Kevin Wright

We would like to thank Opencast Software for generously hosting our full team meeting on the 30 April. Not only were Opencast Software’s facilities and hospitality fantastic, they also had an agenda item which they presented to the team about how to get “tech roles in the current tech sector.” This will help us improve and enhance our practise when supporting job seekers who want to enter the tech/IT sector as a career.

We also had Alison Stephenson from AAA Caring Caretakers, who delivered a Deaf Awareness training session, this included how to communicate effectively with Deaf people, Deaf culture, and some British Sign Language. The feedback from this session has been fantastic, Alison was really engaging, and the team learned a lot about how to work with members of the Deaf community

Our picture features Alison, and also Lily from Opencast with the DurhamEnable team.

A new partnership between the region’s largest council and a supermarket chain has been launched to help people into work.

DurhamEnable, which supports people aged 18 and over with disabilities, neurodiversity, or long-term health conditions into work, has been working with Morrisons to launch a new pilot employment scheme.

The pilot saw five job seekers given work placements at three of Morrisons’ County Durham stores, where they took part in a six-week trial period.

The trial allowed the participants to develop the skills needed for the role while being given full support between shifts by DurhamEnable’s dedicated job coaches.

At the end of the six weeks, two of the job seekers decided to continue to paid employment and have started their new jobs with Morrisons.

Another job seeker was able to use the skills they gained from the trial to secure paid employment elsewhere.

The supermarket is now working with DurhamEnable to organise another opportunity to welcome job seekers and roll out the pilot across more stores in the county.

Cllr Ted Henderson, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for children and young people’s services, said: “We are delighted to have worked in partnership with Morrisons to give some of our job seekers the opportunity to secure paid employment.

“People can sometimes find their disability or health condition can impact on finding and maintaining a job. This scheme has allowed us to work with a large employer and set up a trial period which is supportive and follows the job seeker at their pace, allowing them to build the skills they need to continue into work. We’re so pleased that some of our participants were able to secure employment through the scheme and wish them well in their new roles.”

Claire Coulthard, Morrisons people manager, said: “We’re really pleased that through this partnership with DurhamEnable, we have provided work opportunities for jobseekers with disabilities, neurodiversity, or long-term health conditions.

“We are proud to be working with such a worthwhile organisation and look forward to continuing and building on our partnership.”

Matthew joined St Cuthbert’s Hospice in November as part of a supported internship programme provided by Durham County Council’s DurhamLearn and DurhamEnable services.

The structured, work-based study programme is for 16-24-year-olds with special education needs and disabilities (SEND) who have an education, health and care plan. Its core aim is to help young people complete a substantial work placement, with the support of an expert job coach.

Matthew currently spends three days a week working between our Meadowfield Furniture & Homeware Store and Prince Bishops Shop, developing his employability skills.

Matthew told us: “I really enjoy volunteering in the shops. I have gained experience in working in retail; sorting clothes, dvds, books, restocking the shelves and keeping everything tidy.

“My favourite task to do is looking through the books at Meadowfield and researching them to give them a price.”

Malcolm and Allison, Retail Manager and Retail Assistant at our Meadowfield Furniture & Homeware Store agree “Matthew has helped Meadowfield so much, scanning and pricing books for us, which has helped us to raise hundreds of pounds. Our monthly claim for books has tripled with Matthew’s help!

“We’ve seen his confidence grow and he’s a great member of the team.”

Matthew attends his internship alongside Matthew, his job coach. He told us: “It’s always funny as we’re referred to as the ‘two Matthews’. I’ve been working with Matthew since January this year and when we first met he was quiet, now he’s full of confidence and knows his way around the shops. He’s now looking after the shop as if it was his own! He’s tidying things and using his initiative to complete tasks himself.

“It’s been great for Matthew to be able to learn how to use the till and gain more experience in speaking with customers. All of the Hospice supporters who buy things or pop in to donate items are so friendly. We’ve enjoyed spending time chatting with them about their reasons for donating to the shops.

“I’m really proud to have worked with Matthew over the last 7 months, I have seen his confidence grow so much.

“We’re hoping to organise a visit to the Hospice soon, so Matthew can see that his time volunteering, translates to patients getting the care they need.”

Karen Jennings, St Cuthbert’s Hospice Volunteer Services & Accessibility Manager reflects: “I would like to say how lovely it has been watching Matthew’s confidence grow. Each month I have caught up with him and Matthew, and I can see that he has gone from strength to strength. He has gone from a very quiet introverted young man to now, holding his own in a conversation. We have set goals each month for him to achieve and he has taken it all in his stride, learning through the training that he has done. He has built some lovely working relationships with the teams at the shops, and you can see that he enjoys what he is doing.

His job coach has gradually taken a step back so that Matthew is now volunteering independently at Meadowfield. He started volunteering in Meadowfield shop for 1 day per week and since November he has added another 2 days going to the shop in Durham Prince Bishops. He has learned some vital skills that have hopefully given him the foundation to help gain paid employment in the future but at the same time, supporting the Hospice.”

Cllr Ted Henderson, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for children and young people’s services, said: “It is wonderful to hear that Matthew is developing the skills and confidence needed to enter the workplace with the support of our DurhamLearn team and all those at St Cuthbert’s Hospice.

“Our supported internship programme offers young people the opportunity to learn on the job and truly feel part of real business and a work community. This is vital to helping them develop the skills they need to secure paid employment. As they overcome barriers they may have previously faced, it also helps our young people to make friends and gain financial independence, which provides key benefits to their physical and mental health, and we look forward to hearing many more success stories like Matthew’s in the near future.”

Karen Jennings and Claire Sewell – St Cuthbert’s Hospice Volunteer Services & Accessibility Managers told us: “We’d like to say a huge thank you to Matthew for volunteering with us, our volunteers are at the heart of our shops and we couldn’t do it without them! Building relationships with our local community and helping to create inclusive work and volunteering spaces is important to the Hospice and we have been proud to link up with DurhamEnable to welcome Matthew to the team”

About St Cuthbert’s Hospice

St Cuthbert’s Hospice in Durham is a registered charity. Whilst some of the running costs are met by the NHS through local Commissioning Groups, a further £2.5 million pounds per year must be raised by the hospice to run their services, with much of the money coming from local events and fundraising activities. St Cuthbert’s Hospice opened in 1988 and provides care for people with life limiting conditions, as well as giving support to their families.

The Living Well Centre offers day services each weekday, such as physiotherapy, complementary therapies, advice on symptom control and social activities. The In-Patient Unit, which opened in 2006 following a public appeal, allows the Hospice to offer 24-hour care for people living in Durham, Chester le Street and the surrounding areas. There are 10 bedrooms which provide individualised care planned to support the total wellbeing of each person, taking into account their physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs. It provides holistic care for patients with life limiting illness.