Developing supported self –employment opportunities for the disability community

Learn to Earn Creation of online accessible learning resources which support the development of skills for business, entrepreneurship, employability and self-employment for those whose opportunities to gain paid work are challenging because of disability. The support of the application of those skills through a national network of print and media centres both on and offline, creating real life opportunities for improved engagement with the community and the development of economic well being through supported self-employment.

Learn to Earn The project will enhance the employability skills and potential of individual entrepreneurs and groups by providing a route to market for their art, design and printed products through an established network. The creation of a portal will enable partners and individuals to sell their products to a wider market on a self-employed basis. The primary focus will be disabled people who would otherwise be isolated. Creating learning resources to enable entrepreneurs and groups to participate in developing an online enterprise portal based around an established network of print and media centres

Learn to Earn Only 11% of people with learning disabilities have a paid job. DWP Working Lives report that Day Service are poorly prepared for moving people into jobs. A range of reports (Ofsted, Peter Little) identifies the lack of employment opportunities for the disabled community.

Learn to Earn This project provides the impetus to establish a network of self employment opportunities, supported by on-line learning materials for entrepreneurs, groups and providers. This group is marginalised by a lack of opportunities to contribute to their own economic and social well being.

Learn to Earn The use of an online portal, targeted primarily to entrepreneurs disadvantaged by disability, which will deliver: Accessible learning resources providing employability skills, designed by people already working with this client group and understanding their needs. A route to market for art, design and print items produced through the existing learning network Financial literacy and e-safety An enhanced sense of purpose and self-esteem, with the ability to contribute to their community

Learn to Earn Learners will take an active part in producing materials with support of tutors and support workers through active learning programmes. These will be evaluated by a project management team (including entrepreneurs) through the piloting of learning resources with a range of community groups – day services, residential provision, specialist colleges. Entrepreneurs are already involved in the development of ideas for products to take to market, the production of these items, costing, marketing and quality assurance.

Learn to Earn Support services already flourish in the current network Progression will be enhanced through development of learning resources targeted towards supporting digital skills, financial literacy, e-safety and functional literacy and numeracy skills embedded within a vocational context Signposting to other providers and support services including DWP, Access to Work, Job Centre Plus and disability employment advisers.

Learn to Earn A project management team, with learner representation, will operate including shared responsibility for defined areas of the project, facilitated by face-to-face meetings and video conferencing. The Karten Network already has the requisite infrastructure to support partnership working between the 100+ centres in the network. The Network Development Manager is in regular contact with all centres, and produces a regular newsletter. An annual conference is also held.

Learn to Earn Objective 1 Increase the number of entrepreneurs with employability skills What difference will it make? Individuals will develop employability skills they may find difficult to acquire though other means. How will you measure the difference and what evidence will you provide? Number of completed evaluations by registered entrepreneurs in Q&As and online survey. Number of self-employed entrepreneurs joining the network as new businesses

Learn to Earn Objective 2 Increase the sustainability of the social enterprises within the network What difference will it make? Provide vehicle for self employment and increase the sales potential for the partner print centres How will you measure the difference and what evidence will you provide? All sales will be accounted for through the portal, demonstrating the increased sales for the print centres and also for individuals.

Learn to Earn Objective 3 Develop an online portal What difference will it make? Enable entrepreneurs to engage in the social and commercial activities of the network, access learning resources and a forum group How will you measure the difference and what evidence will you provide? Evaluation of portal by a range of user groups Existing learners will contribute to the design and user-friendliness

Learn to Earn Objective 4 To promote supported self employment as a viable alternative to paid work for the disability community What difference will it make? Reduce isolation of learners, provide supported learning and access to resources and products How will you measure the difference and what evidence will you provide? Numbers of registered users and user groups Website traffic and use of learning packages.

Learn to Earn Objective 5 Engage other community groups What difference will it make? Creating real enterprise opportunities supported by a range of on-line learning tools How will you measure the difference and what evidence will you provide? Evaluation of the project material. Take up of the enterprise offer creating supported self employment opportunities

Learn to Earn Objective 6 Partnership agreement to ensure ongoing service beyond pilot What difference will it make? Ensure the sustainability of the support network How will you measure the difference and what evidence will you provide? Registration of individuals and user groups making use of the learning materials and using Karten Centres to provide the products they wish to sell Measurement of web site traffic

Learn to Earn A major objective of the project is to establish the legal status, business plan and income streams to ensure the project outcomes can be implemented in a new service which will be financially sound, have an increasing user group and contribute positively to the employability and entrepreneurial skills for the wider disabled community.

Learn to Earn All development of agreements, licences and policies to have an impact assessment Ensuring e-safety is an essential on-line learning tool to keep entrepreneurs safe Monitoring of participants by age, gender, disability and ethnic group to inform the project of whether some groups are not fully represented and establish any need to specifically target such groups to ensure inclusion and opportunity. Ensure all material is DDA compliant and represents our multi- cultural communities Investigate accessibility in terms of communications needs of the user group including text readers, video links, symbols, etc Consideration given to adapting accessibility where English is not the preferred language

Learn to Earn Martin Timmins St Johns School & College Chris Day Glasshouse College