Journey Skills Podcast

In this new series Ways Into Work we start off by looking at Supported Internships how they work and why this model has proved so successful at getting young people with additional needs into long term paid employment. Claire Cookson the CEO of DFN Project Search explains how the program works and the different people involved, such as job coaches. She also discusses why the way success is measured matters so much for programs like these.  DFN Project Search UK/Europe https://www.dfnprojectsearch.org/ Project Search USA https://www.projectsearch.us/ Visit the podcast website https://expandingworlds.com/ Follow us on Instagram/Twitter/Facebook Please take a minute to review the show on Apple Podcasts 

After speaking to organisations in both the UK and USA, I believe there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic in the future, despite the recent impact of employment opportunities for young people with additional needs due to Covid. It seems to me that we collectively have a stronger sense of community after the last year, and we place greater value on other human beings. If we capitalise on this change in priorities then, just maybe, we can change presumptions when it comes to employment.  Visit our sponsor site for resources to support you to build a better future for your child https://redgiraffesolutions.com/

The pandemic will have a disproportionate effect on the lives of young people with additional needs. This is true.  But whilst there are organisations out there like Spectrum designs then it’s not all bad news. In this episode, the final episode in my series on the impact of the pandemic on employment for young people with additional needs, I talk to Tim and Patrick from Spectrum Designs about how they have dealt with the last year and how they are committed to keep moving forward to create even more work opportunities. As they say we are a community and it’s time for communities to work together. To quote from from a Spectrum Designs post  “When Social Isolation Is No Longer A Thing Let’s Make Sure It’s No Longer A Thing” Visit our sponsor site for resources to support you to build a better future for your child https://redgiraffesolutions.com/

Who opens a coffee shop during a pandemic? Well the guys at Able Coffee Roasters do! In this episode, part of the series on the impact of the pandemic on employment for young people with additional needs, I talk to Adeel and Anthony about exactly how they did this and why community support has helped them do even better than they had expected. Just like a good coffee this episode really is a wake up call to what is possible, even during a pandemic. If you're ever near Huntington Beach, CA drop in order some coffee at https://www.theableworkers.com/

Neil Willows, from Pure Innovations, discusses the impact of Covid and the UK lockdown on the supported internship programs Pure Innovations runs. He talks about the effect it has had on paid employment opportunities and young people’s mental health. But he also outlines the ways they are working to open up job roles and find new ways to help young people get work placements that will enable them to one day move into paid employment. Visit our sponsor site for resources to support you to build a better future for your child https://redgiraffesolutions.com/

Alison Berkley from Invictus Enterprises talks about the impact of the pandemic on Invictus and how the way they’ve responded has actually opened up new opportunities. She explains how the pandemic meant that future plans they had for program delivery got accelerated and why the pandemic could be a catalyst for more easily sharing best practice and the growth of community based employment opportunities. Visit our sponsor site for resources to support you to build a better future for your child https://redgiraffesolutions.com/

David Hunter from Acceptable Enterprises talks about the impact of the pandemic on their various businesses. While the online business is growing, other parts haven't been so lucky. But opportunities to pivot have been found as well the chance to expand other initiatives. Find out why David is also focused on showing how providing social value has an economic value and why social enterprises could help solve some of the logistics issues the pandemic has highlighted.  Visit our sponsor site for resources to support you to build a better future for your child https://redgiraffesolutions.com/

The podcast is back after a short break with a new name to reflect a renewed passion to promote real change. Find out why we changed the name and what we are doing next including what to look forward to in our first series which is looking at the impact of the Pandemic on work opportunities for people with Additional Needs. Visit our sponsor site for resources to support you to build a better future for your child https://redgiraffesolutions.com/

By changing attitudes we change behaviour, and this is something the guests on this week’s episode are part of making happen. Celia and Maya from WAVE talk about the ethos behind WAVE, and how it aims to bring people together, and by doing that helps change the way they think and their attitudes.    Celia explains why she started the organisation, what kind of support it provides and how it is grown. WAVE stands for Were All Valued Equally, and Celia explains the importance of this as a value and the way that they break down barriers and reduce the fear some people in the wider community have towards people with additional needs. Maya also talks about her own experiences at WAVE and how it has helped her become more confident and made her feel part of something.  Inclusion is a word used often but not always practiced. WAVE is an example of an organisation practicing inclusion and, by doing this, it really is creating a WAVE for Change. Visit our sponsor site for resources to support you to build a better fut

