ECL’s Inclusive Employment Service reaches key milestone

The service was the first of its kind when it launched in April 2020, and to date has achieved 303 successful employment outcomes. Of these, 115 of those have transitioned directly from day services. ECL has facilitated more than 7,920 job applications, 1,196 interviews and 210 work trials. In addition to working closely with the Essex business community to encourage more companies to become disability confident employers.

Cllr John Spence, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care said: “Enabling people to gain employment is something that brings countless benefits, to the individual, and to their wider community. Our ambitions for Essex, as set out in Everyone’s Essex, include the aim that ‘everyone should have the opportunity to have meaningful employment’ – we meant it when we said it, and I am delighted that we have now reached this important milestone.”

One of the service’s recent success stories is 26-year-old Sarah who lives with profound deafness and autism. Prior to attaining paid employment, she attended a day service at ECL Chelmsford four days a week, where she undertook work-based training to hone her catering skills. With her training under her belt, she was keen to get a paid job in catering, and ECL’s Inclusive Employment team helped her find her ideal job at the Lion Inn in Boreham. Watch Sarah’s story.

Sue Wray, ECL Inclusive Employment Business Manager said: “We’re thrilled at this achievement. Our service was launched in direct response to feedback from the young people and adults who attended our day centres and those leaving education who wished to find meaningful, paid employment. In partnership with Essex County Council, we’ve developed a service that offers good quality support and training to help them achieve their ambitions and make the transition to work as smooth and enjoyable as possible.”

Christopher Martin, Director of Strategic Commissioning and Policy at Essex County Council said: “This is a wonderful milestone for our Inclusive Employment Service and an excellent example of what commissioners and providers can achieve when they work together in improving the lives of people with learning disabilities and/or autism.

“Inclusive Employment is about matching people with learning disabilities and/or autism with real job opportunities that allow them to make the most of their skills and supporting both the candidate and the employer to make the match as successful as possible. It benefits the individuals and employers equally in a variety of ways. The employee gains independence, both personally and financially, and gets a level of job satisfaction that enhances confidence and provides a sense of purpose. Employers get to diversify their workforce, benefitting from access to a wider talent pool and a reduced staff turnover. We are confident the service will continue to grow and look forward to seeing more satisfied individuals in work that fulfils their needs and offers them more independence.”

For more information about ECL Inclusive Employment see ecl.org/inclusive-employment