Page 6 - Community Living Issue 31-3

letters
Letters

Write to Community Living at simonj@jarr.demon.co.uk
Mixed emotions about supported work
Reading the special employment issue
(CL 31: 1) raised contrasting thoughts and
emotions for me.
As a social worker, I am deeply
committed to social justice and have always
had a rights-based approach to my work.
It was heartening, therefore, to read about
projects that facilitate work experience
and paid employment, such as A Potential
Diamond, Do your Thing, Bead Sew Crafty
and the impressive Project SEARCH.
I was moved by the contributions from
David Braunsberg and Sara Pickard, who Supported employment offers opportunities to have a meaningful, socially valued role
described their personal experiences.
As well as a social work academic, I am and, as a family, we have been unwilling to workers these days. Those who attend
the sister of a 54-year-old woman who push this for fear she could lose her role. reviews in my area have had to forget
has learning disabilities and is deaf, and However, I will be forever grateful and what they have been taught about social
who has been helped by a supported incredibly thankful for the support and work at university and adapt to work
employment scheme for almost 30 years. opportunities she has had. The placement within the local authority’s policies.
Before her work placement, my sister’s has given her a routine and structure, and I feel little progress will be made until
experiences of education and work had the opportunity to participate in a directors of services attend such events.
been segregated. These gave her a deep meaningful, socially valued role. Legally, people have rights on their side
sense of her differences, and caused her She feels good about herself, and has a but have to mount a challenge in court to
to feel very negative about her disabilities. job she does well and enjoys. Her skills have them granted. Very few people can
She was found a work placement with a are recognised and she is relied upon. She afford this or have time to go through this.
major chemist chain, which was perfect. benefits from the experience of being a I find it harder and harder to keep care
Without job coach support, my sister’s trusted team member, and is respected packages for people because of local
place in the company would not have for what can do and as the person she is. authority policies to cut services.
lasted. Sadly, local authority funding for Jane Lloyd It is these policy makers we need to get
her scheme was lost, and the work was University of Central Lancashire the message across to. Until then, I cannot
taken over by a social enterprise which see much change for the good happening.
will offer a much reduced service. We need to target council policy makers Les Scaife
Thankfully, because of the stability of I was interested to see your conference West Lancs Peer Support, Skelmersdale
my sister’s placement and the ongoing report on the named social worker pilots
commitment from the project, her (CL, 31: 2). I attend many “reviews” – usually Thanks for your powerful voice
support should not be affected. attempts to cut services – to advocate for I am a freelance social work consultant
My sister has never been employed or people receiving direct payments. who needs to keep up with research, best
paid – and the injustice of that is not lost After a long time providing this service, I practice and the challenges faced by
on me. She doesn’t understand pay issues have found there are very few social people who need support to live a good
life. I also need to understand how policies
and legal changes are being implemented.
I have found the articles in Community
Do you know some Living thought provoking and motivating,
‘bloody awesome’ parents? as the balance between successful
changes and ongoing challenges (such as
the overuse of assessment and treatment
Community Living magazine is proud to announce our units) is excellent. The voices of people
sponsorship of Bringing Us Together’s Bloody Awesome with learning disabilities are heard in a
Parents (BAPS) awards. variety of imaginative ways.
These monthly awards aim to recognise some of the many amazing parents out The magazine is very powerful in getting
there who make a real difference to their child’s developing life. painful and difficult issues into the public
Some, as we have seen in our own pages, have to battle against huge odds to get domain, and tackling complex issues with
their adult son or daughter back into the community. implications for quality of life and human
We are sponsoring the awards jointly with Choice Support. If you would like to rights, while celebrating the contributions
nominate someone, let us know. of people with learning disabilities and
email nominations to Community Living editor Simon Jarrett on simonj@jarr. those who support them.
demon.co.uk. Thank you to the Community Living
For more information about the BAPS awards, see team and authors for a great read.
http://bringingustogether.org.uk/baps-bldy-awesome-parentsbaps_awards Ellen Law Project SEARCH
Cardiff

6 Vol 31 No 3 | Spring 2018 community Living www.cl-initiatives.co.uk