Supported Employment Project

Supported Employment St. Michael’s House

St Michael's House WorkAbility programme is co-funded by the Government of Ireland, through the Department of Social Protection and the European Union. The project will run from 2024-2028 and will support individuals over the age of 16 years old to Prepare, Train and Gain meaningful employment in the community. To find out more about our SMH WorkAbility project funding please visit www.EUFunds.ie

This project will also focus on delivering disability awareness training to employers and their staff who engage with our WorkAbility Team.

Project Goals

• Support people with disabilities to access meaningful employment
• Improve career progression opportunities
• Improve employment outcomes through education and training
• Support potential employers to provide employment for people with disabilities
• Develop beneficial clinical and individual resources that can be used universally and accessed easily

Project Objectives

Objective 1: To improve the employment prospects of people with disabilities who are currently distant from the labour market

Objective 2: To build the capacity of employers to recruit, retain and progress people with disabilities within their workforce.

Project Actions

Action 1:  Increased employment rates of programme participants and diversify employment pathways for programme participants e.g. facilitate jobs shadowing day, work experience and volunteering opportunities

Action 2:  Enhance job readiness and employment skills for programme participants though participation in work skill workshops and career specific workshops

Action 3:  Increased number of employers establishing good practices and supportive workplaces for people with disabilities

What is Supported Employment?

Aligning with St. Michael's House Strategic Plan and building a rights based service, this Project delivers a model of employment that supports a person with additional needs to obtain and maintain meaningful employment. St. Michael's House have been supporting adults with disabilities for over 70 years to enhance their skills and support them in a working environment. The project team has thoroughly reviewed this area and has established a streamlined pathway for all who wish to engage in employment as well as providing support to St. Michael's House staff assisting in the process, and to future employers.

The Supported Employment Project team are training and assisting young adults to become valued and active members of the workforce. The team will also support and train your employees with bespoke disability awareness modules.

What are the Benefits for your Company?

There are huge benefits to having an employee on your team with a disability:

• Expands Talent Pool: Supported employment facilitates businesses to connect with a diverse talent pool of individuals with unique skills and perspectives. Research also shows that employees with disabilities consistently demonstrate strong work ethics, attention to detail, and a commitment to delivering excellence in their roles.
• Greater Workplace and Community Inclusion: By hiring individuals with disabilities, employers contribute to creating a more inclusive work environment that values and respects individuals of all abilities, and which also helps build wider community integration and growth.
• Job Satisfaction: Supported employment ensures that individuals with disabilities are well-matched with jobs that align with their skills, interests, and strengths. This personalized approach can lead to higher job satisfaction and greater retention rates in key areas of work.
• Positive Workplace Culture: The contribution of individuals with disabilities in the workplace can foster greater awareness and a more compassionate culture, which can support employee engagement and alignment with each company’s brand and social values.
• Tangible Economic Impact: Supported employment contributes to the overall economy by increasing workforce participation and career growth among individuals with disabilities. This strengthens local economies as more individuals earn incomes, develop skills, and participate more fully as active members and customers of the organisations they engage with.
• Grants: Under the Reasonable Accommodations Fund employers may be able to access a number of relevant grants to support accessibility and retention of employees with a Reasonable Accommodation Fund (www.gov.ie)

St. Michael's House are delighted to already have successful collaborative relationships with many companies who support and employ adults in our services. We currently have a number of employers successfully participating in this supportive employment initiative. We hope to further expand & welcome on board new partnerships.

Everyone should have the right to work, to enjoy equal rights and opportunities, and to be INCLUDED

Meet the Team

 

 

My name is Ailish and I am the WorkAbility Project Coordinator.

 

My name is Amy and I am a WorkAbility Officer

 

My name is Amy and I am a Workability Officer.

 

 

My name is Natalia and I am a WorkAbility Officer

 

My name is Mark and I am on the Supported Employment Project Committee

My name is Katie and I am an Occupational Therapist.

My name is Tara and I am a Speech & Language Therapist

 

We are here to support you in the best way we can and look forward to embarking on this new exciting journey with you.

 

To find out more about our innovative St Michael's House WorkAbility Project (including clinical support) please dowload our brochure here or click on the image below or contact the team directly at supportedemployment@smh.ie or 086 2012488.

 

For further information on the funding for this project please visit www.EUFunds.ie