Let's Start Looking Beyond Disability In Employment
This short video features interviews with Ciaran and Sonia discussing the importance of a diverse workforce. Ciaran, who is autistic, faced significant challenges in securing his dream job at a cinema. Despite numerous attempts and setbacks, he ultimately found success at Cineworld in Warrington. The management team there provided Ciaran with thoughtful training and warmly welcomed him into the team.
Sonia highlights the advantages of having a diverse team and urges managers to look beyond disabilities when hiring. She emphasizes that diversity enriches the workplace and brings unique perspectives that benefit everyone.
The statistic that only 4.7% of people with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disability in Education) are in employment, despite 86% of them wanting to work, underscores the significant disparity faced by people with learning disabilities.
At MacIntyre, we are ambitious and passionate about empowering people to lead lives they love. We believe everyone deserves the opportunity to aim high and secure paid employment, contributing to a fulfilling and enriching life.
MacIntyre No Limits™ provides community-based bespoke education packages to young people aged 16-24 who have a variety of additional needs, including learning disabilities, autism, ADHD, specific learning disabilities such as dyslexia, and social and emotional needs. In recent months, it has been challenging to find good work experience for learners within the community or local businesses.
Adam Jones, Job Coach at MacIntyre, quotes:
''Working as a job coach for No Limits at MacIntyre was both a deeply rewarding and profoundly challenging experience. My primary role was to find work experience opportunities within the local community for individuals who rely on MacIntyre's support. One of the most significant challenges was the reluctance of the majority of employers to provide these opportunities to people with autism or disabilities.
Employers often cited several reasons for their hesitation. Some were concerned about the potential need for additional supervision and support, despite being reassured that the student would have one-to-one support while on placement. Others worried about the lack of awareness and understanding among their existing staff, fearing that they were not adequately trained to support individuals with diverse needs. There were also misconceptions about the productivity and capability of individuals with autism or disabilities, leading to unfounded fears that these individuals would not perform effectively or might require extensive accommodations.
The lack of opportunities often left these individuals feeling marginalised and undervalued, reinforcing societal barriers and limiting their ability to contribute meaningfully to the community. However, there were a few exceptional and supportive employers who understood the value of inclusion and were willing to provide these critical opportunities. Their support empowered our learners, boosted their confidence, and in some rare instances, led to paid roles.
These positive experiences highlighted the significant difference that inclusive employment practices can make. It's a reminder of the work that still needs to be done to create a more inclusive society where everyone has the chance to thrive.''
MacIntyre provides opportunities for employment through advocacy roles, Oliver McGowan Trainers, Dance Artists, and other roles across the organisation. The limitations within wider society hold many barriers outside of what the charity can offer.
Ciaran was supported to secure paid employment by Great Communities Manager Pete Connor, who helped guide Ciaran through CV preparation and motivation to keep trying to achieve his dream job. This is an inspirational example of the positive outcomes of supporting people with a learning disability to achieve their dream job. However, many other people are still left feeling marginalised.
MacIntyre has teamed up with Barclays to present a workshop-style event on employment for people with learning disabilities and to open up ideas for employees to make space to recruit the SEND community. This event will be held later in the year.
If you would like to share your employment journey or talk about your challenges to be used in a ‘My Employment Journey’ Episode contact [javascript protected email address].
