This case study forms part of the What Good Looks Like report on people with a learning disability and autistic people. This co-produced report was commissioned from the Building the Right Support Advisory Group, as part of the wider action plan developed by the Building the Right Support Delivery Board. It has been supported by Partners in Care and Health.
Introduction
PLUSS- Plymouth Autistic Employment Project is commissioned by Job Centres and run by the Community Flexible Fund and the council. People are referred by the job centre and the project welcomes those who have either been identified as neurodiverse by job coaches, those who identify as neurodiverse and those with an autism diagnosis - it does not exclude people waiting for a diagnosis.
It focusses on first working with the individual to reduce social isolation or some wellbeing activity, if that is what is agreed. They also work with prospective employers including making sure that reasonable adjustments are in place and ensure that the interview environment reflects the person’s sensory needs.
The service also provides advice and support to employers to ensure that they can do the right things to support individuals in the workplace.
The scheme also benefits from not having to stick with the prescribed guidelines/routes into employment associated with other Job Centre Plus programmes such as the Health and Work programme.
How it works
This employment project is funded via Job Centre Plus, with contributions in kind (office space, staff supervision) from PLUSS and Plymouth City Council. It operates across the Plymouth City Council area.
People are referred by the job centre and the project welcomes those who have either been identified as neurodiverse by job coaches, those who identify as neurodiverse and those with an autism diagnosis. The project recognizes that there is a long waiting list (over two years) for an adult autism diagnosis locally - so it does not exclude people waiting for a diagnosis. The service has close links to Plymouth’s post-diagnosis autism service for adults, so, individuals can be directed from this service to Job Centre Plus.
Once an individual is referred into the service then time is taken to find out what their preferred method of communication is and, to ensure that the individual does not have to repeat their story. The information held by different agencies is collated in one place.
The service then works with the individual to find out a bit more about what they want to do next, and a bespoke approach developed for everyone. This could include work experience, CV development, or placements in specific roles. It focusses on first working with the individual to reduce social isolation or some wellbeing activity, if that is what is agreed.
If the person was at the stage of applying for jobs, the project supports the individual to talk to the employer and encourage positive disclosure. They also provide support for interviews, including securing reasonable adjustments and ensuring that the interview environment reflects the person’s sensory needs.
There is also a job coaching provision that supports individuals in the workplace by breaking down the roles; helping individuals understand the workplace culture; and providing support for the little work things that people may struggle with like taking breaks, lighting, coffee rounds.
The service also provides advice and support to employers to ensure that they can do the right things to support individuals in the workplace.
The challenge
The project emerged from a “place and train” service, commissioned by Plymouth City Council, for people who have a learning disability and referred by adult social care.
Initially the council wanted to expand this original service to meet the needs of autistic people. However, focus groups with autistic people showed that this was not the service they wanted, and they needed something that worked for autistic people and could accommodate the larger numbers of individuals coming through the job centre.
Job Centre Plus (JCP) was approached to fund the initial service via a grant scheme. Collaboration with JCP ensures the project gets the right referrals and their staff are becoming more skilled in understanding how to adapt approaches for autistic people.
What makes it good?
It is a really bespoke service: each individual will have their own plan that has been developed with the individual and reflects their different starting points. The scheme benefits from not having to stick with the prescribed guidelines/routes into employment associated with other Job Centre Plus programmes, such as the Health and Work programme.
It also offers support to employers. The service can support the individual and the employer to navigate taking on a new role and new workplace – and thereby preventing the individual becoming isolated in the workshop and providing assurance to the employer when things do not appear to be going in the right direction.
A lead worker is used to provide the right support. The postholder needs experience of working with autistic people, be skilled in forming relationships and providing challenge, when needed.
Regular workshops and feedback sessions involving people using the service are held to ensure that the project changes and evolves to reflect the feedback provided by people. There are four groups each year to shape the service. This approach has positively changed things including the forthcoming name change to 'Neurodiverse Employment Service' and the recognition that a job coach is needed to fully understand each role.
The impact
In order for this to be a success, barriers had to be overcome, not least the fact that funding from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) takes time to secure. Another challenge is that long waits for diagnosis means that some individuals do not receive the right support early enough.
Sometimes individuals come through the service who need additional help with their mental health, communication skills or to reduce social isolation. The eligibility criteria for the Plymouth post-diagnostic service means that it can be hard to secure these services for individuals. Sometimes the employment project picks up responsibility for helping the individual, but it only has very limited resources.
At the moment it is a very small project, supporting just 37 individuals with one member of staff. The staff member brings experience of working with adults with autism to the project. However, in the first year of operating, it has secured sustained employment for over 50 per cent of referrals. It costs £41,000 per annum, from the DWP Community Fund to operate the service currently and provides good value for money.
How is the new approach being sustained?
Looking forward, we are securing another year of funding with a slightly larger team so we can support 55 people into work, with an estimate target of 25 people going into work. The aspiration is that this becomes a permanent service either with Job Centre Plus or joint funding with the council.
We are also developing an employer’s network with Babcock (one of Plymouth’s biggest employers). The network will promote employment of neurodiverse individuals and the adaptions needed. Peter Stokes, Babcock’s Neurodiversity Network Chair based at Devonport, said:
“There are many myths around neurodiversity and by establishing this employer network, we aim to work collectively and bust many of these myths, as well as focusing on the stigmas that unfortunately still exist. For example, that dyslexic people struggle to read or write letters backwards, ADHD is a label for naughty children and that autistic people struggle with emotional awareness.
Every neurodiverse person is unique and has their own set of challenges but collectively they also have a range of strong characteristics like creativity and big picture thinking, as well as great problem solving and analytical skills.
Many of the world’s top entrepreneurs are neurodiverse and utilise these skills to their advantage. Some of the most prominent technology firms in the world are realising the strengths these employees bring and actively helping them thrive in the workplace. This network is in place to help all employers and anyone with a condition to bring their best self to work.”
Now we are looking to extend the project outside Plymouth because there are underserved communities of adults with autism in most places. The Plymouth service has shown that a small amount of money goes a long way.
Fundamentally it is all about maintaining momentum – as it feels like we have only just scratched the service!"