Our Vision:

Supported Employment

EmployAble creates opportunities that are mutually-beneficial to candidates and employers alike. We develop thoughtful partnerships, working with employers to identify suitable roles within their recruitment needs to match the aspirations of our candidates. We provide candidates with on the job training and support to secure and maintain their employment.

Our ethos

We adhere to the British Association for Supported Employment (BASE)’s ‘Place, Train and Maintain’ concept. This means placing people in work at the earliest opportunity, training them on the job to do what the employer wants, and providing ongoing support to maintain this.

The process

• Get to know the candidate
• Identify the candidate's job aspirations and agree the steps needed to upskill if necessary
• Understand the employers' needs and identify suitable vacancies
• Get to know the job, working environment and team
• Match job opportunities to suitable candidates
• Support the recruitment process
• Support employers and employees in the workplace

The historic lack of access to employment for people with learning disabilities has resulted in their lack of expectation and aspiration to work. Current recruitment processes are another major barrier. EmployAble aims to change this by fostering our candidates desire and ambition to work whilst partnering with employers to find creative ways to approach recruiting and find the right person for the right job.

Recruiting Talent

Filling vacancies is costly and time consuming. EmployAble approaches the Employer Partners’ recruitment needs in creative and efficient ways. By reviewing a job descriptions and dividing it up into tasks we can carve out discreet roles suitable for our candidates. We encourage work trials to inform recruitment and provide one to one support before, during and after the process.

EmployAble supports employers with all the adjustments needed to support diversity, equality and inclusion including the development of the necessary policies and procedures. We are also able to offer education, training and support to our Employer Partner’s staff team as required.

In-Work Support

EmployAble provides a variety of in–work support, including:

Supporting:

• The employee with learning disability:
• Providing job coaching - the coach learns the specific tasks of the job with the new employee and practices doing them in line with job requirements
• Supporting the employee with induction and training
• Attending meetings relating to performance
• The line manager, the colleagues of the new employee with learning disabilities:
• Providing advice about how to communicate and support the new employee
• The HR department:
• Providing advice on reasonable adjustments (Equality Act 2010) and managing Access To Work applications (DWP funding for reasonable adjustments - including support and equipment)

Providing ongoing monitoring:

• Regular communication with the Employer Partner and the new employee to identify issues that require intervention

Training

EmployAble’s training programme focusses on driving transformation within participating organisations to cultivate a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion. Training is tailored to meet specific organisational needs. Popular programmes include:

• What is neurodiversity?
• In-depth training on specific types of learning disabilities
• Disability Awareness Training
• Working with a neuro-diverse colleague
• Managing a neuro-diverse employee
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion - how to meet ESG standards and enrich the wellbeing of the workforce
• Benefits of a diverse workforce

Consultancy

EmployAble also offers tailor-made consultancy services:

• Workplace needs assessment and reasonable adjustments
• Understanding what a reasonable adjustment is, what the law says and the employer's obligation
• Knowing when and how to make a reasonable adjustment
• Examples of different types of adjustments that can be made in the workplace for people with differing needs
• Funding for reasonable adjustments
• Auditing current business policy, procedures and practice in relation to neurodiversity and disability inclusion and providing targeted intervention to drive improvement
• Offering practical steps on how to employ a person with a disability and where to get support
• Supporting the development of a strategy and operational plan to create a policy for neuroinclusion for your organisation
• Supporting the signing-up to and progression through the different levels of the Disability Confident Scheme

Employer Partnerships

We develop thoughtful partnerships with employers of all sizes and work together to identify mutually beneficial opportunities to address business need and overcome recruitment and retention challenges. We offer a range of services, training and consultancy to enhance the delivery of diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

What we offer Employer Partners

• Creative and cost efficient recruitment solutions to create a diverse workforce
• A package of support to secure and maintain employment
• Training and consultancy to develop process, policy, procedure and practice which supports diversity, equality and inclusion

Benefits to Employer Partners

• Access to highly motivated employees – our candidates want to work and can work
• Higher than average retention rates - our candidates are loyal and committed employees
• Boost employee engagement – creates a supportive environment and improves staff morale
• Fulfil your business objectives - ensures compliance with the Equality Act 2010 and provides the opportunity to join the government’s Disability Confident Scheme; or we can offer a customised package of support to meet CSR and ESG goals
• Boost your brand - attract support from local community and customers with or who support disability

Commissioners

We provide a high quality, outcome-focused supported employment service which in addition to enhancing the individual’s financial circumstance and improving their physical and mental health and wellbeing also results in significant long term financial savings for adult social care budgets, health services and the public purse more generally.

If you are a forward thinking local authority, we can help you become an innovative national leader by creating a programme which channels adult social care support, funding and outcomes from day centres to supported employment.

Candidates Seeking Work

If you have a learning disability and you want to work we will support you into work. We identify vacant employer roles that match your skills and interest. We place you in work at the earliest opportunity, and train you on the job to do what the employer wants. We provide you with ongoing support to ensure the success of the placement.

The process

• Get to know you and what is important to you and complete a vocational profile
• Identify what kind of work you are looking for and agree on any training you require
• Identify employer needs and suitable vacancies
• Get to know the job, working environment and team
• Match you to a suitable job opportunity
• Support you and your potential employer through the recruitment process
• Support you and your employer in the workplace

Other support we offer

• Work experience to build skills
• Support writing CV’s and completing application forms
• Applying for jobs
• Support in an interview
• In work support/job coaching
• Travel training
• Benefits advice