The Disability Discrimination Act

What You Need to Know

A Guide for Small to Medium Businesses

Appendix B - Employment Programmes and Supported Employment Services

Jobcentre Plus Programmes

Access to Work:

If you are thinking about recruiting a disabled person, you will know they have the skills and potential to do the work, but there may still be practical problems to overcome.

Access to Work (AtW) is available to help overcome the problems resulting from disability. It offers practical advice and help in a flexible way that can be tailored to suit the needs of an individual in a particular job.

AtW can offer a grant towards the approved costs that arise because of an individual’s disability. For people who are starting a job with you, the grant is up to one hundred percent of the approved costs. For those that already work with you, the grant is up to eighty percent of the approved costs over the first three hundred pounds you spend making reasonable adjustments.

Workstep:

Workstep provides job support to disabled people who face more complex barriers to getting or keeping a job, but who can work effectively with the right support. It enables disabled people to realise their full potential to work within a commercial environment, giving them, wherever possible, an opportunity to progress into open employment. The programme also offers practical assistance to employers.

The programme is managed by Jobcentre Plus who contract over two hundred local authorities, voluntary and private sector organisations and Remploy Limited, to provide support so that eligible disabled people can work, develop and progress in a wide range of jobs.

See Section 7: for contact details.

Headstart:

The Headstart Employment Project aims to support people with or recovering from mental health problems in finding or sustaining paid or voluntary work, training or education. The service also offers training and advice to organisations on stress awareness, mental health awareness and reasonable adjustments at work

Jobmatch:

Jobmatch work with local employers to offer supported employment to people with a disability. The services on offer include a comprehensive package of support including on-site training and advice for your prospective employee.

Jobmatch are funded by Tameside MBC and will provide you with a quality service at no cost to your company. Advise on your recruitment needs can be given and a person will be matched to a specific job complete with support on a one-to-one basis by a Job Coach until the person is competent at the job.

Henshaws Society for Blind People

Will to Work

Henshaws Project establishes the barriers faced by visually impaired people to gain work. The project offers local employers free advice and information on how to recruit and retain visually impaired staff. We will come to your workplace to offer basic advice.

Henshaws can also support both the learner and the employer to facilitate short work experience placements within local businesses.