Many people with learning difficulties fail to make the jump from attending
further or adult education courses or Local Authority Social Services day
services to paid employment. “Making the Jump - transition to work” was a
two-year (2000-2002) NIACE project, funded by the Department of Health. It set
out to find examples of good practice of vocational courses or training where
adults with learning difficulties are making the transition to employment.
Summary of Project Findings
Examples of transition to work provision were rare and difficult to find.
Vocational courses in further and adult education, rarely include a transition
process that supports the learner to progress on to employment. Where good
transition to work provision does exist the numbers of people actually achieving
employment very are low.
All the examples of transition to work provision involved partnership working
between different agencies.
A link between education or training and some
form of employment service, usually a supported employment agency, was essential
for the success of transition to work provision.
Funding for transition to work provision was fragile.
Pooling resources
from several different sources was essential. Short-term funding can be valuable
if it is used as pump-priming money. However, examples of provision funded in
this way were vulnerable. If the provision is not incorporated into the core
programme of courses on offer to people with learning difficulties, they tended
to disappear when the grants ended.
Several key factors for successful transition to work provision were
identified.
They include the need for the support of senior managers and the
recognition that employment is a realistic goal for people with learning
difficulties.
The effect of earnings on benefits claimed by individuals was often perceived
as a barrier.
This influenced the level and type of employment sought by
staff on behalf of people with learning difficulties. Having access to
specialist advice, and clear information about benefits was key to the success
of transition to work provision.
Transition to work provision was often the result of ad hoc
arrangements.
Provision that is developed as an integral part of educational opportunities on
offer to people with learning difficulties, was rare. In some areas, transition
to work provision was being developed as part of an overall strategic plan of
day services for people with learning difficulties. As such, it had some chance
of becoming an established part of services on offer.
Many people with learning difficulties valued the opportunity to train for
work and progress on to employment.
“Give us a chance to show what we can do.”
“Never give up.Try and go for something you enjoy, people didn’t think
I could ever work.”
Policy Context - Valuing People
In March 2001 the Government issued the White Paper, Valuing People: a
new Strategy for Learning Disability for the 21st Century.
One of the key messages of the White Paper is the need to increase the number of
people with learning difficulties accessing employment. It recognises that
currently a number of different agencies are involved in supporting people with
learning difficulties into employment and emphasises the necessity of far closer
collaboration between social services and these other agencies. Partnership
working and a number of other features emerged during the “Making the Jump”
project as being key to the development of effective transition to work
provision.
Key features of effective transition to work provision
Researching the local employment situation is crucial. It can give
transition to work provision a focus on specific skills that are in demand by
employers. Learners will have an informed choice of actual employment
opportunities that they can work towards. This makes the transition into
employment much more of a reality. Supported employment organisations can be in
a good position to do this research with their existing knowledge of the local
situation and links with employers, businesses and other relevant organisations.
Working in partnership is a key feature of success. Effective transition
to work provision will not develop unless agencies work together. The use of
formal planning processes, such as Joint Investment Plans, can be very helpful
with establishing links and developing partnership arrangements with other
organisations.
Funding for sustainable transition to work provision is desperately
needed. There
is no set funding template for transition to work provision. Providers had to be
creative and flexible in their approach to funding provision, drawing on various
sources. Provision had been funded from: the Learning and Skills Council, New
Deal for Disabled People, Government Employment Services, Local Authority Social
Services Departments, a Lifelong Learning Partnership, Businesses and the
European Social Fund.
Working with parents is key. Parents and carers are an important part of
any partnership involved in the development of effective provision. They need to
be kept informed and involved in the planning of the transition process for
their son or daughter.
Project fieldwork visits were made to Further Education colleges, Adult and
Community education services, a volunteer centre, supported employment agencies,
voluntary sector organisations run by and for people with learning difficulties
and self-advocacy organisations. Managers, practitioners and people with
learning difficulties who had or were making the transition to work, were
interviewed about their experiences.
Further information on a staff and learners’ pack based on the “Making
the Jump” project can be obtained from :
NIACE
21, De Montfort Street
Leicester
LE1
7GE
Tel: 0116 204 4200/1
Fax: 0116 285 4514
Minicom: 0116 255 6049
Email: enquries@niace.org.uk
