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NEWS

Welcome to our new sponsors services, short breaks, LDN was created to reduce
community services, the risk of social isolation and
with learning and domiciliary care for both offer people with learning
disabilities children and adults. We also disabilities the opportunity to
and their provide family support receive advice, signposting,
families in services, holiday schemes, and prevention work,
e are proud to Westminster and other nursery, play, youth, to strengthen peer and
Wannounce that London boroughs. and transition services. community networks and
The Westminster Society build sustainability for
for People with Learning Our vision is to enable Alongside our existing the future.
Disabilities has joined the learning disabled Londoners to services, we also provide our
group of organisations who stay healthy, be safe, and to live Learning Disability Network MAXIMISE ACCESS
provide financial support to well in a society where people for London (LDN Living) LDN Living supports people
Community Living. with learning disabilities are which delivers a wide range with learning disabilities
Marketing manager valued as equal citizens having of group sessions and to be active and contributing
Emma Russell describes the chance to make full use of drop-in activities as well members of their
their work. everything their community has as one-to-one support for communities and has a
to offer just like everybody else. adults and young people defined approach to maximise
The Westminster Society is with learning disabilities access to mainstream
an award-winning charity We provide registered including young people in services, making use of the
established in 1962 care, supported living, transition from youth to wide range of opportunities
providing services for people intervention and preventative adult services. London has to offer.

Frank and the Lidl Job Snob incident

When he hears that Rex has got a job at Lidl,
Frank is horrified to discover that he has an inner snob.

ust come back from Lidl. Assistant when Henry read at the storm to come. potential to career with
“JRex has landed a job my mind. “I apologised to a Finished stirring, she slatted nothing inbetween. Not even
there”, declared neighbour passing supervisor. Said it the slotted spoon back into the you ruddy social workers.
Henry, incredulous. was my fault. She winked at steaming saucepan with a hiss Think on, Frank”.
“Collecting trolleys?” me, handed Rex a price gun and a flourish and swung
I sneered, parading my and steered him to the tinned round like a force 9 gale. As I was backing out of the
low expectations of tomatoes. He was as ’appy “You are so Metropolitan Elite kitchen, storm-lashed, a
supermarkets. “Actually, he’s as Larry”. Dot Com”, she scathed. memory of my first
a Customer Assistant” “You don’t know one end of Saturday job on the frozen
said Henry, dead shirty. Disgruntled, I told wife. I said the labour market from the food counter at Kwik Save
“Wearing a badge that says Customer Assistant was better other. You confuse potential leapt to mind, and shut
so. Kept kissing it, same way than collecting trolleys but with actual. You have been me right up.
footballers do when a waste of Rex’s talent and listening to too many of
they’ve scored a goal” he potential. I said that he was your job snob colleagues I was still ‘thinking on’
continued proudly. bright enough for a career in who, frankly Frank, are as shamefaced at the back door,
computing. “How do you work big a barrier to employment when Henry appeared
I hate it when Henry is in the that out, Frank”? she asked, as unenlightened employers”. bearing homemade
know. “Bet he’s being paid £7 disagreeably, stirring soup. marmalade for wife.
an hour for the privilege,” I hit her, broadside, with a All jobs are good jobs, “Great news about Rex”,
I said wisely, trying to best volley of my best shots and according to wife. They just I relented, quietly. “He’ll be
him. “Actually, he gets £8.45 latest research: less than have to be the right jobs, brilliant at that job. He loves
an hour”. My turn to be 7% of people with learning for the right people at the ordering and organising.
incredulous. “Are you sure disabilities have jobs when right time. Any job helps He’s charming and helpful
Henry? That’s more than most 65% want them, skills and people to get a foot in the door so customers will like him”.
care and support workers get”. talents under-estimated, of the labour market. There are Henry was in no mood.
Henry laughed: “Me and always at the end of the more entry level jobs in retail, “Any way Frank,” he began
every customer in aisles 14 labour queue, the Catch 22 of food distribution and catering loudly, breezing past me,
and 15 – rice, pasta, tinned being economically excluded than any other sectors. “what’s wrong with collecting
foods and canned fruit – then derided for dependency “Hundreds of thousands of trolleys”? Wife looked on
know Rex’s wage is £8.45 an on benefits…“Frank,” she young people kickstart their with a face like thunder as
hour on account of the victory interrupted, her back still paid employment in shops. disgrace tapped me on the
lap he did when he told me”. turned, stirring purposefully, Why should Rex be any shoulder for a second time.
“that’s an argument for different?” she demanded. I groaned involuntarily;
I was visualising Rex getting celebrating Rex’s job at “Never had a job. No work I knew what was coming
sacked for behaviour Lidl, not dismissing it.” experience. No proven skills next, and what Henry’s
unbecoming a Customer Her calm tone hinted yet. Nobody goes from first job was.
www.cl-initiatives.co.uk Community Living Vol 31 No 1 | Autumn 2017 5