NHS England is in support of an initiative which is helping people with learning disabilities gain employment.

The North Regional Transforming Care team, as part of a National programme, is working towards helping people who have previously had to rely on services to live independently.  Part of this involves linking up with voluntary organisations and local authorities from across the North of England to see how people with a learning disability can be helped to find employment, in most cases for the first time in their lives.

Claire Swithenbank, NHS England’s Regional Programme Lead, said: “Over two years ago, NHS England’s Transforming Care Programme established 10 Transforming Care Partnerships (TCPs) across the North of England. One of the aims of these TCPs has been to bring together social care organisations, local authorities, the voluntary sector and the NHS in order to improve the lives of people reliant on care and, for one reason or another, not living independently.”

Case Study

Roy Hayes is from Calderdale (West Yorkshire) and has recently obtained his first paid job at the age of 36 working to help others with learning disabilities for Cloverleaf Advocacy.

Roy works as part of Lead the Way team supporting people in Calderdale.  Roy brings his experience as someone with a learning disability to make the team more inclusive.

Working has made Roy more confident and is enabling him to lead a more fulfilling and independent life, while helping others to do the same.

Roy Hayes, Project Ambassador, Lead the Way Calderdale, said: “I didn’t think I’d end up getting into paid employment, but I did. Ever since I were growing up I wanted to work, being treated equally in society.  I’ve never stopped wanting to work and lead a normal life.

“Having a volunteer job is rewarding and good experience but having a paid job is a sense of achievement and independence and it’s good to feel that you’re treated just the same as everyone else.  What I want to do now is give something back.  I’ve received support in the past.  Now I want to help other people.”

The CKWB (Calderdale, Kirklees, Wakefield & Barnsley) TCP, which Calderdale falls under , works closely with Cloverleaf Advocacy through the NHS England funded ‘Living well’ project which is led by a ‘Design Group‘ that includes experts by experience.

The ‘Living well’ project aims to create a ‘groundswell’ or ‘social movement’ of people with lived experience who know about the importance of health and well-being in enabling people with learning disabilities, autism or both to live a good and meaningful life.  The vision is that once trained up they can then act as ‘Health Facilitators’ supporting their peers to, for example, ensure they participate in health checks, including screening programmes, and make healthy choices so that they stay well and have high aspirations about how to lead their own lives.

If you would like more information on the work of the ‘Living well’ project email jo.mccausland@nhs.net or for Cloverleaf email cst.referrals@cloverleaf-advocacy.co.uk

Watch Roy’s full story here: