Thera East Anglia is paving the way across Thera for getting people with a learning disability into supported employment. Supported employment can help you to become part of the community, gain confidence and skills, and live a more equal life. Terri Dumont, Employment Support Project Manager for Thera East Anglia had this to say about our aims:
Thera East Anglia’s supported employment programme aims to find enriching and meaningful employment opportunities across all sectors for people with a learning disability that have been recognized as ready to work. With less than 5 % of people with learning disability in employment. We aim to support individuals and employers to embed inclusive recruitment practices into the heart of the workplace.
Thera East Anglia are proud members of BASE who are the leading voice of the supported employment sector.
There are many ways that being employed can help you, Mencap published a paper in 2023 that had firsthand accounts of people with a learning disability telling their stories and desires about how working benefited, or could benefit, them:
Independence People in the study, discussed how paid employment helped them to pay their own bills and not depend on their family. One of them said: “It means I can contribute at home and not depend on my family for money.”
- Financial freedom for hobbies
In the study many said that they were able to pay for holidays, buy gifts for family members, and were able to visit friends and socialise: “I like getting paid… I put it in the bank… for meals and holidays.”
- Feeling good about themselves
People reported that they were shown respect, that having a paid job made them feel valued, and that they had worked hard and earned their money. They even reported that they felt they had a purpose in work: “It made me feel great about myself cos it made me open up, come out of my shell.”
- Doing interesting work and following passions
People fed back that they got jobs in places that they loved, from working in a pet shop to campaigning as part of self-advocacy: “I love research, it’s something I do in my spare time anyway and I’m into my politics so that’s the campaigning side… It’s a hobby slash work. I love it… I love my hobbies, but I also love doing them at work.”
- Making a difference
People reported fulfilment in helping others from the homeless, to the elderly, and to others with a learning disability:n “I have got a bit of a dream of what I want to do, I’m a freelance photographer, I want to have my own business… and help people with learning disabilities to become photographers themselves… I want to help other people live their dream.”
- The ability to socialise
People reported that they have meet great people that they love to work with, benefitting from the close-knit atmosphere saying: “I just loved the team environment and the atmosphere.”
- Developing Skills
Many of reported developing new life skills and learning ways to thrive in their job roles: “I love learning new things, having a challenge, and keeping the customers happy.”
The Kingsgate Conference Centre,
2 Staplee Way,
Peterborough,
PE1 4YT
The idea is to give you the opportunity to meet with potential employers and kickstart your own employment journey, giving you the ability to also experience what those above have already experienced.