Access to EmploymentAccess to Employment Working with People with Learning Disabilities Working with People with Learning Disabilities

Newsletter Issue 2Newsletter Issue 2 We workWe work-- to help you work to help you work

Access to Employment brings together employers and jobseekers. Our aim is to enable both parties to form a good working relationship. We do this by matching employees to the right paid jobs, and by providing one to one support through our team of support workers.

Access to Employment have been working very hard over the last few months to be able to focus on providing the support people need to find and retain paid employment. Over the years a number of projects and opportunities have been created for people but paid work hasn’t always been the priority. For everyone who goes to work our salary is one of the best parts of going to work. Money is the key to being able to make choices and be in control of our lives and earning your own money is very satisfying. At the moment all we hear about from the media is the credit crunch so more than one person has said ‘how will we find paid work for people when everyone is struggling and competing to get work?’ Well, no-one said it would be easy but I know the Access team have the drive, enthusiasm, commitment and knowledge of their local areas that are needed to succeed. At the moment there’s a lot of competition for jobs however lots of these people are making compromises. Qualified people are considering a wider range of jobs but employers recognise these people are making ‘for now’ decisions and will move on as soon as the labour market improves. Most of the people Access are supporting are looking for jobs that will remain theirs longer than the time span of this credit crunch. Any employer knows making the right choice of employee who is committed to staying with you is a very cost effective choice. No need to re-advertise, no need to re-train no need to have another new face and upheaval in the workplace. Our strength with the people Access are supporting into paid employment is their reliability and stability. And the proof that there are jobs out there? In North Devon alone during July 15 paid jobs were found for people. 15 – That’s incredible! Well done to everyone who played a part in that amazing achievement and most importantly Good Luck to all 15 in their new jobs!

Sue Foxton-Price Access to Employment “We Work to Help You Work ”

“We Work to Help You Work ”

Sophie started at Access in July 2007 with an ambition to find paid employment. Since then, she has been keen to broaden her skill set by taking on work experience placements at the Window Box Café, B & Q, Paper chain and the Kidney Research Shop, which has helped make a noticeable difference to her confidence. In the last few months Sophie has focussed her job search on the catering industry, finding application forms for major pub and restaurant chains. To improve her knowledge and employability, Letti who is a senior support worker has supported her on a Level 2 Award in Food Safety in Catering course at Exeter Civic Centre, earlier this month. Sophie was able to put her new skills in to practice, when she started her first paid job at KFC on Tuesday 16th June her Duties include, decanting Baked Beans into individual pots and general cleaning in the public area. She will be working two mornings a week. Sophie has really enjoyed her first week of paid work , she undertook induction training on her first day which consisted of watching videos on Health and Safety and Food Hygiene. Sophie is looking forward to integrating with her new team, who have been warm and welcoming.

John has now completed his 8 week work experience at Sainsburys in

Dartmouth and it has been a great success. He has been offered a

paid permanent job at the store but unfortunately the hours are in

the evening and there is no transport available for him to get home.

However John has gained a lot of valuable experience working in

several different departments and demonstrated skills which will be

useful in another job. He is currently applying for a job at the new

Morrisons store in Kingsbridge and has gained a lot of confidence

which is really helping him.

Sainsburys said that John

worked really well as part of a

team and had excellent abilities

for shelf filling and stock

rotation. The HR Manager is

keeping Johns details on file in

the hope that a vacancy will

become available for daytime

hours which John will be able to

access. In the meantime she is

more than happy to supply John

with excellent references for

any other jobs which he may

apply for.

Amy Hewlett – Holiday Work

Amy is 21 years old and for the past year has been attending Foxes Academy in

Minehead. Foxes Academy is a college that specialises in training young people with

learning and physical difficulties in hospitality and catering. It also promotes

independent living skills and enables students to achieve nationally recognised

qualifications. Adjacent to Foxes Academy is the award winning Foxes Hotel which

is completely open to the public. Here, students can put into practice the skills that

they have learnt on their catering courses.

Felicity Stead, a Senior Support Worker in

Honiton, was successful in finding Amy part-

time holiday work to enable her to earn some

valuable money over the summer break. She

will be working in a residential home called

Check House in Seaton and will be paid the

minimum wage.

Check House is one of Seaton’s most

interesting buildings said to have been

designed by the art critic John Ruskin .

Amy will be using the catering skills she has

learnt at college to help prepare breakfasts

and lunches. As she is an early riser she has

not been daunted by the start time of 7am.

The chef at the residential home is an NVQ

assessor and is keen to pass on his knowledge to ‘budding chefs.’ He is enthusiastic

that Amy gains a good understanding of the range of services that the kitchen

provides.

Amy’s mother is also pleased that Amy has found some holiday work to keep her

focused and active during the summer break.

Katie Forrester is employed at the Royal Hotel since June 2009 she works from nine to twelve helping with the breakfasts, clearing everything away, which includes clearing the tables, taking off dirty tablecloths and putting clean ones back on the tables. Then she relays the tables for lunchtime, packing away cereals, orange juice, jams, marmalades etc. Katie is enjoying her job and is doing really well .

Working at Floor Line UK My Job coach Shaun Kelly worked with me to help me find a job. I am now working at a Carpet shop in Barnstaple called Floor Line UK every Thursday morning the people I work for are very nice and kind they have helped me to learn new things. I really look forward to going to work each week, I am earning some extra money and this means I can buy things I want having my job makes me feel good and I am very happy and lucky to be working where I am . Martin Luff

Working at the Royal Hotel

Martin with his manager Mrs Watts

Kevin has been working as a cleaner for Regent

Cleaning. His current work is at Tiverton Youth Centre.

He has previously worked on the recycling lorries and

then progressed to his present position through

supported permitted work placements. A while ago he

ended his claim for Incapacity Benefit and changed to

support from the Working Tax Credit system. He now

has the freedom to work the hours he wants, which can

be as many as 30 hours and of course it is great to be

earning a wage doing a job of value to the community.

Congratulations to all the Access to Employment Teams across the County who have recently completed the following training Ruth Twine , Module 2 Session 1 Tailored Jobsearch - 23rd /24th February Module 3 adapted support & train to follow in September Bill Love, National Development Team Valuing Employment Now Selling our Service and the individual Employer Spectrum Management & Training Services Ltd

The Last Word ……………

Access to Employment Believes

Everyone can be in paid employment

Employment works best when people want it

For most people work full time ( 16 hours plus) is best

for learning , being part of a team, the job being real

and earning a wage

People work best with the right support

Adrienne Russell

County Employment Manager

North Devon:

Barnstaple 01271 377597

Exeter: 01392 682 086

South Hams West Devon:

Kingsbridge 01548 853 855

Tavistock 01822 617 734

East Devon:

Honiton 01404 452 25

Exmouth 01395 225 664

Mid Devon:

Tiverton 01392 381 127

Crediton 01363 775 568

EDITOR Kevin Gummow—contact 01271 377597 Assistant Editor—Adrienne Russell