Inclusion, Confidence and Getting Recruitment Right
A recent survey highlighted a worrying reality for people with learning disabilities looking for work. While most employers believe people with learning disabilities can be productive employees, almost half admit they do not employ anyone with a learning disability. One of the biggest reasons? They are afraid of getting it wrong.
The findings reveal that many employers worry about saying the wrong thing, making mistakes during recruitment, or not knowing what adjustments to make. Yet at Lisieux Trust, our experience tells us that the answer isn’t to involve people with learning disabilities less – it’s to involve them more.
One way we do this is by ensuring residents and tenants play an active role in recruiting the people who will support them.
When interviewing new support workers, often, the people we support sit alongside managers and have a genuine voice in the process. After all, the people receiving support are often the best judges of the qualities that make a great support worker.
We are also proud of the diversity within our workforce. Many colleagues come from neurodiverse backgrounds, bringing valuable perspectives, skills and experiences that help strengthen the support we provide.
Julia, a tenant, recently took part in interviews for a new member of staff alongside Operations Manager Alison O’Meara and Registered Manager Hayley Watson.
It was an experience Julia clearly enjoyed. “Alison and Hayley did the writing on the Lisieux Trust forms and I did the ticking the boxes, how well I rated the new support worker,” she said. “Alison was very proud of me.”
When asked how the experience made her feel, Julia’s answer captured exactly why involvement matters.
“I felt very important to the Lisieux Trust management and I really felt so proud.”
Those words say a great deal. Recruitment is about finding the right people, but it can also be about confidence, empowerment and ensuring people’s voices are heard.
At this charity, we believe support should be built around choice and involvement. That extends to the decisions that shape daily life, including who joins our team.
The survey suggests many employers are worried about getting it wrong. Our experience is that the best way to get it right is to listen to people with learning disabilities and give them a seat at the table. The same principle applies to building an inclusive workforce. When organisations focus on people’s strengths and contributions rather than perceived barriers, everyone benefits.
For us, inclusion is not simply a policy. It is something we put into practice every day. Whether it is supporting people to make choices about their lives, involving them in recruitment, or embracing the diversity of our workforce, we know that better outcomes come when more voices are heard.
And as Julia’s experience shows, sometimes that can make someone feel very proud indeed.
Sources:
