NTA Regional Award Winner, Providing Education and Training, The Orchardville Society Ltd.
Creating Opportunity for Adults with Learning Disabilities

An attitude still persists that employment is not a viable option for people with learning disability, making it difficult for this group to access training systems and employment. Belfast based Orchardville Society created Project Opportunity to address this issue, by developing individual skills which impact on employability.

Orchardville Society was established in 1981 by a group of parents, carers and professionals. It is a local voluntary organisation and charity which provides employment, skills development and a range of social economy activities to over 200 people with Learning Disability and Autistic Spectrum Disorder in South and East Belfast.

The Society needed to ensure that the growth of its social economy programmes continued to underpin the quality of its training services and the employment opportunities secured. Project Opportunity was created to help develop employment related skills, confidence/self-esteem and Independence, as well as increase access to work experience and ultimately employment.

The 41 trainees accessing the Project were adults with learning disabilities who had aspirations to develop independent travel skills, gain a greater sense of community safety and access employment opportunities within the Hospitality and Catering Sector. The programme included experiential learning, supported work experience, and individualised learning.

Project Opportunity was delivered by a dedicated training team of three staff via coaching, seminars, practical workshops, theoretical sessions, ICT support and resources. The trainees worked towards qualifications in independent travel, food preparation, food safety and conflict resolution.

The benefit of Project Opportunity to trainees has been considerable. From a situation of limited access to skills and/or employment opportunities, they have gained qualifications and many are now in employment.  Of the first trainees, 41 received qualifications, two now have paid jobs, 27 are in or seeking further work experience placements and 26 are travelling independently. The learning has impacted positively across trainees, parents and organisationally, as well as in the wider society via inclusion in the employment marketplace.
 
One parent commented: “In school, travel training was not an option. Adam now travels independently. Undertaking the Food Studies programme created the pathway to NVQ Level 1. Adam has transferred his skills to home, creating greater confidence and independence. This project allowed Adam to pursue a career; like his non-disabled peers.”

Una McGarry, one of the trainees on the programme adds: “I did the Independent Travel Training and ‘How to get on with Everyone’ course with my travel trainer Margaret. I really enjoyed it because the workbook had loads of different pictures in it which helped me to learn and taught me to be careful on the road using the green cross code. It also taught me important things like wearing bright clothes when travelling as this makes me more noticeable to others.

“Since I have done this training I can now travel into town by myself, read bus numbers and timetables, pay my bus fare with my own money and use my SMART Pass. The travel training has made me an independent person because I can travel by myself to my work at Dorothy Perkins and the Orchard Café.”