the area to host a free fun day at the Trinity Centre, in North Finchley, on Tuesday to mark Learning Disability Week.

Rudi Vis, MP for Finchley and Golders Green, said: "The week is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate and raise awareness of the significant contribution people with a learning disability can and do make to the workplace.

"Many of them would like to work but there is concern that stigma and discrimination mean some employers are reluctant to take on someone with a learning disability.

"Learning Disability Week goes some way to dispel some of the existing prejudices."