The initial stage of Supported Employment involves the correct jobmatching of individuals to vacancies, based on their choices, abilities and circumstances. It is therefore necessary for the Agency to work closely with individuals, their support system, family, carers or friends prior to employment to obtain this knowledge, through a carefully structured assessment procedure. Individuals undergo specialised assessment at our agency to ensure employers receive the most suitable applicant for your vacancy.
Our jobseekers include anyone from school leaving age to retirement. They come from a variety of backgrounds, but the one thing they have in common is that they are all eager to succeed in paid employment.
When an appropriate job has been identified, individuals are given one to one support from the Agency's professional Employment Training Co-ordinators. This support includes counselling and preparation prior to interviews, accompanying individuals to interviews, specially tailored one to one training within a work place and support with the social aspects of a job.
This support is maintained until a person is able to work alone. However, to ensure that a job remains successful, withdrawal of an Employment Training Co-ordinator is very gradual and is gauged over a period of time via continuous negotiations with your workforce. All training is tailored to the individual's needs and the company's requirements.
The Agency needs to work closely with the employer, identifying your quality standards and expectations. Employment Training Co-ordinators enter the place of work prior to an individual commencing employment to learn the job for themselves and to allay concerns staff may have with regards to the individual entering the workplace.
The Agency will also work with the specialised sections within the Department of Employment to obtain any help an individual or a company may need, ranging from equipment, adaptations to a workplace or transport assistance to work. This support and training provision has no cost impact to an employer as the organisation is supported via funding from the Social Services Departments of Rhondda Cynon Taff, Merthyr and Bridgend, European Funds, the Department of Employment , BBC Children in Need, the Big Lottery and 14-19 Networks to work within Rhondda Cynon Taff, Bridgend and Merthyr.
Work choices cover a whole range of employment, illustrated by the current jobs ELITE deals with, including production, cleaning, animal care, retail and catering, to name but a few. Individuals work a variety of hours ranging from three hours per week to forty four hours per week.
This employment includes weekends, evenings and rota system or shift working. When an individual obtains paid employment, they are treated as any other employee, working the same hours, paid the same rate of pay and working to the same quality standards. They become just another of your employees.
Benefits to Employers
• Minimises recruitment and induction time and costs
• Offers a source of expertise and knowledge about issues relating to employing people with disability, which they can tap into
• Provides individually tailored training and training on site
• Guarantees productivity during training
• Provides ongoing support, thus reducing the risk of failure to the employer and the employee