The average person has between 12-15 jobs in their work life. This makes developing transferable skills an essential part of any employability training. A great example of how to make this happen comes from Sunflower Bakery. This week’s guest Sara Portman Milner, co-founder of Sunflower Bakery, shares their story as well as offering  advice to anyone thinking of starting a similar enterprise.  Sara details what Sunflower Bakery does to help young people with additional needs develop transferable skills which they can use to help them gain employment once they finish their training. She explains exactly how the different aspects of the training program works. Sara also talks about the ways in which the training programs build confidence in young people while focusing on helping them in a way that works best for their individual needs.  Sara shares her top tips from her experience with Sunflower Bakery for anyone considering starting a similar enterprise, including finding the right people to help within buildi

Sometimes we need to change direction quickly and find the right information so that we can make an informed decision as to which road we need to take. This week’s guest Kerrie Highcock helps provide that information. Kerrie is the Family Development Manager at North East Autism Society, and her role is not only to provide support but to help people identify where to find information that is useful for their particular situation.  Kerrie talks about the importance for anyone who has been diagnosed with autism,  and their families, recognising that they need support; but it does need to be the right kind of support focused on the positives, not treating autism as a negative in someone’s life. Kerrie also talks about the need for everyone to move away from awareness and understanding to acceptance. She also talks about the importance of listening and learning from the young person who has the additional need, finding out what they want and for them to be talking to each other because they understand the challen

When we go to the theatre we see a different world than the one we live in. Theatre can broaden our horizons challenge our perceptions and this is exactly what the CO/LAB Theater Group aims to do. CO/LAB provides, people with additional needs, a space to be creative and along the way change their perceptions of themselves as well as the perceptions of the communities they live in.  This week guests are Becky Liefman Co-founder of CO/LAB and Liz one of the CO/LAB actors. Becky discusses why and how CO/LAB came about,  through the passion of a few friends to provide a creative outlet for a group of people who don’t always have those opportunities. She also discusses the challenges along the way including those around funding. Becky also talks about the wider role that CO/LAB seeks to have in the wider community to educate people about the talents and skills of the CO/LAB actors. Liz talks about the impact that being at CO/LAB has had on helping her develop her skills as an actor whilst also widening her social

When we’re young we think we can do anything, be anyone, achieve everything. But as many of us get older we learn to fit into the box of expectations. For young people with additional needs this box can be small, with many assuming that they will not be entering the employment market any time soon.  This week’s guest Alison Thwaite, the Employment Development Manager of the Workfit programme run by the Down's Syndrome Association, does not agree. She offers a much better model of presumed employment.  Presumed employment comes from the angle that employment will happen at some stage and works towards that time. The Workfit program takes young people though the process of deciding what jobs they might like to do while also helping them be realistic in terms of the skills they have. In addition, they are helped to identify whether there are local employers that can offer the roles they may be suited for.  Alison talks about the wider issues around why young people with additional needs find getting paid employm

For many young people with additional needs finding a job can be incredibly challenging. It takes planning and for most requires them to go way outside their comfort zone. This week’s guest Dr Michael Reiter runs work readiness workshops and he talks us through the three areas he focuses on to help the emerging adults in the group find and keep a job.  Michael talks about the importance of setting goals and making sure these are SMART as well as identifying the types of jobs a young person might like to do but also has the required skills to do. He discusses the interview process and the fact that as much as this is about the practical things like being able to answer questions it’s also about the ability to manage your own anxiety. Interviews are stressful for most people so ways to help manage that stress, so you still are able to perform at your best is a key part of finding work. Finally he discusses how they address the after you have the job issue looking at the social skills required in a workplace and

