Children with disabilities tend to receive plenty of help and support throughout their educational years. But what happens when they become young adults, a time when most start entering the workplace.
In many cases, young adults with learning disabilities will require some form of specialist training and support to feel confident enough to take up work. Knowing where to go to access that help isn’t always as easy as you might hope.
At Brighton Launch, we’ve got a wealth of experience in preparing young adults with intellectual disabilities for the working environment, which has enabled us to put together a highly effective Work Experience program. The program includes teaching students about professionalism, problem solving and career planning in order to best prepare adults with disabilities for the world of work.
Take all the time you need
The workplace provides plenty of challenges for adults with disabilities, so instilling a sense of self-belief is absolutely essential to overall success, and that takes time. Trying to rush through preparations quickly will only result in frustration and a lack of confidence, so don’t be tempted to set any kind of time frame.
Brush up on literacy and numeracy skills
Language and communication skills are important when dealing with other people, but there’s more to it than reading, writing and math. Conversational skills are also usually very important in the workplace, as is a good telephone manner.
Get to grips with digital communications
The ability to use and understand texts, emails and some basic word processing and computer skills are always useful skills to have. As a majority of jobs in the modern world tend to use a lot of technology, it is best to be prepared.
Safety at work
Health and Safety in any job or workplace should always be a top consideration but particularly if a job involves hazardous chemicals or large machinery, training is extremely important. Regardless of the job at hand, the issue of workplace safety needs to be addressed, covering matters such as tripping hazards, safe procedures for lifting heavy items and what to do in the event of a fire.
Social skills and workplace etiquette
Learning how to behave in a professional manner is an important skill to master, and it is important to consider specific social skills that may be needed for some jobs, particularly where there might be customer interactions to negotiate.
Community skills
There is more to going to work than just the work itself. It’s also important and necessary to consider how you would travel to and from the workplace, perhaps using public transport for example. Good citizenship and community safety are two areas that must also be addressed.
Finding adults with disabilities jobs
For adults with disabilities jobs may sometimes be a little harder to source, but there are certainly plenty of opportunities available for those who know where to look. One of the best ways of accessing those openings is to have all the necessary skills and experience in place right from the outset. For example, Brighton Launch offers adults with disabilities jobs through work placements with major brands including Toyota on the Park, Del Manor, Kennedy Bowl, Flemington Food Bank and Adonis as part of their Work Experience program. Participants gain valuable first hand experience that fully prepares them for the workplace, also building upon their confidence in their own skills and abilities.
Call or Email us today to find out more about Brighton Launch
