To view this page ensure that Adobe Flash Player version 11.1.0 or greater is installed.

EQUALITIES Usdaw and Mencap link Usdaw will work with leading charity Mencap to help promote improved support for people with learning disabilities as part of the union’s 125th anniversary next year. Speaking at the Annual Delegate Meeting general secretary John Hannett launched the initiative. “We want to see our members engage with Mencap and we will be looking to work with the charity and establish closer links during our anniversary year next year.” Mencap is the leading UK charity for people with a learning disability, established almost 70 years ago in 1946. It works with people with learning disabilities to change laws, challenge prejudice and support them to live their lives as they choose, by: n Providing services that allow people to live as independently as possible in a place they choose. n Supporting people to get a job or take a college course. n Providing advice through their helpline and website. n Campaigning for the changes that people with a learning disability want. Learning disabilities affect the way a person learns, understands information and communicates. These can be mild, moderate or severe. Some people with a mild learning disability can talk easily and look after themselves, but may take a bit longer to learn new skills. Others may not be able to communicate at all and may need full time care. Some conditions are associated with having a learning disability, such as cerebral palsy and Down’s syndrome. Only around seven per cent of people with a learning disability are in paid employment. They are far less likely to be in work than any other group of disabled people (overall, around 50 per cent of disabled people are in employment). One of the primary barriers is a lack of understanding of learning disabilities and a fear of the unknown from employers. As a result, many employers can be anxious about employing people who may have some perceived support needs. However, research shows that 65 per cent of people with a learning disability want to work, and that they make highly valued employees when given the right support. In the workplace, people with a learning disability may face specific problems. For example they tend to take longer to learn and may need support to develop new skills. Therefore they may need extra support when they first start a job. They may also face discrimination, whether this be from colleagues or customers. There are a number of things that reps can do in the workplace to support members. For example, being aware of the Equality Act (or Disability Discrimination Act in Northern Ireland), the protections this offers to disabled people, and the legal duty it puts on employers to make reasonable adjustments. Usdaw has produced a guide called ‘Supporting Disabled Members’ which explains this in detail. Reps can also help to ensure that people with learning disabilities are given the training and support that they need, and challenge any instances of discrimination or harassment. Unfortunately, given the barriers to employment, most people with a learning disability are not in work, so are unlikely to have access to a trade union. That is why the work of Mencap in supporting people to get into employment is so important. Mencap works with employers in a range of ways to overcome these barriers. They offer learning disability awareness training to employers, dispelling misconceptions and fears. They also work with employers, taking time to understand their business and ensuring appropriate job matching. Once a person is in work, they can provide on-going support to help the employee learn their role and the employer to understand their employee’s needs. With the right support, Mencap has found that employees with a learning disability tend to stay in jobs longer, have lower absenteeism and have a positive impact on staff morale. Usdaw supports Mencap’s objective to assist as many people as possible with a learning disability into rewarding, paid jobs that match their individual strengths and preferences. The union will be working with Mencap to explore how we can support its work. Visit: www.mencap.org.uk equalities @usdaw.org.uk Network May/June 2015 21