PEOPLE WITH A LEARNING DISABILITY HAVE BEEN SHUT OUT OF WORK - IT'S TIME FOR CHANGE
Responding to the House of Lords' Public Services Committee's report ‘Think Work First: the transition from education to work for young disabled people’, Jon Sparkes OBE, Chief Executive for learning disability charity Mencap says:
"For too long, hundreds of thousands of people with a learning disability* who are eager to work, to have
independence
Independence means doing things on your own. Making your own choices.
, earn money and contribute their skills and passions to society, are being shut out of
employment
Employment means having a job.
due to
discrimination
Discrimination is when someone is treated differently (usually in a bad way) because of things like their disability or their
religion
Religion is to do with the things you believe about the world. For example you may believe there is a god or something else. Examples of religions are Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism.
.
, inaccessible application processes, and a lack of support.
"We hear countless stories from people with a learning disability who say once they finish education it's like 'falling off a cliff', with not enough support to help them transition into work. Without this support, too many people with a learning disability spend years applying for jobs with no success. Our
research
Research is a way of finding out information which could come from books, or asking people what they think.
found that 86% of people with a learning disability not in work, would like a paid job. Everyone is missing out - people with a learning disability, employers, society and the wider economy.
"At Mencap we've supported hundreds of young people with a learning disability into work through programmes like our Mencap Training Academy, with careers education, work placements and coaches. We need the government to invest in employment support that matches the aspirations of people with a learning disability. We want to see more supported employment programmes like internships, better tools and support for employers, and learning disability training for careers advisors. Everyone with a learning disability who wants to work should get the support to thrive in the workplace."
-ENDS-
For further information or to arrange an
interview
An interview is a meeting where you talk to someone or a group of people about something. When you have an interview for a job, you have to answer questions and say why you would be good at the job. The person who gives the best answers is offered the job.
with a Mencap
spokesperson
A spokesperson is someone who speaks up about something. They usually speak up on behalf of a group or
organisation
An organisation are a group of people who work together.
.
or
case study
A case study is a piece of writing that tells people more information about someone's
experience
Experience is when you have learned or tried something before.
.
, please contact Mencap’s media team on: media@mencap.org.uk or 02076965414 (including out of hours).
Notes to editors:
For more information or case study requests from Mencap email Cat.Jones@mencap.org.uk or call 0791 2875936
*There are around 800,000 working-age adults with a learning disability in the UK1, but less than a third of them (26.7%) are in paid work. This is among the lowest employment rate for people with any health condition or impairment.
About Mencap:
Mencap exists to ensure the UK is the best place in the world for people with a learning disability to live happy and healthy lives. We support people directly and
campaign
A campaign is when people work together to try to change something.
with people with a learning disability, their families and carers. We work to change laws, increase representation and campaign for better health, social care and employment opportunities for the 1.5 million people with a learning disability in the UK.
What is a learning disability?
A learning disability is a reduced intellectual ability which affects someone for their whole life. Typically, people with a learning disability need more time to learn and process information. They may need extra support to develop skills, complete tasks and interact with others, or they may have more complex needs requiring round-the clock care. The level of support needed is different for everyone and may change during a person’s lifetime.
Learning disability is NOT a mental illness or a learning difficulty. Often, the term ‘learning difficulty’ is wrongly used in place of ‘learning disability’. Having a learning difficulty (such as ADHD or
dyslexia
Dyslexia is a learning difficulty. People who have dyslexia can find it hard to read, write and spell.
) may mean a person learns at a different pace or in a different way BUT – unlike a learning disability - it does not affect a person’s intellect.
With the right support, most people with a learning disability can lead happy, healthy, independent lives. At Mencap, it’s our mission to remove societal barriers and shatter misconceptions to make this more possible for more people.
Mencap’s guide to reporting on Learning Disability
When it comes to creating content with people with a learning disability, we know many people feel nervous about saying and doing the wrong thing. Our guide for journalists, covers everything from up to date facts and figures to the right language to use. It also includes tips on how to work with people with a learning disability to gather the best content.