Disabled Learners

Learning for Work: Employability and people with disabilities

Between January and April 2008, each of the nine regional Learning and Skills Council's (LSC's) hosted a conference with the theme 'Learning for Work: Employability and adults with disabilities' to bring together partners from each region to focus on the development of policy and practice in the LSC's priority area for disabled learners to 'increase economic participation through sustainable employment'

The Learning for Work report published by the LSC in partnership with NIACE, summarises the key messages that emerged from the regional conferences. This includes the Employer message, with case studies provided by employers who spoke at the conferences.  It also sets out 12 recommendations for the LSC and other stakeholders on how the FE system can more effectively enable disabled learners to develop employability skills and support their progress into sustained employment.

The voice of the learner was a central feature of the events, with learners giving keynote presentations at each conference. A compilation of learners' presentations forms  the Learner Voice report.  Both reports can be downloaded from the LSC website:

http://readingroom.lsc.gov.uk/lsc/National/Learning_for_Work_Main_Report_FINAL.pdf

http://readingroom.lsc.gov.uk/lsc/National/Learning_for_Work_Learner_Voice_final.pdf

Valuing Employment Now: real jobs for people with learning disabilities - A NIACE response to the Government Strategy Paper

NIACE welcomes the publication of Valuing Employment Now: real jobs for people with learning disabilities and recognises the importance of this being a cross-government strategy which has sign up from six departments of state and the Office for Disability Issues.

Read NIACE's response here.