Supported EmploymentMatching employers with motivated employees

Work imitating art, or art imitating work? We find out with Jess and her

extraordinary illustrations

WHAT’S INSIDE THIS EDITION?

ECL

pg 6-7

20 Years ScoredKeith talks about his dream job at

Ingatestone Garden Centre

pg 11

INSIDE THIS EDITION

COVER STORY “You can call

me Al” pg 11

Matching employers with motivated employees

Luke’s story of persistance and professionalism

pg 3

CONTENTHow we blended with

Costa Coffee

pg 6-7

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ECL Supported EmploymentECL Supported Employment is the new name for our Linked Employment service. We’ve updated the name to make it clearer what the service is about; supporting working age adults to secure paid employment.

Essex Cares work with both the employee and the employer to find jobs that match skills, experience and individual aspirations.

ECL Supported Employment has extensive resources based across Essex where support and guidance are always on hand. For further information, please contact your local office or visit our website: www.essexcares.org

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Saffron Walden01799 522145

Brentwood01277 222135 Basildon

01268 271042

Clacton-On-Sea01255 860550

Chelmsford01245 473464

Braintree07747 486406

Colchester01206 868587

Loughton07919 624786

Harlow07825 144455

ugh9199

Essex Cares’ Supported Employment service specialises in placing adults who have disabilities into paid employment. We enable people to work at regular jobs of their choosing, focussing on their strengths.

Our employment specialists concentrate on supporting individuals to achieve the employment that best matches their skills and aspirations. The support is tailored to each individual, and involves our employment specialists, working in collaboration with community based social work teams to deliver sustainable provision.

We focus on our clients choices and preferences and provide benefits support to obtain understandable and accurate information about welfare benefit entitlements. We take a rapid job search approach to help our clients obtain the jobs they choose.

Below you will find a list of our office locations and contact telephone numbers.

ECL Supported Employment

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Luke is a bright and inventive 25 year old with a passion for technology, gaming and dynamic art. He had been in employment recently, but had not found the experience to be a particularly positive one. But keen to dismiss this ‘just one of those things’ Luke was eager to find a suitable role in the right organisation.

He has always had a passion to work in the entertainment industry and has a wealth of knowledge encompassing music, video gaming and consumer retail. Luke had completed some hours in previous years working at an HMV store as a temp during the festive period, a challenge he excelled at and enjoyed. It was something he wanted to pursue this year too.

Luke and his Employment Support Worker made positive contact with the manager, Mark Burnside, at the his local branch of HMV. They regularly visited the shop, enquiring about sales vacancies and other opportunities arising at the HMV chain.

Luke’s persistence paid off. Mark recently informed Luke’s Employment Support Worker that he would be giving Luke a temporary Christmas position. Mark noted that Luke had shown a real appetite for the role during their previous conversations and was impressed by his knowledge and passion for the position. Being a regular visitor to the store as a customer,

Mark felt Luke would fit in well as part of the sales and support team.

Luke has been working at HMV for a few weeks now. With a little onsite assistance from his Support Worker, he has quickly learnt the different aspects of the job role. These include stocking the store with newly released titles, working on the till, dealing with customer enquiries (and complaints!) and being a font of knowledge for customers who may need advice or information. Luke is also hitting his till sales targets by upselling loyalty cards and other store promotions with no assistance.

Luke has really grown in confidence over the last few weeks and now hopes to turn his temporary position into a full time role. His already impressive work based skills are supplemented further by his ongoing attendance at Essex Cares Work Based Training Centre, Copy Cats. As a result, Luke is well placed to showcase his skills and get the full time position he deserves.

Music to our ears

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Ben has recently started work for UPS in their Essex warehouse. The job in the sorting office gives him a minimum of 15 hours a week, on a permanent contract.From day one Ben was incredibly motivated and he had excellent support from his family who reinforced his job seeking activities with ECL Supported Employment.

He displayed a positive can do attitude, completed many applications and searched at length to find the right job.Ben was offered an interview with UPS and he then undertook a work taster which involved completing a shift to see how suitable he was. At the end of this shift he was offered the job of Preload/Sorter in the UPS depot. His main task is to sort the parcels by post code and ensure the conveyor belt remains clear; he then scans each package and places them in to sacks for distribution.

After a few shifts with 1:1 support Ben was confident enough to say he could manage without further job coaching and agreed a plan for less intense support over the months to come. His shift manager has said he is delighted with the way Ben has taken to his role and how well he has fitted

into the small team, saying “We have never known anyone pick the job up as quickly as Ben has.”

Throughout this time his family have been right behind both Ben and ECL in supporting all that he did in his new job.Following Bens successful start with UPS we have been able to place a second customer with them and are talking about further customers who might be suitable, showing that others are benefitting from the success Ben is delivering.

His mum commented: “Without Essex Cares staff member Franc, Ben would probably still be unemployed. We would have continued to help Ben, but ECL managed to do what we couldn’t and I am sure that there are many parents in the same situation. It is a fantastic service.”

