‘INSPIRING YOUNG DISABLED PEOPLE’

MOTIVATIONYoung disabled people are nearly four times more likely than their non-disabled peers to be unemployed. [1]

People with learning and physical disabilities have the lowest prospects of securing long-term employment. [2]

At the age of 16, young disabled people hold the same aspirations to fi nd fulfi lling careers as their non-disabled peers. Yet as they get older, this changes. [3]

Young adults who recalled 4 or more activities (such as career talks or work experience) while at school were 5 times less likely to not be in education, employment or training, and earned, on average, 16% more than peers who recalled no such activities. [4]

The Sayce Review 2011 recommends providing support to disabled people and identifi es work experience and specialist disability support as a critical component in access to work. [5]

Based on this, our aim was to inspire young disabled people to recognise their skills and assets in relation to work, improving their confi dence and career aspirations. At the same time, we aimed to break down barriers around hiring disabled employees.

[1] Department for Work and Pensions, 2013, ‘The disability and health employment strategy: the discussion so far’.

[2] Department for Work and Pensions, 2013, ‘The disability and health employment strategy: the discussion so far’.

[3] Department for Work and Pensions, 2011, ‘Getting in, staying in and getting on: Disability employment support fi t for the future’.

[4] Dr Anthony Mann, 2012, ‘It’s who you meet: why employer contacts at school make a difference to the employment prospects of young adults’.

[5] Department for Work and Pensions, 2011, ‘Getting in, staying in and getting on: Disability employment support fi t for the future’.

THE PROGRAMMEVolunteering Matters coordinated one day work shadow placements for 90 young disabled people between October 2014 and June 2015.

“ I ENJOYED MY DAY AT VODAFONE. I LEARNED LOTS OF NEW SKILLS FOR EXAMPLE HOW TO DEAL WITH DIFFICULT CUSTOMERS... I NOW FEEL A LOT MORE CONFIDENT ABOUT MY PLANS FOR THE FUTURE AND I WOULD DEFINITELY DO WORK SHADOWING AGAIN FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME.”

– Young Disabled Person

GEOGRAPHY OF THE PLACEMENTSThe placements covered both rural and urban areas, including London, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Manchester, Peterborough, Sheffi eld, Woking, Wolverampton, Sittingbourne, Norfolk and Suffolk.

Age structure

Type of disability

Key:ASLD = Autism/Aspergers/learning disabilityPDSI = Physical disability/sensory impairmentASLD/PDSI = a combination of the aboveMH = Mental health conditionASLD/MH = combination of mental health condition and Autism/Aspergers/learning disability

JOB SHADOWING WORK PLACEMENT INTIATIVE: A PROJECT RUN INCOLLABORATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT FOR WORK AND PENSIONS (DWP)EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

14 to 17

18 to 21

22 to 25

23%

31%

46%

76%

16%

4%

3% 1%

ASLD

PDSI

ASLD/PDSI

MH

ON THE YOUNG DISABLED PEOPLE:

IMPACT LEARNINGYoung disabled people require personalised support in order to effectively engage in employment – the third sector is well placed to provide robust coordination of support which was found to be critical in the success of this programme.

Employers require fl exible options in the length of placements. Equally, young disabled people require a degree of fl exibility due to their health needs. Further work should be commissioned to explore the impact of longer term placements.

A mixture of both national and local employers is best – placements are more accessible when they are local, therefore national employers with a local presence offer a recognisable, attractive and accessible choice to young disabled people.

NEXT STEPSThis is a six month relationship between the young person and their workplace mentor, with the work shadowing taking place during this period.

Inspiring Young Disabled People – an ongoing supported work placement programme for young disabled people across England, Wales and Scotland.

25 young people will be matched with staff volunteers at each business participating. The staff volunteers will act as a workplace mentor for the young person for six months, with the work shadowing taking place one day during the period.

250 young disabled people engaged each year.

93%OF YOUNG DISABLED PEOPLE FELT MORE CONFIDENT ABOUT APPLYING FOR A JOB

87%FELT MORE AMBITIOUS ABOUT WHAT KIND OF JOB THEY COULD DO

90%SAID THEY HAD LEARNED NEW SKILLS DURING THE WORK PLACEMENT DAY

93%OF YOUNG DISABLED PEOPLE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN FURTHER SHADOWING OPPORTUNITIES

ON THE EMPLOYERS:

68%OF EMPLOYERS SAID THEY HAD A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WORKING WITH DISABLED PEOPLE

95%SAID THAT THE EXPERIENCE HAD HELPED THEM TO CONSIDER THE ISSUES THAT YOUNG DISABLED PEOPLE FACE WHEN LOOKING FOR WORK

70%FELT ENCOURAGED TO CONSIDER HOW THEY COULD SUPPORT YOUNG DISABLED PEOPLE IN THEIR CAREER ASPIRATIONS

99%SAID THEY WOULD RECOMMEND PARTICIPATING IN THE SCHEME TO OTHER BUSINESSES

“ I ENJOYED HIS ENTHUSIASM, HIS ASTUTE QUESTIONS, AND HIS GENUINE INTEREST IN OUR WORK.....I THINK HE GAINED CONFIDENCE IN THAT HE COULD SEE JOBS AND CAREERS THAT HE COULD ASPIRE TO”

– Employer