Working towards better lives for the learning disabled
MEIR HALPERN’S parents feared he would never get a job or develop the skills needed to look after himself independently.
But today, aged 31, he earns his own income thanks to Kisharon’s Adult Employment Programme, which helps those with learning disabilities into the workforce.
Originally from Manchester, Mr Halpern is employed one day a week by Golders Green chartered accountants Cohen Arnold to carry out administrative tasks.
Greeting the receptionist, he signs himself in and directs me to his desk in the office he shares with three other members of staff.
“It is fun,” he says of his work as he shows how his scanning of documents is key to digitalising some of the firm’s old paperwork.
Mr Halpern is one of 40 people with learning difficulties currently in paid employment thanks to the learning disability charity’s programme.
As well as serving Cohen Arnold, he also has jobs at the Jewish Leadership Council and Torah Temimah Primary School.
Cohen Arnold partner Dov Z Harris says that having Mr Halpern as an employee has changed the culture of the office and improved its services.
“A lot of our business is done electronically but there is still a demand for some administrative work — and it is hard to find people to do it.
“Meir is helping with that and it is very beneficial to us. If we didn’t have him doing it we would have to find someone else.
“But someone else might get distracted or bored with the task. Meir is focused, he takes his time and his attention to detail is better than anyone.”
Mr Harris adds that employing Talya Jacobson in Equal, Kisharon’s charity shop in Golders Green, which retails designer goods
Meir is focused — his attention to detail is better than anyone’