Newham Council finalist for prestigious employment award

A Newham initiative to support adults with learning disabilities into work has made it to the finalists in the “Team of the Year” category, for the 2018 ERSA awards.

Now in its sixth year, the Employment Related Services Association (ERSA) Employability Awards celebrate the work done by providers of employment support services, employers who champion the work aspirations of people with disabilities and also employees with disabilities who have made outstanding progress in their employment. 

The supported employment  team based within Newham Council’s award winning Workplace service - which has supported more than 35,000 people into work - has been recognised for supporting 131 people with disabilities into work over the last year. The team also works with employers to enable them to be more confident in employing disabled people and to identify and create roles that could be filled by people with disabilities.
 
The team was set up in 2014/15 and helped 64 people into employment in that year. It has gone from strength to strength and helped 91 people with disabilities into work the following year.
 
Unique partnerships has seen the team work with Barts Health NHS Trust and Newham College to set up a programme to give young people with learning difficulties and or autism, the chance to learn new skills and develop their confidence to help get them into work. This has resulted in seven young people being employed at Newham General Hospital and a further nine youngsters with disabilities  gaining paid employment outside the hospital.
 
Councillor Susan Masters, cabinet member for health and adult social care, said: “Its fantastic news that the work of our supported employment team has been recognised. The work they do to help disabled people find sustainable employment and live as independent lives as possible is having hugely positive results and changing people’s lives. I am looking forward to supporting the team on the night and hope we win.”
 
The awards evening takes place on Thursday 14 June and the Newham team are up against:
  • Monmouthshire Housing Association – The Work and Skills Wise Team
  • Torus – Employment Team
  • Adviza - Custody Core & Inspiration Team
  • The Prince's Trust, Talent Match Leicestershire – Hidden Talent Team
  • Down's Syndrome Association – Work Fit Team
  • London Borough of Newham – Supported Employment Team
  • Sovereign Housing Association – Employment and Training Team
  • Thames Valley Housing Association – Training & Employment Team

Published: 08 Jun 2018