Borough diversity scheme to find work is the way to go

Published 12 Jul 2010 16:00 0 Comments

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A PRESTIGIOUS award has been handed to the Royal Borough for its scheme to help people with learning difficulties find work.

The Ways into Work team at the council was awarded the Diversity Achievement of the Year trophy at the MJ 2010 Achievement Awards, which celebrates excellence in local government.

Ways into Work was recognised for its display of community leadership and for ensuring that in the face of the recession people with learning difficulties still had employment opportunities.

The team also worked with the borough's human resources team to work out ways in which the Ways into Work scheme could run more efficiently by freeing up officers' time to concentrate on specialist tasks.

People with learning disabilities work in a range of council departments including legal services, electoral services, adult social care and more.

Cllr Simon Dudley, lead member for adult and community services, said: "This is excellent news, hearty congratulations to everyone involved in achieving the award. It is exciting to see the Royal Borough gaining national recognition in this area and a great opportunity to highlight the issues as well as employment opportunities for residents with learning disabilities.

"People with a learning disability remain the group most excluded from the workforce with only 10% accessing any type of paid employment.

"Ways into Work demonstrates how a simple model can have such a positive outcome, changing the lives of adults with a learning disability and making the Royal Borough a better place to work."

Politician-turned-pundit, Michael Portillo, presented the Ways into Work team with the award on June 24 at a gala eventing at London's Hilton Hotel in Park Lane.

This article appeared in Villager 08 Jul 10

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