Developing supported
self –employment opportunities for the disability
community
Learn to Earn
 Creation of online accessible learning resources which
support the development of skills for business,
entrepreneurship, employability and self-employment
for those whose opportunities to gain paid work are
challenging because of disability.
 The support of the application of those skills through a
national network of print and media centres both on
and offline, creating real life opportunities for
improved engagement with the community and the
development of economic well being through
supported self-employment.
Learn to Earn
 The project will enhance the employability skills and potential of
individual entrepreneurs and groups by providing a route to
market for their art, design and printed products through an
established network.
 The creation of a portal will enable partners and individuals to
sell their products to a wider market on a self-employed basis.
 The primary focus will be disabled people who would otherwise
be isolated.
 Creating learning resources to enable entrepreneurs and groups
to participate in developing an online enterprise portal based
around an established network of print and media centres
Learn to Earn
 Only 11% of people with learning disabilities have a
paid job.
 DWP Working Lives report that Day Service are poorly
prepared for moving people into jobs.
 A range of reports (Ofsted, Peter Little) identifies the
lack of employment opportunities for the disabled
community.
Learn to Earn
 This project provides the impetus to establish a
network of self employment opportunities, supported
by on-line learning materials for entrepreneurs, groups
and providers.
 This group is marginalised by a lack of opportunities
to contribute to their own economic and social well
being.
Learn to Earn
 The use of an online portal, targeted primarily to
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entrepreneurs disadvantaged by disability, which will
deliver:
Accessible learning resources providing employability
skills, designed by people already working with this client
group and understanding their needs.
A route to market for art, design and print items produced
through the existing learning network
Financial literacy and e-safety
An enhanced sense of purpose and self-esteem, with the
ability to contribute to their community
Learn to Earn
 Learners will take an active part in producing materials
with support of tutors and support workers through active
learning programmes. These will be evaluated by a project
management team (including entrepreneurs) through the
piloting of learning resources with a range of community
groups – day services, residential provision, specialist
colleges.
 Entrepreneurs are already involved in the development of
ideas for products to take to market, the production of
these items, costing, marketing and quality assurance.
Learn to Earn
 Support services already flourish in the current network
 Progression will be enhanced through development of
learning resources targeted towards supporting digital
skills, financial literacy, e-safety and functional literacy and
numeracy skills embedded within a vocational context
 Signposting to other providers and support services
including DWP, Access to Work, Job Centre Plus and
disability employment advisers.
Learn to Earn
 A project management team, with learner
representation, will operate including shared
responsibility for defined areas of the project,
facilitated by face-to-face meetings and video
conferencing.
 The Karten Network already has the requisite
infrastructure to support partnership working between
the 100+ centres in the network. The Network
Development Manager is in regular contact with all
centres, and produces a regular newsletter. An annual
conference is also held.
Learn to Earn
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Objective 1
Increase the number of entrepreneurs with employability skills
What difference will it make?
Individuals will develop employability skills they may find
difficult to acquire though other means.
 How will you measure the difference and what evidence
will you provide?
 Number of completed evaluations by registered entrepreneurs in
Q&As and online survey.
 Number of self-employed entrepreneurs joining the network as
new businesses
Learn to Earn
 Objective 2
 Increase the sustainability of the social enterprises within
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the network
What difference will it make?
Provide vehicle for self employment and increase the sales
potential for the partner print centres
How will you measure the difference and what
evidence will you provide?
All sales will be accounted for through the portal,
demonstrating the increased sales for the print centres and
also for individuals.
Learn to Earn
 Objective 3
 Develop an online portal
 What difference will it make?
 Enable entrepreneurs to engage in the social and
commercial activities of the network, access learning
resources and a forum group
 How will you measure the difference and what
evidence will you provide?
 Evaluation of portal by a range of user groups Existing
learners will contribute to the design and user-friendliness
Learn to Earn
 Objective 4
 To promote supported self employment as a viable
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alternative to paid work for the disability community
What difference will it make?
Reduce isolation of learners, provide supported
learning and access to resources and products
How will you measure the difference and what
evidence will you provide?
Numbers of registered users and user groups
Website traffic and use of learning packages.
Learn to Earn
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Objective 5
Engage other community groups
What difference will it make?
Creating real enterprise opportunities supported by a
range of on-line learning tools
 How will you measure the difference and what
evidence will you provide?
 Evaluation of the project material.
 Take up of the enterprise offer creating supported self
employment opportunities
Learn to Earn
 Objective 6
 Partnership agreement to ensure ongoing service beyond
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pilot
What difference will it make?
Ensure the sustainability of the support network
How will you measure the difference and what
evidence will you provide?
Registration of individuals and user groups making use of
the learning materials and using Karten Centres to provide
the products they wish to sell
Measurement of web site traffic
Learn to Earn
 A major objective of the project is to establish the legal
status, business plan and income streams to ensure the
project outcomes can be implemented in a new service
which will be financially sound, have an increasing
user group and contribute positively to the
employability and entrepreneurial skills for the wider
disabled community.
Learn to Earn
 All development of agreements, licences and policies to have an
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impact assessment
Ensuring e-safety is an essential on-line learning tool to keep
entrepreneurs safe
Monitoring of participants by age, gender, disability and ethnic
group to inform the project of whether some groups are not fully
represented and establish any need to specifically target such
groups to ensure inclusion and opportunity.
Ensure all material is DDA compliant and represents our multicultural communities
Investigate accessibility in terms of communications needs of the
user group including text readers, video links, symbols, etc
Consideration given to adapting accessibility where English is
not the preferred language
Learn to Earn
 Martin Timmins
 St John’s School & College
 martin.timmins@st-johns.co.uk
 07811 213104
 Chris Day
 Glasshouse College
 Chris.Day@ghc.rmt.org