Employment Service

The labour market has traditionally marginalised and excluded people with disabilities. Having a job is as important to people with learning difficulties as it is to everyone else. It not only provides financial reward and spending power for the individual, but also enables many other positive gains including social networks, improved status, increased confidence and self-esteem. It also provides a structured and meaningful lifestyle. NOW's Employment Service uses the model of Supported Employment to enable people with learning disabilities/difficulties to secured paid job opportunities..

Our service has been designed to provide individuals with the training and support they require to get the job they want and keep it. Our package of services enables individuals to access the following employment opportunities:

• Work Sampling
• Paid Work Trials
• Voluntary Work
• Permitted Work
• Open Employment
• Workable (NI) and New Deal for Disabled (NDDP)

NOW delivers the WorkableNI and New Deal for Disabled (NDDP) programmes funded by the Department for Employment and Learning (DEL), which provide the ongoing support and development that our service users need to progress and maintain paid employment in the open labour market.

These programmes:

• Assist employees to gain the work skills required for the jobs they want and to keep them
  
• Meet the requirements of disabled people facing the most significant barriers to working and who require continuing support over a period of time
  
• Encourage employees personal development and independence
  
• Assist employers to meet the developmental and support needs of disabled employees, and
  
• Facilitate where possible progression to unsupported employment