WorkFirst is first class for Northumbria

The University’s School of Health, Community and Education Studies (HCES) has taken part in Newcastle City Council’s WorkFirst initiative – a programme that arranges work experience and skills development for people with disabilities – and, as a result, has taken on two placement workers, with a view to supporting them to longer term employment or skills development.

Placement worker Diane has impressed her colleagues at the School and gained new skills for the future during her four-month placement working as an Administrative Assistant.

Diane said: “I enjoy all of my work here and have been very busy delivering the internal post between both campuses. I have made lots of new friends.”

Joanne Barlow, Care Service Officer for Newcastle City Council’s WorkFirst scheme, arranged Diane’s work placement with HCES.

She said: “I’m very pleased with the success of Diane’s placement at Northumbria University. At WorkFirst we try to fit people into jobs that suit their personalities. We feel it is important to concentrate on people’s strengths, not their disabilities. Diane is a hardworking, outgoing, friendly person who makes everyone feel at ease.

“People with disabilities have a lot to offer in the workplace. Their presence in an office environment helps people to feel more relaxed about talking to disabled people.”

Senior Lecturer Angela Ridley, was introduced to the WorkFirst scheme during her involvement with National Learning Disability Week events at Northumbria last year. She said: “WorkFirst is an excellent way for people with learning disabilities to enter the workforce and develop skills to further their careers.”

Dr Pamela Inglis, Academic Head of Pre-registration nursing, added: “It has been reported that people with learning disabilities are loyal and enthusiastic employees, make valuable contributions to the workplace, and often out-perform people without disabilities.

“In 2007, the Down’s Syndrome Association reported that people with Down’s Syndrome have been found to raise staff morale, encourage good business practice, and facilitate reductions in staff turnover and increases in staff attendance.

“The WorkFirst scheme is a brilliant way for people with learning disabilities to gain valuable skills across a range of work places as well as potentially being offered a job following the placement. In the case of Diane, she has proved indispensible to the team she was placed with and so remains employed at Northumbria.”

Council Liz Langfield, Executive Member for Adult Care and Health for Newcastle City Council, said: “There are people in our city whose lifelong ambition is to work but whose disabilities make it very difficult for them to find and maintain employment. We are here to give them the support they need to achieve that goal and lead a more fulfilling life and we are very grateful for the support we get from partners such as Northumbria University.”

Northumbria is currently working with three WorkFirst placements, two in the School of Health, Community and Education Studies and one in the catering department of the Accommodation Service, with another due to begin in the same department shortly.