Individuals explain how the Supported Employment model has made a difference in their lives. Evidence-based and putting people at the centre, the model is effective in delivering sustainable employment opportunities for people living with a disability. Contributed by: Scottish Union of Supported Employment

1. Supported Employment
Social Service Expo 2014

2. Our Vision: Equality of opportunity for people
disadvantaged in the labour market to access
paid employment
Our Purpose: SUSE is the lead body for
supported employment in Scotland, working
with all who have a professional interest in
supported employment, to develop the
understanding, adoption and quality of
supported employment.
www.susescotland.co.uk
SUSE

3. Supported Employment Services provide
individualised support to secure people
with disabilities, long term conditions and
multiple barriers to work a sustainable, paid
job in the open labour market.
Definition

4. • Strategic, co-ordinated approach with long-
term funding
• National Framework for supported
employment in Scotland
• Scottish Government work with Local
Authorities to establish a method of funding
supported employment.
Equal Opportunities Committee

5. Context: National Outcomes
• We all realise our economic potential
• We live longer, healthier lives
• We have tackled the significant
inequalities in Scottish society
• We have improved the life chances for
children, young people and
families at risk

6. • Paid work
• Suitable work
• Appropriate work
• Career progression
Context: Aspirations of disabled
people
Disability Employment Review
Edinburgh, 2013

7. Edinburgh Work Aspirations

8. • Personalised Support
• Peer Support
• In-work support
• Assess disabled people’s full support needs
• Greater control over career journeys, and
more effective support
• Engage with and Support Employers.
sources: 2013, “Work in Progress”; SUSE research with DPOs, CEC Disability
Employment Review.
The Support Disabled People Want

9. The 5 Stage Approach to Supported Employment
The Framework for Supported Employment in Scotland
Engagement Vocational Job Finding Employer On / Off the Job
by SE Service Profiling Engagement Support and
Aftercare
Supported Employment Stages – supporting the aspiration towards 16+ hours of work
Helping Identifying Identifying the Finding out Providing help,
disabled skills and preferred job about the information
people most preferences for through workplace and backup to
distanced from work, giving employer environment, the employee
the labour work engagement, co-workers and their
market to experiences also providing and the employer,
make that will help support to the ‘supports’ a developing
informed the individual employer person might independence
choices on make their need through natural
their own own supports in the
future vocational workplace
choices

10. • Stages 3,4,5 of supported employment
• Major responsibility of Employment Support
workers.
• Support employers to overcome issues, such
as apprehension, e.g. around Disability,
Legislation, sickness absence, H & S.
• Support individuals to overcome low self-
esteem, disclosure, access to transport or
building, communication and others.
Working with Employers

11. • Reliant, motivated
• Positive impact on colleagues
• Adaptations can benefit all
• Good PR
• Can have an affinity with clients
Working with employers:
opportunities

12. Critical Success Factors
• Trusting relationship between the
employee and manager;
• A real job for the employee;
• Good fit between the job and the
individual’s skills and aspirations;
• A situation that suits both the employer
and the employee.

14. https://vimeo.com/album/2387391

15. • Engage with employers and employer
intermediaries
• Provide support and advice: support disabled
employee champions to provide this
• Set up peer networks for disabled employees
• Create opportunities for disabled people to be
employed, and for their career progression
• Transfer knowledge, e.g. between managers.
SUSE Working with Employers

17. • BASE and SUSE Quality Standards discussion paper
http://www.susescotland.co.uk/
• COSLA, Joint Improvement Team (2009) “Supported Employment Scoping
Exercise Final Report”
• Coutts, P., Riddell, S. (Nov, 2012) “Employers Views of Supported
Employment for Disabled People in Scotland”
• EUSE Conference 2013 presentations, “Reflection on the development,
evolution and challenges of supported employment”.
http://www.eusedublin2013.com/index.php/presentations
• IRISS and SUSE videos 2013 “Journeys into Employment”
http://content.iriss.org.uk/journeys/
• NDTI “Research into Employment Support for Disabled People”
http://www.ndti.org.uk/major-projects/employment-support-for-disabled-
people/
• Radar (2010) “Supporting Sustainable Careers”,
• RNIB, Scope, Mind, Action on Hearing Loss et al (2013) “Work in Progress”
• SQA (2012) PDA Level 7 Supported Employment
http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/files_ccc/GF3R47.pdf
Resources

18. Scotland:
• The Supported Employment Framework for Scotland
(COSLA and The Government 2010) – clear role for
Community Planning Partners
• Working For Growth (Scottish Government, 2012)
• Mental Health Strategy, 2012-2015
• Scottish Autism Strategy
• Equalities Outcomes – Public Sector Specific Duties
Supporting Policy

19. Pippa Coutts
Scottish Union of Supported Employment
pippa.suse@btinternet.com
http://www.susescotland.co.uk
Contact