Employment
Paid Work Myth Buster!
There’s lots of support out there if you’re looking to find a job. Click on the image to view our Paid Work Myth Buster.
Check out Beth’s Story below for an example of using Direct Payments to support employment. You can also speak to your social worker or support worker about how Direct Payments may be able to help in similar ways
Beth's Story
Beth has a job. She works as a catering assistant, and she also works as a housekeeping assistant. She does the same kind of work as other members of her team, and she earns the same wage. She uses her Direct Payments to get the support she needs in the workplace. The Payment is made to Beth’s employer, who makes sure that Beth is supported by other team members, in the right way and at the right time.
This has worked really well. With the right support, Beth is able to do most of her work independently. She is confident, and has learnt new skills. Beth has been working at the restaurant for 8 years. She loves her work, and says ‘my job makes me feel happy and professional.’
She is one of the longest-serving members of her team, and is respected and valued by her colleagues. Beth and her employer are both supported by the Down’s Syndrome Association’s ‘WorkFit’ programme.
Check out this video of Beth talking about her experience.
Supported Employment / Internships
If you feel you need some support to help you to do your job, supported employment might be right for you.
We want to make sure that there is a partnership working approach to supported employment, and that people have the opportunity to make decisions and fulfill their potential.
The goal is to have clear pathways and the right support at the different stages of people’s journeys.
Check out the work that Scotland has done to create a supported employment framework, with exactly this in mind.
Project SEARCH
Project SEARCH is a supported internship programme for young people with learning disabilities and autism. Hft In Flintshire is piloting Project SEARCH in 2019/20, and the Learning Disabilities Transformation Project is working with other areas to look at how we can support other Project SEARCH pilots. Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has also been running Project SEARCH in Ysbyty Gwynedd.
This video tells you a bit about their experience of the Project.
Strengths-based working in Denbighshire
Denbighshire County Council has created its own asset-based resource wheel, to support strengths based conversations. Since they have been using the resource wheel, more social work staff have been referring to more ‘mainstream’ employability support through Working Denbighshire.
We will be working closely with Denbighshire County Council over the next year to further support this joined up working between specialist and mainstream support, to make sure that people with learning disabilities can access the right employability support for them.
Pilot Projects
There are a number of projects that can work with people with learning disabilities to help them find and keep work. Some of these projects are just for people with learning disabilities, and some are for everyone – and sometimes these different types of services can work in partnership to make sure you are getting all of the support you need. The right type of support for you will depend on your circumstances, and what you want to achieve.
Please note some of these pilot projects have have been affected by Covid-19. We will aim to keep the page up to date as and when we have updates as to how projects are progressing.
Work, inclusion and me
An 8 month programme via Glyndwr University paid work placements, job finding and campaigning. To be completed with 5 young people with learning disabilities / autism, focused on entering meaningful paid employment.
Raising the profile of employment courses
An online course to be delivered across North Wales, offered to young people aged 14 – 19 and a family member to promote the positives of employment as a life choice including various job finding skills, support employment and benefits issues, as well as activity days.
Glyndwr University
In 2020 the Learning Disability Transformation Project is going to be working with Glyndwr University to pilot a paid internship programme, where health and social care students will provide mentoring support to people with learning disabilities to take up temporary jobs in the University.