Job coaching and disability Disability and Skills Unit Top Tips: Job coaching and disability 28 September 2017

Overview Disability Rights UK / Disability and Skills Unit Job coaching - supported employment Engaging with employers Equality Act 2010 Disability and impairments Reasonable Adjustments Engaging with clients

Disability Rights UK National charity We are disabled people leading change working for equal participation for all Majority of trustees, staff and volunteers have lived experience of disability or health conditions Strategic priorities: Independent living- getting a life Career opportunities – getting work, education and skills Influencing public attitudes and behaviours

Core work Information and advice designed by and for disabled people and people living with long term health conditions Website reaches 1.6 million people per year; over 43,000 twitter followers Over 100,000 downloads of our factsheets 1500 advice given through Disabled Students helpline 0800 328 5050

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Disability and Skills Unit Share best practice to make learning, apprenticeships, traineeships and supported internships inclusive Organising a range of events including online publications, seminars, webinars and other activities providing opportunities for sharing resources, updates, stories, experiences and for networking DR UK Website: www.disabilityskillsunit.org    

Stories www.disabilityskillsunit.org  

Job coaching: roles and qualities To encourage clients to fulfill their potential To support clients to do the work independently To identify workplace support that will assist the client in becoming/staying employed (rather than just getting an individual ready for a job someday)  then work out the best way for client to be inducted into the job. checking that the client has understood and, if necessary, repeating instructions Misconception: You do not do the work for the person

Person centred approach Role adapted to individual need Working with the client to develop the necessary skills related to performing specific job tasks Clear action planning and goal setting A job coach could also help with interpersonal skills necessary in the workplace One size does not fit all SMART Boundaries- limits of relationship – cycle - time frame

Job coaching skills and qualities Able to build good rapport with client Good listening and communication skills Flexible Understanding of different personalities and learning styles Able to adjust or alter material according to client needs Problem solving skills Committed Empathy

Having experience of working with client group Understanding how people define themselves Understanding about different health conditions or impairments, but not making it the focus To be aware that not all health conditions/ impairments manifest themselves in the same way PEOPLE FIRST: not their disability.

Engaging with employers Job coaches understanding the business community Where their input can be most effective for the benefit of both client and employer

Business attitudes to hiring disabled workers Biggest personal worry when interviewing someone with a disability: Knowing when to offer help -38% Using incorrect terminology - 32% Breaking the law by asking questions not permitted under the Equality Act -22% Biggest barrier to employing someone with a disability: Concern about ability to do the job - 45% Concern about cost of adaptations - 28% Concern about integration with team - 15% (Survey done by Purple)

Convey how individuals with disabilities add value to the workplace and how jobcoaches add value Be upfront with employer about the support your client will need, time frames etc. Range from short induction support to longer ongoing process Have a good profile of client prepared convey positive messages, stories, role models Do not expect things to always go smoothly: The important thing is how you handle the situation, as that will give you the credibility with the employer

Workplaces are enriched by the distinctive contribution made by people of differing backgrounds and experiences Recruitment to reflect and celebrate the diversity of the area eg. if 10% of people in the area have LD then the workforce should reflect this Does the workforce reflect this? To provide information on other support available such as ATW and Remploy

talking to employers about equality, inclusion, discrimination, reasonable adjustments, barriers

Equality Act 2010 A new Equality Act came into force on 1 October 2010, bringing together over 116 separate pieces of legislation into one single act The Equality Act 2010 provides a legal framework to protect the rights of individuals, advance equality of opportunity for all and tackle disadvantage and discrimination

The Equality Act 2010 prohibits discrimination against people with the protected characteristics: Age Disability Gender Reassignment Marriage And Civil Partnership Pregnancy And Maternity Race Religion Or Belief Sex Sexual Orientation

Types of discrimination Direct discrimination Indirect discrimination Discrimination by failure to make reasonable adjustments Discrimination by association Harassment Victimisation

Under the Equality Act 2010 ‘disability’ is defined as: “A physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person’s ability to do normal daily activities”

Impairments and health conditions Sight impairments Hearing impairments Physical and mobility impairments Long term health conditions Mental health conditions Learning difficulties

What do we understand by impairment and disability? Mental / physical health condition Disability

Barriers to employment Discrimination Negative attitudes Limited support Inaccessible transportation, public buildings, information formats, products and built environments Inflexible organisational policies, procedures and practices Issues with service delivery Poor management

The focus should be on removing disabling barriers rather than thinking that the ‘problem’ is caused by the person’s condition

Reasonable Adjustments Under the Equality Act 2010, employers, local authorities, housing, education, goods and service providers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments so that disabled people are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled people  

