Communication
Vocational
Choice
Best Practice
For Vocational
Trainers

Vocational Choice
It is important that young people with disabilities receive realistic advice and guidance when choosing a vocational area within training. The correct vocational choice will ensure that the young person has a good training experience that builds both practical skills and self-confidence.
Getting It Right
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Give clear and accurate information about the demands of each vocational area.
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Provide advice and guidance to help direct the trainee in the selection of vocational area.
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Provide a comprehensive range of vocational areas for trainees to choose from.
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Maximise opportunities for disabled trainees to access mainstream classes.
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Avoid broad-based assumptions around the implications of the trainee’s disability.
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Where a trainee has expressed an interest in a specific vocational area, it should be accommodated where possible.
Reasonable adjustments must be put in place, if required, to facilitate the trainee.
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Take care in the first 13 weeks to ensure adequate sampling of vocational areas.
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Schedule a second review meeting at the end of the first year to confirm the appropriateness of the vocational area chosen.

The opportunity for learning vocational skills in a real work environment is an extremely positive element of vocational training. Across Great Britain and Europe it is accepted that people with disabilities will be more likely to gain employment by being placed on an employer’s premises, rather than trained in an artificial setting. All trainees should be given the opportunity for work placement with a supportive employer, where they can develop practical work skills in a real work setting.
Getting It Right
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Choose a work placement that is closely matched to the trainee’s vocational area to provide evidence for accreditation.
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Ensure that all trainees have the opportunity for placement with a suitable employer, regardless of the level of their support needs.
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Arrange an introductory meeting before the start of the work experience with the provider, placement officer and support worker.
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Monitor work placements regularly. Visit trainees at least every 4-6 weeks to ensure that all parties are kept up-to-date with progress.
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Ensure that competent members of staff directly supervise trainees.
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Arranging support by a designated co- worker or “buddy” can work very effectively for trainees with high support needs.
 Ensure that the person working closely with the trainee receives adequate training and support .

Communication
Successful training requires strong relationships and effective communication between all parties to ensure a positive result for the trainee. Frequent communication should be initiated to ensure all concerned are fully involved and up-to-date. It should be centred around the trainee, open and constructive, and avoid patronising disabled young people in its tone or content.
It is best practice for organisations to encourage disclosure of information around disability in a safe and confidential environment and to assist the trainee to discuss any support needs or reasonable adjustments that may be necessary .
Getting It Right
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Encourage disclosure of relevant information about the e ffects of the trainee’s disability and share with appropriate staff.
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Maintain confidentiality, with disclosure restricted only to information which has an impact on training.
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Communicate frequently with placement providers to resolve any difficulties at an early stage. This contact can be via telephone or in person.
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Ensure that placement providers are fully aware of their training responsibilities and informed of the NVQ structure and evidence requirements.
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Ensure that placement tasks are relevant to the NVQ area in which the trainee is participating.
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Draw up an induction contact sheet to assist disabled trainees in remembering placement details, start times, phone number etc.
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Provide clear information for placement providers on the requirements placed on them under the employment provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act.

Maximising Potential
The transition from school to vocational training can present a range of challenges to some young people with disabilities. This is particularly the case for trainees who have come from the Special
School system, where they may have had limited exposure to risk and restricted opportunities to develop independence skills. Training
Organisations and Colleges need to offer a balanced programme of life skills, vocational qualifications, and work placement that will increase the trainees employability.
For these trainees to reach their potential it is important to include personal development which will help to build confidence in interpersonal, work, social, and where appropriate, independent living skills.
Getting It Right
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Provide opportunities for personal development in both formal and informal settings – including interpersonal skills, work, social and independent living skills.
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Deliver regular training updates to enable staff to challenge and develop their practice with trainees with disabilities.
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Tutors/Lecturers should be fully qualified and be expected to possess a positive and open attitude to trainee achievement and accreditation.
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Provide appropriate materials, aids and learning environment with adjustments to suit each trainee’s learning style.
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Ensure support is available internally and externally to assist staff with disability and equality issues.
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Set disabled trainees a range of challenging but achievable goals.
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Monitor the progress towards goals and adjust support to facilitate their achievement.
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Staff ratios should allow for some work to be reinforced in smaller groups or through one to one support.
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Maintain momentum by avoiding lengthy breaks in training.
Interruption during the summer can be particularly detrimental to trainees with disabilities and should only occur in exceptional instances when all other options are exhausted.

Quality Monitoring
The transition from full time education to the world of work can be challenging for everyone and particularly for those with disabilities.
Quality monitoring ensures training with Training Providers and
Employers is adequately resourced to meet the disability specific needs of disabled trainees.
Getting it Right
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Ensure that young people with disabilities are regularly visited on work placement. Some young people will require a higher level of contact than non-disabled trainees to ensure positive outcomes and to tackle any issues that arise
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Extended training time should be available to young people who need it, rather than being put in place as a matter of course. Where extended time is not required, disabled trainees should be assisted to progress to further training or employment
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Staff training on disability awareness should be mandatory and repeated
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Appropriate learning resources and assistive technology must be provided to meet the needs of disabled trainees
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Targets set for trainees should be challenging but achievable. Failure to reach targets should result in adjusting the supports to help the trainee succeed.
Additional monitoring will indicate if targets need to be adjusted.
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The duty to make reasonable adjustment applies across all aspects of training delivery – from recruitment through to completion. The success of reasonable adjustments should be monitored and additional measures introduced as necessary
Sources of Support
There are a number of support systems in place that provide help and guidance to disabled trainees, Training Organisations and Colleges involved in vocational training. The first step for a young disabled person is to meet with the Careers Adviser at school. Young people

wishing to embark on vocational training can discuss options with the
Careers Adviser, who will guide them to the most appropriate
Training Organisation or College.
Once in training, a number of support service options are available to provide advice and practical help to both providers and trainees.
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Disability Action
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Training Support Service
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Support Works
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Jobskills Support Programme, Cedar Foundation
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Sensory Learning Support, Jordanstown Schools
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Careers