Resources In
Seeking Employment (RISE) is a free programme that supports
and empowers people with disabilities to move towards work-related
activity while breaking down barriers to employment. RISE
supports residents in the deprived wards of Birkenhead,
Bidston, Tranmere, Leasowe, Seacombe, and Woodchurch who
are claiming incapacity benefit and is funded by Wirral
Neighbourhood Renewal.
RISE has been devised entirely by Inclusive Access. It grew from a real
need that disabled people and people with health conditions or long term
incapacity want to make the step from inactivity to activity but find
it very difficult, due to the lack of information or knowing what they
can now do with their working lives.
The priority or RISE is to engage workless disabled members of the community
from the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods to access advice and support
to enable them to enter the labour market, whilst creating a link between
business and employee and to break down the barriers that exclude disabled
people from taking up employment.
RISE is a 10 week programme of one and a half days
a week. This equates to 8 hours per week training and
8 hours per week of self directed study,
resulting in an Asset NVQ 1 certificate. Each week covers
a key theme to help transform people’s future outlook and give
them the tools to make long term, permanent change to
their lives.
It has a positive impact on their families too, by meeting not only the
target of reducing workless ness but impacting on other beneficiaries
such as lone parents and those over 50 as well as targets of child poverty
and safer neighbourhoods.
RISE engages and tailors the course to each individual.
One to one support, mentoring and counselling are available
to all participants. The programme
is flexible and the topics and ways of approaching each
module may be different each time the course is run to
accommodate the clients’ needs,
interests, barriers and the experiences of those attending.
There are 7 key modules and 3 supporting modules. The Asset qualification
relates to the 7 key modules and the 3 supporting modules are designed
to build and reinforce the information the learner has acquired throughout.
To gain a certificate the learner will be required to complete 40 hours
of coursework relating to the 7 key modules.
Week 1 Goals
Week 2 Skills
Week 3 Confidence Building
Week 4 Team working
Week 5 Observation visit
Week 6 Ideal job
Week 7 Working for yourself
Week 8 Employment Rights and Responsibilities
Week 9 Work Familiarisation
Week 10 Action Planning
The real value of the programme is to provide individuals
with the confidence to make the first step and giving the
support and knowledge on how to
do so.
Currently through The Rise Project we provide free support
to employers of small to medium businesses in Wirral and Merseyside. This
support is to enable employers to be more inclusive and more accessible
in their work places.
We provide:
- Taster events
- Disability and Diversity awareness
training
- Access consultancy
This is to assist business in their
obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act,
to be aware of issues around employing a diverse workforce
and of the many support options including grants to make
reasonable adjustments.
We at Inclusive Access have access
auditors that are National Register of Access Consultants
qualified and are very experienced in giving advice on
access to buildings. The premises would always be audited
by our NRAC consultants to see that they meet all the
DDA requirements. We always take into account access
needs both from a built-environment point of view and
to meet any special needs that the clients may have.
We help our clients to:
- Meet their duties under the Disability
Discrimination Act (DDA)
- Provide excellent customer service
to disabled customers
- Find practical, creative and cost-effective
solutions to access problems
- Meet best practice in employment procedure
We are members of or have worked in partnership
with the following organisations to assist in the support
of employers:
- Wirral Chamber Of Commerce
- Federation Of Small Businesses
- Business Link North West
- Access To Work
- College for Business (partnership between
Scientiam and Wirral Metropolitan College)
Some Employers we have supported thus
far include: Forum Housing, Fusion 21, Lees and Partners
Solicitors and Successful Safety Solutions.
In addition we are a Skillworks provider
so training can be subsidised up to 60% if required
The RISE project is managed by Inclusive Access (UK)
Ltd
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