Emma's success shows importance of Supported Employment 

As Warwickshire Supported Employment Service (WSES) celebrates its second anniversary, Team Manager Charlotte Smith reflects on the journey of the service's very first referral, Emma, and her remarkable progress.  

When Emma was featured in a previous article in Warwickshire Means Business, she shared: "Picking up the phone was the first step on my journey after a late autism diagnosis. Leaving the house and catching the bus was my next achievement, and I haven't stopped growing since. I am now the real me, no longer scared of judgement. Though I've just started my journey, I can't wait to keep growing and developing more confidence." 

Fast forward 18 months and Nuneaton Journey Guide Jodie Kilworth and myself attended the ‘Together with Autism’ event at North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College to showcase their work in helping individuals with learning disabilities and/or autism to secure and maintain paid employment in Warwickshire. It was here that I noticed a familiar face setting up a stand opposite theirs - Emma, the service's very first referral and customer, now thriving as a testament to the programme's success. 

Emma was referred to WSES in March 2023 with a long-term goal of finding employment and a short-term goal of building her confidence. Initially, employment seemed a distant dream for Emma, who couldn’t use public transport and struggled to think of any skills or qualities she had relating to employment. Overcoming this challenge was the first step in her journey. 

Supported by her journey guide Joanne Prosser at the time, Emma learned to navigate public transport to meet in her local library to complete a vocational profile. Health and social care was identified as a suitable sector due to her passion for helping others and wanting to make a difference in her community. 

Emma's success story is a shining example of the supported employment ethos, which emphasises matching the right person to the right job. Her journey guide sourced The Prince’s Trust programme at George Eliot Hospital and then registered her as a volunteer at the hospital, thereby enhancing her CV and boosting her confidence. From this experience not only did Emma learn and develop transferrable skills, but she made friends and began to gain a sense of purpose. 

Emma's journey guide also supported her through the job application process, advocating for reasonable adjustments such as providing interview questions in advance. This small but significant adjustment helped Emma manage her anxiety and prepare thoroughly, allowing her to consider the questions carefully and provide well-thought-out examples rather than panicking and underselling herself.  

Emma's dedication paid off when she secured a role at Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust (CWPT). She has since flourished as an Expert with Lived Experience Co-Trainer, co-delivering training sessions alongside a facilitating trainer as part of the Oliver McGowan programme. This training aims to improve the skills and knowledge of health and social care professionals in supporting individuals with learning disabilities and/or autism.  

Joanne Prosser (journey guide) who helped secure the interview said, "I am proud to have been part of her journey but prouder of Emma and how hard she has worked to achieve her goal. It is so great that Karen and her team recognised what Emma could bring to them and support her to thrive." 

Emma’s manager at Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust Karen Scorer said, "Emma is indeed a superstar. We love having her as part of our team and we are so thankful for you all supporting her into employment and beyond, it’s been marvellous watching her confidence grow." 

Reflecting on her role, Emma said, “Don’t look at the label but see that we are able and are only human like everyone else. People with a disability only apply for a job if they believe they can do it and with the right reasonable adjustments they can." 

Charlotte, Team Manager at WSES, expressed immense pride in Emma's achievements. "Seeing Emma thrive and give back through her expertise is incredibly rewarding. It reminds me why I love working in supported employment. In March 2023, Emma was a customer of WSES, and just 18 months later, she was setting up a stand opposite me at the ‘Together with Autism" event to share her experience of paid work with others.

"It's inspirational. We all knew Emma had the potential for paid work, but finding the right job and ensuring she had the right reasonable adjustments has made it such a positive story." 

Emma's journey is particularly inspiring for other customers, as not everyone has the resilience to keep going after facing rejections. Charlotte hopes to see fewer rejections as employers recognise the benefits of inclusive hiring.  

Emma's story (hear her speak about it here) is a powerful reminder of the importance of tailored support for individuals with disabilities. WSES hopes their current caseload of 122 job seekers will have similar success stories in the future, but as much as we can build people's confidence, it’s nothing without the roles for them to step into. Employers really do hold the key to unlocking the potential of which there is so much. 

To find out more about becoming a fair chance employer, please contact: https://skillshub.warwickshire.gov.uk/businesses/fair-chance-employers 

To explore offering work trials, work tasters or offering an inclusive industry tour, please contact: supportedemployment@warwickshire.gov.uk