Ben UPS his game

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Two Job offers in Five DaysTara is so employable. She was offered two jobs with leading companies in the space of five days, firstly in a fast food restaurant, then her local supermarket.Since moving a year ago, Tara has been a regular face out in the community. She has always been very sociable and makes a point of saying hello and trying to be helpful to others around her.

Tara has an outgoing personality and identified retail as being her dream job at a very early stage. Tara had been out of work for over two years, but kept her skills up to date with voluntary work once a week. She would regularly take her CV to stores and enquire about positions, but with no result.

Her positive can do attitude proved to be invaluable in a five day period in September 2014. Following an agreement with the Chelmsford Star Cooperative group, Tara was offered a two week work trial at her local store, with the view to permanent employment based on the outcome of her work. After meeting the store manager, Tara began her induction in the store and started work the next day.

The very same week she had an interview at a local fast food restaurant. Tara excelled in the interview, and the next day she was told that not only was offered the job she had applied for, but offered a more customer facing role. This was great news for Tara, the offer came only four days into her trial at the supermarket. This left Tara with the choice between two supportive potential employers, both offering the 16 hours

she originally sought, coupled with progression opportunities and additional hours available. After discussing the jobs with friends and support workers, Tara accepted the offer at the local Cooperative store.

Tara stated “I feel so proud of how my life has turned around. My family and support staff are proud of how I was offered two jobs in one week, and how I have done in the last year. I am really enjoying life and what I am doing at the Co-op. I’m enjoying learning new skills.”

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Hayley’s StoryUpon her referral to ECL Supported Employment, Hayley worked hard to develop her skills by doing voluntary work in her local Cancer Research charity shop and assisting her mother in the family owned Gift and Lifestyle Shop. She met with her Employment Advisor regularly and together they compiled her CV and investigated various employment options; invariably Hayley came back to the idea that she would like to work in a coffee shop – preferably her favourite – Costa Coffee.

ECL Supported Employment visited the Costa Coffee shop in her local high street, the ideal location for Hayley. Store manager Chloe was very positive with regard to the possibility of employing Hayley, and referred us to her Area Manager Chris Heard; the result was that Hayley was offered the opportunity of her ‘dream job.’In March this year, Hayley started working four hours per week on a Thursday and Friday over the busy lunch period. Hayley was supported by Employment Advisor Kim, and soon learnt the variety of tasks expected of her. She did so well that Kim was able to withdraw support after several weeks.

Keeley, her new Manager at Costa Coffee and the entire Costa team have been very supportive of Hayley and have allowed her to progress at her own pace.

Hayley is thoroughly enjoying her working life, her enthusiasm for her job is boundless; her confidence has increased and she has found new friends. Hayley hopes to increase the hours she works, knowing should she require additional help, ECL Supported Employment are available to work with her.

Costa Coffee is leading the way as an ethical employer in Essex. Katie from ECL Supported Employment met with the Chelmsford area manager, Chris Heard and explained our service. Chris was very keen to work with us and within six months we had five customers employed in the mid Essex area.

We now have been in contact with other area managers and achieved success in placing people in these regions too. Costa Coffee has been great to work with, making reasonable adjustments for all of our customers’ needs. We currently have nine customers working at Costa stores across Essex and we hope to continue to develop this even more.

Building on the success

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Jessica’s Tale

Jessica is a hardworking, reliable and an extremely able young woman. Since working with ECL Supported Employment Jessica has grown in confidence and has developed her skills level in various fields including retail and catering. The Costa Coffee Local Area Manager had been contacted by our Countywide Employment Advisor and was approached about offering work trials in the Local area. Jessica’s Employment Advisor Lee-Ann then approached the local store Manager and took along

Jessica’s CV. Jessica has often struggled with the rigid and formal interview procedures so Lee-Ann requested that a work-trial be offered – this enabled Jessica to showcase her skills rather than have to answer questions and sell herself – which can be difficult and restricting for anyone.

Jessica sat down with the manager and told her about her skills and aspirations and Jessica was offered a work trial to start the following Monday which is market day and so extra busy. Jessica completed all the tasks with enthusiasm and really impressed the manager and her work colleagues. Jessica is now employed to work every Monday for four hours.

Jessica had previously completed work based training with Essex Cares at the Coffee Cart, a training enterprise in Goodman House. During her time there she gained a number of skills that have been transferable into her new role.Jessica has really impressed the employment team, her tenacity and dedication to employment has made her a pleasure to work with, and we are all delighted with the outcome.

Costa Coffee is leading the way as an ethical employer in Essex. Katie from ECL Supported Employment met with the Chelmsford area manager, Chris Heard and explained our service. Chris was very keen to work with us and within six months we had five customers employed in the mid Essex area.

We now have been in contact with other area managers and achieved success in placing people in these regions too. Costa Coffee has been great to work with, making reasonable adjustments for all of our customers’ needs. We currently have nine customers working at Costa stores across Essex and we hope to continue to develop this even more.

Building on the success

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Sean was referred to ECL Supported Employment in May 2013. He was assigned an Employment Support Worker, Sally, who began the job profiling process. It became apparent that Sean had extensive knowledge of horticulture, but was also a keen reader who attended his local library on a regular basis.

