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Supported Employment & Welfare Rights: How We Can Work Together

Learn about supported employment services and welfare rights, and how we can collaborate to help disabled individuals overcome barriers and find meaningful employment.

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Supported Employment & Welfare Rights: How We Can Work Together

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  1. Supported Employment & Welfare Rights Welfare Rights and Supported Employment Services How we can work together Alison Ryan Welfare Rights Officer & Nerise Oldfield-Thompson Service Co-ordinator Operational & Partnership

  2. What we are going to cover Who are we? What is supported employment? What perceived barriers do disabled people face when moving towards employment? Overcoming the barriers What have we done in Durham? Advantages of working together Challenges we face Who are Base? What steps can you now take? 2

  3. Who are we? • Alison Ryan Welfare Rights Officer Develops services with Alzheimer’s groups, domestic abuse services, older people. • Nerise Oldfield-Thompson Manager Durham’s supported employment service, WorkAble Solutions and also sits on the National Executive Committee for BASE. 3

  4. What is supported employment? Help disabled people in securing employment and retaining employment. 1000s of people are supported in work; developing their careers and life opportunities. Work in a person-centred way to support the person in finding a job right for them. Work closely with employers and other agencies to make work a reality. 4

  5. Question • What are the benefits of being employed? 5

  6. Benefits of Employment Improved self-esteem Increased confidence Part of the community More friends Learn new skills Increased Independence Money 6

  7. What a customer should expect from supported employment services? Information, advice and guidance Work with individual on a one-to-one basis Action plan for the customer to work towards Support in applying for jobs Support in the workplace if required and support to your employer Link in with other relevant agencies Support with Welfare Benefits 7

  8. What should an employer expect from supported employment services? Information, advice and guidance on employment issues Support in recruitment and retention of disabled employees One to One support for the employee Disability Awareness Access to Financial Assistance Regular monitoring visits 8

  9. Question What are the perceived barriers of disabled people finding employment? 9

  10. Barriers as seen by the disabled person • Transport • Lack of Confidence • Lack of Skills/Qualifications • Lack of experience • Lack of disability awareness through employers • Carers/Family Expectations • Lack of jobs • Welfare Benefits 10

  11. Overcoming the Barriers Transport – Bus Passes, travel training, Access to Work Lack of Confidence – working with people on a can do attitude and building their confidence Lack of skills/qualifications – short vocational courses, interview techniques, basic skills assessments

  12. Dealing with the Barriers Lack of Experience – work placements, work trials, work preparation, signposting Lack of Disability Awareness – awareness sessions, breaking down barriers, reasonable adjustments, Access to Work

  13. Recognising the Barriers Carers/family expectations Lack of jobs Affordable childcare Welfare Benefits

  14. Trying out a job • Benefit linking rules • Work Trials • Work Preparation • Employment on Trial • Job Introduction Scheme • Return to Work Credit • In-work Credit • Self-employment Credit

  15. Help when you start work HB and CTB extended payments Housing costs run on Job Grant

  16. Benefits and Work Less than 16 hours 16 hours or more Permitted Work Supported Permitted Work

  17. Case Study (19 yr old working 20 hours a week)

  18. What have we done in Durham? • Set a yearly action plan that we review every 2 months • Maximise income for customers • WRT provided training to WorkAble Solutions • Better Off Calculations completed • WorkAble Solutions provided Presentations to Welfare Rights • Referral System between both agencies • Sit on similar groups, LD Partnership Board • Work together on Consultations • Delivered training to other staff, Connexions Advisers, Social Workers • Link in for appeals • Challenge DWP, Inland Revenue on issues.

  19. Advantages of Working Together • Creates a seamless approach for customer • Reduces duplication of work • Gives the individual the right specialist support from the right people • Produces synergy between services • Supports delivery for both services

  20. Challenges we face • More and more IB and ESA appeals • Not statutory services • Personalisation • Changes in Welfare Reforms • People with high housing costs

  21. Who are Base? • British Association for Supported Employment. www.base.org-uk 21

  22. Over to You • What steps will you take towards working with your supported employment service?? • How can you embed working together?

  23. Over to You – What people who attended workshops said they will do or their thoughts. • Use Base website to see who they can contact in their area • Need to learn more about supported employment agencies in my area. • Need to address our own attitudes – As WROs we tend to protect our clients who are on benefits • WROs need more education to understand what is available – we’ve seen some of that today • We have confidence in some supported employment services but not in others

  24. Contact Details Nerise Oldfield-Thompson Service Co-ordinator Operational & Partnership 01388 816895 nerise.oldfield@durham.gov.uk Alison Ryan Welfare Rights Officer 0191 3708776 alison.ryan@durham.gov.uk 24

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