Jobs for people with disabilities

Devon County Council want more employers to come forward

Devon County Council and Jobcentre Plus are launching a campaign to encourage businesses to recruit more people with learning disabilities, autism and mental health needs.

There are currently about 21,000 adults with a learning disability in Devon.  The Council’s social care services know about 3,500 of them and about 8 per cent of those are in paid employment.  The council says it wants to see that figure rise significantly.

The authority says  people with disabilities want to work. But lots of people with learning disabilities, autism or mental health needs are put off even from applying for jobs through fear of the stigma and misconceptions that can accompany disabled candidates in a recruitment process.

They council want to raise awareness among the business sectors of the advantages for employers of employing people with disabilities, and to highlight the wide range of support, including financial support, that is available to employers and candidates to help them with recruitment. 

Twenty two year old Ashley Pritchard (pictured) is a Kitchen Porter at The Pig at Combe, a popular hotel and restaurant near Honiton, East Devon.  Ashley’s worked at The Pig since it opened two years ago.  

"I'd studied catering at college and I really wanted to get a job after I'd finished.  The main reason why I wanted to work is to earn my own money and choose how I spend it.  But I also wanted to be part of a team, and to improve my life skills. I found applying for work challenging, especially my CV.  I wasn't sure about what information should be in it, and I didn't know what an employer would be looking for.  So I got help with that from my college."

Ashley was applying for jobs but was unsuccessful.  His break came on applying to the then soon-to-open The Pig at Combe, Gittisham.  He found the vacancy for Kitchen Porter advertised online and applied.

"I was very conscious of the knock back I'd had from my unsuccessful application, so I felt nervous going to my interview with the Head Chef."
Despite nerves, the interview went well and Ashley was offered the job, becoming a valued member of the new kitchen team.

"It took little time for Ashley to settle into his role," says Fiona Moores (pictured), Hotel Director of The Pig.  "There were some adjustments that we made early on, as Ashley learned the role and we learned how to get the best of Ashley's very clear abilities.  They were mostly around his working hours."

Jobcentre Plus helped Fiona and Ashley to make the appointment a success.  With it, The Pig was entitled to receive the Government's Access to Work funding.

"The funding enabled us to pay for training, not just for Ashley but also for staff he is working with so that they know how best to work with him.  And he had support from a Job Coach, which suited Ashley but wouldn’t be necessary in every case. I've found Ashley to be a very conscientious worker, hardworking and he wants to work.  And committed - Kitchen Porter isn't the easiest of roles, especially in such a busy kitchen as we have, and it speaks volumes that Ashley is the only Kitchen Porter of those first appointments that remains part of the team today. Employers shouldn't be afraid of employing a person with a disability.  There is support out there and as long as the person is integrated with that support, you can have a very loyal employee.”

Councillor Andrew Leadbetter, Devon County Council's Cabinet Member with responsibility for adult social care said:
"It’s not as difficult as businesses might first imagine.  Employers may think that they’ll have to make major physical adaptations at work or other changes that will cost them money, and that's not true in most cases.   It is important to make sure that there is support available for the employee from day one, but businesses can get help with making sure that’s ready. There is a potential workforce in Devon that has very employable skills, and yet who find it very difficult to find paid employment.  There is no reason why, with support, that employment could not be successful and for that person to bring to the employer their skills and abilities that will benefit their business.  Ashley found his job at The Pig himself, but there are also Employer Advisors at Jobcentre Plus who work with businesses of all sizes to help match candidates with employees.   They can talk to businesses about the comprehensive package of support, including financial support,  to help them with that employment. In short, employers should be considering this workforce as a very credible and attainable source of talent and ability that can be of great benefit to their business.”

For more information visit the readydevon.org.uk