What is considered a ‘reasonable adjustment’ depends on individual circumstances

change a practice, policy or procedure which makes it impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled people to make use of its services Remove or alter obstructing features so that it no longer has that effect provide a reasonable alternative method of making the service in question available to disabled persons

General adjustments in the work place Disability and equality awareness training for staff Staff should act as role models Access to pastoral support, e.g. particular staff member a client/employee can go to with any concern Additional time to complete tasks Assistive technology

Work place environment Clear glass doors at the end of a corridor could present a hazard for someone with a visual impaired. Adding stick-on signs or other indicators to the doors so that they become more visible is likely to be a reasonable adjustment Clear, bold and large-font signage will make a space more accessible to all Good lighting for people with visual impairments or those who lip -read. Avoid glare and spotlights Adjustable desks and chairs

Self actualisation achieving one’s potential Self -esteem needs feeling of accomplishment Social/belonging needs relationships, friends Safety needs security, safety Basic /physiological needs food , water , warmth, rest Maslow's hierarchy of needs

Long meetings, long days Impairment Task/difficulty Adjustment Epilepsy Long meetings, long days Frequent breaks, cold drinks, and a fan available Visual impairment Unfamiliar location /site Someone meets him/her at the bus stop/ Support with familiarising work/learning space Autism Unfamiliar environment/people Assign a 'buddy' to assist and explain Depression Early start Adjust to different part of day – eg. after 11am Anxiety Travel in rush hour Allow flexible so they can avoid the rush hour You can support clients and employers by making things explicit and presenting solutions to specific issues Adjustment should have the desired outcome for the learner

Engaging with client Get to know client Building trust Working together- person centred approach that caters for individual needs Always ask how clients want to engage or communicate Be clear about the relationship

What needs to be in the client profile Skills audit- break it down Is about finding a way for that person to manage a task- ask what client likes to do Some methods will work with one person, not the other

Ask employer to explain and to show what the job involves exactly - do the task yourself to have a good understanding of the job

Use a task/job description that clearly lays our the routines and tasks to be done Step-by-step guide Easy read and relevant pictures

Career Companion

Make tasks meaningful so that the person understands When they have to use a photocopier, use picture of that photocopier, not a photocopier (ask permission of employer first) Some people who have difficulties with memory recall, from for example a stroke or brain injury may need memory joggers Flow chart of tasks- step by step guide- small processes

Use separate folders with different task- or coloured drawers containing instructions for each task

Task: Photocopy packs of documents Pack by pack or Sheet by sheet Or

Clearly explain routines, tasks, breaks eg. lunch is at 12 o’clock Maybe remind client it is ok to go to lunch 5 minutes before, as client may get agitated Ask how a person would like to be addressed when they are going through a difficult stage eg. red card, verbally, picture

For those with poor eye/hand co-ordination you could do over hand over hand technique (ask permission first) This can work if the person has never done a similar movement before ( eg. scooping in a different direction- different spoon movement) may need prolonged practice- do not do the job for the person but practice together.

Arrange regular short meetings to check on priorities and progress- this reduces anxiety levels for the employee that they can see they are on task and helps to gain confidence

Specific learning difficulties (for example, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia) Extra time to read, understand and do tasks   Use of literal language and keeping oral instructions simple and concise   Papers printed on coloured paper or printed in ink other than blue or black   Use of coloured filters or overlays   Use of coloured pens (other than blue or black)

Autism/ Asperger's syndrome  Dedicated support worker  Written material in literal language, Alternative ways of completing team work Time to get used to locations or site  Preparation for changes of routine

Visual impairments Time to get used to the location/site  Support worker, or a sighted guide  Large print, tape or Braille transcription services  Exercise area for guide dog Good lighting, adequate signs and good colour contrasts on signs and buildings Notetakers - digital recording of instructions

Deaf or hearing impairments BSL interpreter  Video materials with subtitles Extra time to process information Flashing light or vibrating pad for the fire alarm

Medical conditions Specific dietary needs, e.g. use of a fridge Rest room Medical support and emergency arrangements Place of privacy to take medication and assistance if required Designated parking space Specialist or adapted computer equipment, e.g. a screen filter or monitor without flicker if you have photosensitive epilepsy .

Mental health condition  Named contact to go to for support when necessary Flexibility of time schedule if treatments or therapies are tightly scheduled or during times when difficulties are worse than usual Maintenance of confidentiality about employee mental health condition  Sufficient information and awareness among staff who do know about employee condition, to prevent major misconceptions

Thank you for listening Please could you fill in the survey- we welcome your feedback https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org www.disabilityskillsunit.org rabia.lemahieu@disabilityrightsuk.org