Journey Skills Podcast

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