Colin is 56 years old with a mild learning disability and autism. He lives in a small home with other people with a LD and has 10 hours of 1:1 support a week to attend appointments and deal with his post and finances. Colin's aspiration in life is to be a DJ on the radio. He currently has very little experience of working on the radio but has a keen interest in 60s and 70s music and has studied the way that radio presenters talk on the radio and how they introduce records and engage in banter.
-
1. What kinds of skills and experience might Colin need to develop before he can work on the radio?
Show Answer
Correct answer: Colin will need to learn some basic skills such as time management and how to present himself. He will also have to develop some understanding of the social rules at work and on the radio such as when to take your turn and not talking over one another. He will have to compromise about which records he plays (he can't just play records he likes). He might need to develop some experience of working in a radio station and how to use the equipment. It is likely that he will have to start from the bottom and work up. This might mean volunteering on a hospital radio station or something similar. He may need to start out by just making the tea and work up to talking on the radio, maybe with a co-presenter for just a short feature. He will also need to learn interview skills and may need to make a sample tape to demonstrate his skills. Colin may need some support to understand that he has to go through each of these stages before he can do his 'dream job'.
-
2. What strengths might Colin bring to an employer that other people might not?
Show Answer
Correct answer: Whilst there are a range of obstacles which make employing Colin more than someone else. However, he is incredibly motivated to achieve this goal. He is able to be very single minded and focused when it comes to his special interest. If he is given clear instructions about what he must improve, he will dedicate much of his own time to this (and will probably enjoy doing so). He will not get involved in social politics which may distract other people. He will follow instructions religiously and ensure he does a good job.
-
3. What kinds of reasonable adjustment might an employer need to make for Colin?
Show Answer
Correct answer: The Disability Discrimination Act (1995) and more recently the Equalities Act (2010) make it illegal to discriminate against any person with a disability looking for or in employment. For Colin, this means producing accessible information about what is required of him. He will need to be shown how to do things more than once, and when he is shown he should be shown in the same way every time (even if there are several ways of doing the task), he may need someone to explain the social rules of the environment, and it might be necessary for other staff to be understanding if he is unintentionally rude, for example he might not know it is polite to greet everyone when you get into work.
-
4. What kind of support is available to help Colin get a job?
Show Answer
Correct answer: Colin can get help from the job centre plus. His disability employment advisor (DEA) can put him in touch with services that can help him learn skills for work, learn interview skills, help him develop his CV and find voluntary work so that he can get some experience. They will also liaise with the employers to help them understand Colin's needs and support them to make reasonable adjustments. Colin may be able to use some of his 1:1 support to help him learn how to get to the job.
-
5. Valuing Employment Now (2010) is the main government paper dealing with people with learning disabilities and employment. What are its key principles?
Show Answer
Correct answer: The main principles of Valuing Employment Now (2010) are as follows:
Work means real jobs in the open labour market that are paid the prevailing wage, or self-employment. We do not mean volunteering or work experience, unless this is part of a genuine pathway to real work.
As many people with learning disabilities as possible should work at least 16 hours a week, because this is the point at which most will be financially better off and achieve greater inclusion.
People with profound and complex disabilities should not be excluded from the world of work.
