Partnership provides a job for James
A partnership between a publishing company and CCS Disability Action has enabled Nelson man James Croll to work in a job he is passionate about.
The Copy Press owner Dave MacManus said Croll, 20, first started doing work experience at the publishing company when he was at school and since then had taken up a position as a print finishing assistant.
MacManus said Croll started out packing boxes and now his day to day work involved operating machinery, using the guillotine, as well as binding books.
‘‘He has gone from doing basic tasks to more and more work and becoming more and more independent,’’ he said.
‘‘We still direct the work but he has the confidence and we have certain jobs we are happy to give over to James now.’’
MacManus said they had made adjustments to the way they worked to make the job more interesting for Croll.
Croll said he had worked four days a week for the last two years and said the job had been ‘‘challenging at times’’ but he really enjoyed it.
He had also been training on the job through Competenz for a NZQA Certificate level three specialising in the print industry.
‘‘His confidence has grown in what he is doing and his mum says the difference in him is quite significant,’’ MacManus said.
MacManus said he was open to employing and supporting people with special needs but it hadn’t been without its challenges.
Croll was employed on a two year government funded Main- stream contract and MacManus said it wouldn’t have been viable without the subsidy.
‘‘It’s always nice to be able to help where you can and do what you can.’’
CCS Disability Action supported employment coordinator Jeanette Garrett said she worked with employers and people with disabilities to create job opportunities.
‘‘I put quite a lot of time into taking them out and finding out what they really think they want to do.’’
She said employers like Copy Press were valued as they gave people with special needs the same opportunities as everyone else.
It was ‘‘life changing’’ for the person who got to become part of a work team.
‘‘It is all about believing in them before they believe in themselves.’’