Employability at The Percy Hedley Foundation

1. Employability at The Percy Hedley Foundation David Barker MBE Director of Adult Services

2. Aims of the Presentation • Explore Employability and Social Enterprise in the broad context of our service users • Show a few film clips • Answer any questions

3. The Percy Hedley Foundation • Established 1953 • Aims to promote the needs, rights and aspirations of disabled people through the provision of high quality, specialist services • Nursery, 2 schools, Post 16 facility, FE College, day service, residential service, sports academy • 450 staff

4. The Percy Hedley Foundation • Works with profoundly impaired disabled people • Increased importance of advocacy and employability • Karten support at Able 2 day service and Karten Media Suite

5. Example Policy Drivers • Valuing People • Supporting People • Improving the life chances of disabled people • Independence, well being and choice • Learning for living and work

6. Messages from policy drivers • More choice of activities and more service flexibility • Individualised budgets as part of a range of funding mechanisms • Greater ownership and control of services - Advocacy • Progression towards independence • More community based services • Flexibility learning towards outcomes • Person centred plans • Moves towards employability

7. Ex PHF School pupil research • September 2007 • Questionnaires sent to all students leaving PHF schools between 1995 and 2005 • Age range approx 18-28 • 41 replies from 137 questionnaires (30%)

8. Housing

9. Employment

10. Relationships

11. Service expectations • More choice, flexibility and control • More community based services • Social enterprise opportunities • Mixed package of services across a number of locations • Person centred services • Advocacy • Housing options • Employability Opportunities

12. Advocacy Advocacy Representational Advocacy Person Centred Planning

13. Advocacy definitions • Advocacy – Speaking up for yourself or having someone speak on your behalf • Representational advocacy – Electing representatives to service steering group, Management committee and Executive committee • Person centred plans – services build around the individual not individuals fitting into services

14. Social Model

15. Employability • Delivered via two mechanisms • Employability Project (Demand side) • Projects (Supply side) (Print, Catering, Music Studio, Karten Media Suite)

16. Employability Project Disabled People Employers Labour Market Intermediaries

17. Employability Project • Partnership

19. Employer Engagement Tools • Events • Megaquiz • Business breakfasts • Fashion shows • Awards ceremony • Publications • Employability Centre

20. Employability Centre

21. Projects • Print • Catering • Music Studio • Karten Media Suite

22. Idea – Karten media suite • Everything in one place • ‘Real’ work experience • Cheap but commercial rates • Emerging social firm or social enterprise

23. Real work experience • Working conditions • Real work to do • Business park location • Open to the public for business • Training opportunities • Some paid employment opportunities

24. Social Enterprise • Social purpose is central to what we do • Social enterprise is a model linked to social justice • Social enterprises growing in number and importance • The right business model for us

25. Social Enterprise opportunities • Move from day service user to Project Worker • Training in social enterprise undertaken with a group of people already operating a social enterprise • Business plan completed • Development of ceramics business

26. Karten support – CTEC centre

27. Thank you • A few film clips then any questions ?