Gloucestershire Echo

Job boost for people with learning disabiliti­es

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NEW funding will help a number of adults with learning disabiliti­es and autism in Gloucester­shire move into work.

Around £210,000 will be made available to support 60 jobseekers.

The Government’s new Local Supported Employment initiative will provide grant funding to 24 local authoritie­s in England and Wales.

The investment will total £7.6 million over the next three years.

It is hoped that adults with learning disabiliti­es, autism, or both, will be able to move into competitiv­e employment and will have the help they need to maintain that employment.

The funding and support will include assigning job coaches who can carry out vocation profiling, engage employers and provide in-work support to help develop more careers.

The Government hopes to see a million more disabled people in work by 2027, five years early.

Minister for disabled people, health and work, Chloe Smith, said: “Disabled people deserve the same opportunit­ies to start, stay and succeed in employment as everyone else.

“We know that those with autism and learning disabiliti­es can face particular barriers to employment, which is why we’re spending £210,000 here in Gloucester­shire through the Local Supported Employment initiative. We hope to break down those barriers and use local networks to help more disabled people reach their full potential.”

The Department for Work and Pensions ran an LSE pilot with nine local authoritie­s for 18 months from November 2017. Following a consultati­on process with those involved, it has incorporat­ed feedback and lessons learned into the design of the latest initiative.

Evidence from other supported employment programmes suggests that at least 30 per cent of participan­ts should start some form of work following involvemen­t in the initiative.

The longer-term aim is to provide further evidence to local authoritie­s of the value of supported employment to help drive further investment and secure effective employment for more people with learning disabiliti­es, autism, or both.

 ?? File picture: PA Wire ??
File picture: PA Wire

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