Peer support for employment

1. Peer support for employment Liz Sayce Disabled People Leading Change

2. Origins • A group of Disabled People’s Organisations started meeting regularly, with DR UK, to consider what would help halve the disability employment gap and realise the right to work • Conclusions: peer support could make an important contribution, alongside policy levers to increase opportunities and changes to how work is structured • So we shared experiences – from Job Clubs to peer mentoring and disability employee networks; from on-line to face to face Disabled People Leading Change

3. Why peer support? • Forbes top business trends 2016: • We are in a connecting economy – top performing businesses will focus on the value that comes from connecting customers: • Airbnb is the largest global provider of accommodations – yet owns no buildings • Facebook is the largest media company – yet creates no content • Could employment support create human value through connecting people, not rely only on ‘provision’ of professional support? • Effective connecting requires investment Disabled People Leading Change

4. Why peer support? History • The independent living movement from the 1970s showed how deeply disabled people learnt from each other: eg how to employ PAs and lead the life you choose • The mental health recovery and survivor movements showed the value of user-led groups, peer support workers – to foster hope and mutual support, in our chosen life paths • We learnt there was nothing quite so powerful and motivating as sharing stories and drawing on lived experience – learning from ‘ordinary role models’, changing power relations, reducing fear Disabled People Leading Change

5. Capturing knowledge • Radar 2007: evaluation of sharing work stories (Doing Work Differently publication). Unanimously positive response from diverse disabled people, and welfare to work providers • ‘The publication supported me through a traumatic work experience. It gave me more confidence in myself to apply for jobs. My last job had made me lose all confidence and now I am in a job I love’ • ‘When I was given the publication I thought ‘here we go, another waste of time’. In fact it boosted my morale. You made me realise that I am not on my own’ • But we needed to go beyond publishing to wider sharing…… Disabled People Leading Change

6. Disabled People Leading Change

7. Local DPO employment work • Learning from many DPOs suggests people who may believe they cannot work gain encouragement, understanding of barriers and how to overcome them, new possibilities, jobs/self employment – and gains in self esteem from supporting others in peer support (giving not just receiving) • Journey to Employment: Pilots in 3 areas. Community employment specialists in DPOs, with lived experience, working with Job Centres Disabled People Leading Change

8. Career development Disabled People Leading Change

9. DR UK Leadership Academy • Community leadership programme with mentoring and coaching by and for disabled people: 82% of over 500 participants said they were more likely to act on leadership aspirations at end of programme. Went on to be trustees, school governors, entrepreneurs, campaigners, a local Mayor, Muslim leader….. • Leadership Academy career programme: 80% of participants achieved their career development aims, from promotions and new jobs to leading new projects and using new skills Disabled People Leading Change

10. Separate worlds • Peer support in disability/health condition organisations mainly geared to general well-being/health outcomes • Large scale employment programmes geared to work outcomes – without peer support • There is small scale peer support for employment entry & progression; networks in some companies • Relatively little learning from peer support for employment in fields of ex-offenders, homelessness etc • Can we bring these worlds together? Disabled People Leading Change

11. Opportunities • Peer support/mentoring as part of the new employment support offer to disabled people • Peer support offered before ‘work programme’ is available? • Building on DPOs’ peer support track record in gaining skills (eg traineeships, apprenticeships), job entry, retention and progression • Building partnerships and scale • Being clear on how to enable peer support that is intensive where needed, sustainable. Disabled People Leading Change

12. DR UK is pulling together report on good practice examples: we will be in touch • liz.sayce@disabilityrightsuk.org • www.disabilityrightsuk.org Disabled People Leading Change