If not now when? Planning for the future can be scary for anyone but it’s especially hard when that planning is for a young person who we know will face any number of challenges as they  navigate towards their ideal life.  In this episode Carol Wakeford from Heartventure shares her story about how she and husband have planned and then worked towards providing an independent future for their son. Carol talks about the original idea she had of starting a dating agency and why that original model didn’t work and how it has now transformed into a different model which provides not only a social life for her son and his friends but also helps to break down barriers and build wider understanding in the local community.  Carol also talks about independent living in terms of how to create a supported living house for young people. She discusses the practical challenges of making it work and how to find the right people to work with. Planning for a future, we won’t always be a part of, isn’t ever going to be easy. Pla

We all appreciate the importance of good mental health but sometimes lack the toolbox and even the support to consistently achieve it. This is often the case for young people, particularly those with an additional need.  In this episode, we are talking with Kimmy Obongonyinge from Kooth a UK-based organization offering an innovative way of delivering support when and where young people want it.  Kimmy explains what Kooth offers and how it supports young people particularly, at those times where they are not sure who to reach out to. Kimmy also discusses healthy coping strategies that young people can use to manage their mental health and activities that contribute to positive feelings of well-being.  Kooth is an innovative service that takes advantage of the benefits that technology can bring to all of us when used in the right ways. But even with the use of technology, it is all still about people reaching out and supporting each other reminding each other as Kimmy does that we all have good and bad days and

Emotions are part of being human.  But for many of us there are times when we wish we had better tools to manage our emotions. This can be especially true for young people with additional needs who often face extra internal and external emotional triggers. In this episode we hear from Dana Bishop a Relax Kids coach on some of the strategies that can be used to not only manage the way we feel but to harness these feelings and increase our mental health wellbeing. Dana shares the 7 steps model of Relax Kids explaining each step and providing examples of how has used it.  The steps model  work around the idea that you can’t just decide to relax but rather you need to go through a series of steps which will help you get to that relaxed state you are after. Some of the tools Dana talks about are one’s we have all heard of like breathing exercises  and affirmations but she provides a timely reminder that it’s the simple ideas which are still the best. Being able to understand and manage emotions is key for our youn

Everyone has unique skills; everyone is a specialist in something. This is something this week’s guest Thorkil Sonne from Specialisterne understands completely. Specialisterne which translates from Danish as “The Specialists” is an organisation focused on helping young people with additional needs find meaningful employment. The focus is on matching the skills of the individual with the role not trying to make the person fit the job. Specialisterne have also developed a unique approach to assessing the skill of individuals in a way that enables them to showcase their individual skills as well as show how they work in a team. This is in recognition that traditional interview approaches limit the opportunities for young people with additional needs to fully illustrate what they are capable of. Specialisterne also work with employers proactively, to not only help them maximise the skills of their employees but, with practical support around what reasonable adjustments might be necessary in any workplace. Special

Sometimes it’s the small ideas that can have the biggest impact and this is certainly the case with this week’s guest Ric Womersley from Spotlight Brewing. Ric founded Spotlight Brewing to make great beer whilst providing genuine employment opportunities for people with additional needs. Not only is Spotlight Brewing doing this very successfully but through their products they are educating their customers about the challenges people with additional needs can face. In this episode Ric discusses some of the practical issues around setting the brewery up and running it. He also talks about the challenges they faced as a small business finding equipment, training as well as the obvious challenge of how to fund everything they needed.  Spotlight Brewing is a social enterprise and Ric also outlines why he chose that structure over other options. He also talks about what’s next for Spotlight Brewing. Spotlight Brewing is a perfect example of taking an idea and flipping the switch to get it started. The results are

We sometimes feel that we are alone in our journey but often by simply looking around we realise we are not. The focus of this week’s podcast, Yoocan proves this in the way they provide an online space to share stories and to inspire each other. In this interview Moshe Gaon co-founder of Yoocan explains why Yoocan exists and what its primary aims and objectives are. Moshe also talks about how important collaboration is in advancing the way we do things and helping speed up the pace of change for young people with additional needs. He explains why we need to look outside what we know into other areas to find solutions that have been created for other reasons but help us to solve our own problems. Moshe also talks about why Yoocan is a social enterprise not  a charity and why this is important in the long term not only for the success of Yoocan as a platform for collaboration but also why social enterprises are a better way to bring about real sustainable change. The hint in the name really but actually Yoocan