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Working for a change?
- Authors:
- JAHODA Andrew, BANKS Pauline, DAGNAN Dave
- Journal article citation:
- Learning Disability Today, 10(8), October 2010, pp.35-37.
- Publisher:
- Pavilion
- Place of publication:
- Hove
Supported employment is a common route to work for people with learning disabilities. In theory, it involves careful job assessment to match individual’s strengths and wishes to potential jobs. This article provides an overview of a study which examined the impact of moving into supported employment on the quality of life and emotional well-being of people with learning disabilities. The 49 participants were recruited from 24 supported employment schemes in Scotland. They worked between 3 and 38 hours a week, with an average of 16 hours. Their jobs were mainly entry level posts in retail, catering, office/administration, factory and domestic work. A number of self-report measures were completed to examine whether there were any changes to the participants’ mental health, social lives, and quality of life when they started work. In addition, the participants took part in 2 semi-structured interviews; the first when they started supported employment and the second 9 months later. The results of the self-report measures showed no changes of note at follow-up. However, the semi-structured interviews provided insight into the participants’ perceptions of work and how their views about employment changed. The article concludes that there was little evidence of people with learning disabilities in work experiencing increased social interaction either within or outside of the work setting. Struggles with work can also raise people’s awareness of the limits of their abilities.