Employers in the Swindon and wider Wiltshire area are being invited to an online event to find out how they may be able to offer employment to somebody who has Down’s Syndrome.
The Swindon Down’s Syndrome Group and the Down’s Syndrome Association’s WorkFit programme are putting on the event on Thursday 3 March at 9am. It will be held on Zoom so anyone can join once registered, and work can be anything from paid jobs, volunteering roles, work experience or traineeships.
Roy Perrett from Devizes works two days a week as the WorkFit Liaison Officer for the Swindon Down’s Syndrome Group.
“We welcome any prospective employers to join the online event and find out how they may be able to offer meaningful employment, training and workplace skills to someone who has Down’s syndrome. We want employers to think about people’s abilities rather than their disabilities. Even if you think you can only offer a few hours a week, we’d love for you to come and hear more from current employers and employees. From office staff to retail workers, civil servants to scaffolders, there are a breadth of candidates looking for a range of roles in the area.”
Speaking at the event will be Todd Scanlon and his employer Martyn Coles. Todd, 32 from Swindon, has worked for Coles Scaffolding for more than three years now. He was helped by the WorkFit scheme when he first started and has now been made a permanent member of staff. In 2019, Todd won a national award after receiving the most public votes for ‘best apprentice’ at the On The Tools Awards.
Luke, who has Down’s syndrome and is employed at Wiltshire Police, will also be speaking alongside his previous boss. They will be there to give another perspective on how the WorkFit scheme has worked for them, and even expanded within the force.
Since 2015, the partnership between the Down Syndrome Association’s WorkFit programme and the Swindon Down’s Syndrome Group has been providing a tailored employment programme for people who have the condition in Swindon and Wiltshire. It is a service dedicated to training employers about the learning profile of people who have Down’s syndrome so that they can be supported in the workplace both before employment and after.
Online event for prospective employers: Thursday 3 March, 9am – 10am
To book a place for the event and receive the Zoom information, please email: chair@swindondownsgroup.org.uk
The team look forward to seeing you there and if you have any questions in the meantime, please email us at: dsworkfit@downs-syndrome.org.uk or call 0333 1212 300.
