Tuesday, 29 March 2011

Access Employment and BTCV partner to provide opportunities for people with learning disabilities to work independently

We first met James in June 2010 when Liverpool City Council Adult Services referred James to North West Community Services (NWCS) Ltd Access Supported Employment. The goal was to develop James, provide support in introducing James to a work placement of his choice, and to help James achieve independence in travel and work.

James had already undertaken conservation project work through St Helens College and found that he liked working outdoors as part of a team. However James’s passion is Golf, both as a spectator and player.

With the support of a Job Trainer named Phil, Access Supported Employment initially found a placement for James working with the ground maintenance team at Allerton Golf Course, Liverpool. James’s duties included litter picking, sand trap levelling, ground care and flower bed maintenance. As James’s placement at Allerton Golf Course drew to a successful close he expressed an interest in working in an environment where there was a greater level of team work.

The Access Supported Employment Team then introduced James to the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) to join in working at their tree nursery located at Allerton Hall Clarke Walled Gardens, Liverpool.

James has learned to work independently as a ground maintenance operative doing sapling tree care, maintenance and transplantation, overgrown ground clearance, foot path restora-tion, conservation of listed hot houses, and construction and maintenance of wild life habi-tats. James is a valued BTCV team member and enjoys his work and being part of a social group.

James’s Progress So Far:

"James’s Success Story"


*  Travel training and travel to and from Clarke Gardens independently
*  Involvement in team activities and socialisation
*  Using initiative to complete tasks and activities independently and within a team
*  Learning and developing new skills and tasks
*  Learning to own and manage responsibilities
*  Training in health and safety
*  Healthy exercise in the fresh air outdoors