Employability at The Percy Hedley
Foundation
David Barker MBE
Director of Adult Services
Aims of the Presentation
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Explore Employability and Social Enterprise
in the broad context of our service users
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Show a few film clips
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Answer any questions
The Percy Hedley Foundation
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Established 1953
Aims to promote the needs, rights and
aspirations of disabled people through the
provision of high quality, specialist services
Nursery, 2 schools, Post 16 facility, FE
College, day service, residential service,
sports academy
450 staff
The Percy Hedley Foundation
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Works with profoundly impaired disabled
people
Increased importance of advocacy and
employability
Karten support at Able 2 day service and
Karten Media Suite
Example Policy Drivers
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Valuing People
Supporting People
Improving the life chances of disabled
people
Independence, well being and choice
Learning for living and work
Messages from policy drivers
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More choice of activities and more service flexibility
Individualised budgets as part of a range of funding
mechanisms
Greater ownership and control of services Advocacy
Progression towards independence
More community based services
Flexibility learning towards outcomes
Person centred plans
Moves towards employability
Ex PHF School pupil research
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September 2007
Questionnaires sent to all students leaving
PHF schools between 1995 and 2005
Age range approx 18-28
41 replies from 137 questionnaires (30%)
Housing
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
I live in my own place
I live in rented
accommodation
I live with my parents
I live with friends
I live in a residential
care home
I live in residential
college
Employment
25
20
15
10
5
0
FT Paid employment
PT Paid employment
Voluntary work
College
Unemployed
Relationships
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Married with children
Married no children
Boyfriend or girlfriend
No boyfriend or girlfriend
Service expectations
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More choice, flexibility and control
More community based services
Social enterprise opportunities
Mixed package of services across a number of
locations
Person centred services
Advocacy
Housing options
Employability Opportunities
Advocacy
Advocacy
Representational
Advocacy
Person Centred
Planning
Advocacy definitions
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Advocacy – Speaking up for yourself or
having someone speak on your behalf
Representational advocacy – Electing
representatives to service steering group,
Management committee and Executive
committee
Person centred plans – services build around
the individual not individuals fitting into
services
Social Model
Employability
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Delivered via two mechanisms
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Employability Project (Demand side)
Projects (Supply side)
(Print, Catering, Music Studio, Karten Media Suite)
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Employability Project
Disabled
People
Labour Market
Intermediaries
Employers
Employability Project
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Partnership
Employer Engagement Tools
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Events
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Megaquiz
Business breakfasts
Fashion shows
Awards ceremony
Publications
Employability Centre
Employability Centre
Projects
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Print
Catering
Music Studio
Karten Media Suite
Idea – Karten media suite
Everything in one place
 ‘Real’ work experience
 Cheap but commercial rates
 Emerging social firm or social
enterprise
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Real work experience
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Working conditions
Real work to do
Business park location
Open to the public for business
Training opportunities
Some paid employment opportunities
Social Enterprise
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Social purpose is central to what we do
Social enterprise is a model linked to social
justice
Social enterprises growing in number and
importance
The right business model for us
Social Enterprise opportunities
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Move from day service user to Project
Worker
Training in social enterprise undertaken with
a group of people already operating a social
enterprise
Business plan completed
Development of ceramics business
Karten support – CTEC centre
Thank you
A few
film clips then any
questions
?