Sean has an interest in Manga comics, graphic novels, historic and science fiction books, so he would spend considerable time at the library hiring books to read and also enjoy the environment of the library where he was a familiar face to the library staff team.

In July 2013 Sally approached the Group Manager at the library, Ann Offord, with a view to Sean completing some work experience there. Ann and her team were very positive about this prospect and Sean began work experience at the library once a week.

During this time Sean really got to grips with library routine and carried out his tasks very well, initially with support from the ECL Supported Employment team. Sean quickly became more confident and found himself being able to complete familiar routines independently.In January 2014 a post became available at the library for 7½ hours a week. Sean applied for and secured the paid

position. ECL Supported Employment continues to work with Sean and the library staff, for example we have recently supported him to attend mandatory training at Essex Libraries Headquarters in Chelmsford. He is continually learning new tasks and his performance at work has impressed everyone in the team. His current tasks include meet and greet services, shelving, IT processes, library software and e-learning.

Lorraine Manners, Customer Services Assistant at the library commented: “Sean is always self-motivated in serving members of the public who require assistance, and can identify and approach customers away from the helpdesk. He will confidently ask them what they are looking for.” Sean is considered to be an integral part of the library team and goes from strength to strength in his role.

Sean’s novel new role

Lorraine & Sean ensure library patrons are kept happy

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Zoe has been a customer of ECL Supported Employment for a little over a year. In that time she completed a work experience placement at a children’s day nursery, increased her work based skills and attended a course at the local Adult Education College, the Level 1 Award in Health, Social Care and Children’s and Young People’s Settings.

Zoe successfully completed the six week course which included other statutory learning which will be of great benefit in future work environments; she is now considering Level 2. The photo shows Zoe on her first day of a six week work trial at the Kendall Primary School. Zoe took on the role as a mid-day assistant helping all

the children with dinners and within the playground. Zoe impressed the teachers and became more confident around the children, answering their questions, helping with drinks and school dinners and checking lunch was eaten before they headed for the playground.

Zoe said, ”I really enjoyed my work at the school; the teachers were really friendly and encouraging. I was really nervous on my first day and glad Val was there to support me until I felt confident in my new job role.”

Zoe’s Journey

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Alan’s gone to IcelandAlan is living proof that ECL Supported Employment customers are hardworking, loyal and reliable. He has worked at Iceland supermarket for around 13 years.

Alan works there every Friday in customer service, helping shoppers to pack their purchases. This is a particularly busy day for the store and Alan works extremely hard, making sure that customers move through the process quickly and efficiently, avoiding queues and holdups.

A couple of years ago Alan suffered a period of prolonged ill health and had to take a considerable amount of time off work until he made a full recovery. During this period the staff at Iceland were kept informed of Alan’s progress and it was always hoped that he would be able to return to work; the regular customers often asked about Alan, it is was clear that he was really missed. His cheerful greeting and ever ready smile has become his trademark.

With support from his Employment Advisor, Alan was able to return to work and although due to his health he had to reduce his hours, his enthusiasm to help and his work ethic are still the same. He is popular with customers and colleagues alike, providing a dependable and cheerful service.

Alan said he is so glad to be back at work, and really enjoys his Fridays and seeing his colleagues and the customers again. All the Iceland staff and management agree that Friday is a lot brighter now that Alan is back in the store.

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Roaring success at the Lion

Al has been successfully employed as a kitchen assistant at The Lion Inn for over four years. Their restaurant serves high quality meals, where food is freshly prepared and cooked to order.

Al was referred to ECL Supported Employment when his previous job came to an end. He still wanted to be involved in catering so his supported employment advisor looked around for something that would be suitable and where Al would be happy working. A kitchen assistant

job came up at The Lion Inn which was ideal for Al as he lives in a nearby village. This highly rated hostelry tastefully combines bar, restaurant and hotel functions.

He prepared well for his interview and was successful in getting the job; he has continued to work there since 2010. Al works two days a week for three hours per day. His job involves food preparation, washing up, clearing away and keeping the kitchen clean and tidy.

To reinforce his kitchen skills and to develop an added experience in catering Al also works at Greenacre, a Work Based Training site in Great Baddow, where he helps to prepare meals for staff and customers. The ECL Supported Employment team continues to provide support

to him in his work role as and when it is required.

His colleagues at The Lion Inn said that Al is a valuable member of their team and they enjoy working with him. Al commented: “I love working at The Lion Inn. I particularly enjoy having a cooked breakfast with the staff before I start work. They are a great team.”

For more information about using our service or recruiting a member to your team with our support please contact us:

Tel: 0800 035 9770www.essexcares.orginfo@essexcares.org

LMC30 Version 1

Designed & printed by Copycats Providing adults with learning

disabilities vocational opportunities Call 01799 522145 for more information

Essex Cares’ Supported Employment service already works with many local & national organisations including Tesco, New Look, McDonalds, The Range, Wilkinsons, Sainsbury’s and Essex County Council.

For more information about using our service or recruiting a member to your team with our support please contact us:

Tel: 0800 035 9770www.essexcares.orginfo@essexcares.org

LMC30 Version 1

Designed & printed by Copycats Providing adults with learning

disabilities vocational opportunities Call 01799 522145 for more information