Wonder Of Working with people with a learning disability Rose Trustam and Kate Naden

1. Wonder Of Working with people with a learning disabilityRose Trustam and Kate Naden

2. Background –Lancashire Workforce Development Partnership - LWDP • Since 2003/4 Lancashire Social Services has worked in genuine partnership with the voluntary and independent sector • The LWDP formed to administer the LCC government workforce & training grant (sector share approx. £2m) • They’ve maintained the grant since, despite ring-fencing being removed.

3. Lancashire Learning Disabilities Consortium (LLDC) • The LLDC is 16 Lancashire voluntary organisations working in learning disability services who share values & the benefits of joint work • LLDC represents L/D employers on the LWDP Board who fund an L/D networker/projects officer • Its first LWDP-funded project researched recruitment difficulties, which led to the development of materials including the DVD

4. The Project’s aim wasto raise awareness thro’ developing better recruitment materials. • LWDP gave a £10k grant • 3 LLDC Organisations – Integrate, Linkability and Ormerod took it on: • They formed a management group • Scoped the project & developed the script and players • Used previous experience of the group - Linkability had made their own DVD with Keystone Creative • Integrate had used PresCap a Community Arts group with service users

5. DEVELOPING THE MATERIALS? ARTS WORKSHOPS: • PresCAP were commissioned to run workshops to develop the materials and the messages using participating service users and staff • They produced the WOW motif (made from photos of the group), the leaflet, a banner & posters – all totally owned & led by participants. • Materials were used for 3 recruitment events

6. Making the DVD What helped? • The trust between agencies and shared values – same messages • A lead person who had worked with the film-makers before • Setting up scenes as much as possible before and some contingency plans • Getting permissions from participants – service users & staff & some venues • Total commitment of all – LLDC agency management, participants s/users

7. Lessons from our experience • Pre-work: Spend time to work out the script & messages wanted – the film-maker can do it. • Service users and staff developing the marketing in the workshops worked well – and was very empowering and creative for them • Contingencies: one staff to be filmed left! Another staff after filming got cold feet! • Be prepared to adapt: The DVD is too long for recruitment event stalls; made a short one It takes much more time than you think!

8. Using the DVD & Distribution • All Lancashire providers got them to use • We’ve given them schools, Uni’s & colleges for their use • We’ve used the DVD at Job Fairs and Recruitment Events,stalls at conferences • We sent it to Community Living – a learning disabilities magazine - who featured it Autumn 2009

9. Lancashire Workforce Development Partnership (LWDP) • The opportunity came from theREAL PARTNERSHIP of Lancashire Adult Services’ reps – their Head of Contracts and lead HR/Training manager –working strategically with the sector.

10. Contact Details For further information see: www.lldc.orgor www.lwdp.org.uk • Some copies of the DVD here today for sale £10 • Or email us at admin.lldc.org but we’ll have to charge postage