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VIEWPOINT
Why work matters

Sara Pickard explains why having a job is about more than money

sn’t it interesting that we are still really good way to help to challenge BIGGER
I hearing those constant news stories the public’s perceptions. DECISIONS
about the record highest levels of Having a job
employment in our country BUT still only I have been very lucky to have been in I feel able to
6% of people with a learning disability in steady employment for almost all of the make bigger
this country are in employment? 12 years since leaving college. My first decisions in my own life outside of work,
experience was working as a school including how I spend my money. I can
Why? Is it that people with learning receptionist. After about a year I began appreciate what it must be like, when
disabilities don’t have the employment working for Mencap Cymru, and in my other people with learning
skills necessary or is it that employers just ten years there I have worked on several disabilities don’t always get to have the
aren’t prepared to give these people a projects where I have visited schools same chances offered to them.
start in the world of employment? and colleges to make presentations,
conducted interviews, helped in putting As the statistic that only 6% of people
Having the opportunity to get my voice on exhibitions and, of course, a lot of with a learning disability has a job shows,
heard on topics like this is really admin work in the office. I have also we just need to convince more people
important to me, so when a small group made three visits to South Africa and that those who have learning disabilities
of young people with Down’s Syndrome, Lesotho and one to Botswana as a are as equal as anyone else in society,
including myself, were asked to volunteer to work with people with and can do valuable jobs, with the right
feature on the Victoria Derbyshire Show learning disabilities, which has been support. So, why treat us any differently?
on BBC back in May 2015, this was a very interesting and eye opening in many
great chance for us to be on a live ways for me.
TV news programme all about International and this means that I have “
changing the perceptions of people In my other work role, I am also the As the statistic that
about Down’s Syndrome in the council member for Europe for Inclusion only 6% of people with
employment sector. a learning disability has a
visited some amazing places like Rome, job shows, we just need to
Our group included people with jobs in Madrid, Orlando and Prague in the space
acting, retail and charities. Some had of the past year to make presentations, convince more people that
featured in well-known TV shows such and I’m off to a conference in Brussels those who have learning
as Holby City and Call the Midwife. in December. disabilities are as equal
Being able to include people with a as anyone else in
learning disability in more roles like this, I feel that having a job is so important to
can only help in making more people anyone. Having a steady job, where I am society, and can do
aware of what people with learning getting paid, means I can feel good about valuable jobs with the
disabilities can do. A lot of really myself. I am able to do the job I do well right support.
interesting points were made during our and enjoy it, just like anyone else would! ”
conversation, including what some
of the barriers can be in seeking
employment. We received some very
positive feedback – but has the
situation improved?

CHALLENGING PERCEPTIONS
There are some very successful
schemes helping to connect people
with learning disabilities to possible
employers. An example of this is the
Workfit Wales programme run by
Simon James of Down’s Syndrome
Association Wales. This has been in
operation since 2014 from a grant from
the Big Lottery Wales. Many young
people are now in a range of
permanent jobs and over 250
employees have received Down’s
syndrome awareness training.
Having more people with learning
disabilities in public facing jobs is a
www.cl-initiatives.co.uk Community Living Vol 31 No 1 | Autumn 2017 17