ASSISTANCE FOR DISABLED PEOPLE AND THEIR EMPLOYERS

 

This leaflet outlines the services available for people with disabilities and their prospective Employers.

Although many people with disabilities integrate into the general workforce, others require special help to improve their employment prospects.

The Department for Employment and Learning supports people with disabilities by providing the following services:-

Careers Service - Careers Advisers provide an all age careers information, guidance and advice service on a range of options specifically tailored to the needs of their clients.  This includes assisting people with disabilities, among others, to access education, training and employment.  

The Careers Adviser can also:

· give you information on jobs and training opportunities 

· help you plan your career 

· give advice on how to find work, apply for jobs, write CVs and prepare for interviews and put you in touch with any specialist help you might need.

Disability Advisory Service - Disablement Employment Advisers (DEAs) – help adults with disabilities find suitable training and employment. They can advise employers on adapting their premises to suit a particular individual's disability; they can contact local employers about vacancies and may arrange for you to work in a job on a trial basis.
 
The Disablement Employment Adviser (DEA) can also:

Advise employers on how to recruit and retain disabled employees.

• Offer a range of practical and financial help to assist disabled people and employers
• Refer you to a professional occupational assessment service
• Arrange flexible working patterns through the Access to Work Programme.

How do I find out more?

Careers Advisers and Disability Employment Advisers operate throughout the Department for Employment and Learning’s' network of Careers Offices, Jobcentres and Job & Benefits Offices.

To find out more on how to contact the Careers Adviser or Disablement Employment Adviser (DEA) log on to our Website:

www.careersserviceni.com  - and/or

Tel: 028 90 441781
 
Useful Contacts

Agencies and Consortium for Education and Training (ACET) & Job Brokerage

·        The Cedar Foundation Training Services, Galgorm Industrial Estate, Fenaghy Road, BT42 1AQ Tel: 028 25659111 Email: tsn@cedar-foundation.org Website: www.cedar-foundation.org

·        Disability Action, Portside Business Park, 189 Airport Road West, BT3 9ED. Tel: (028) 90297880 Text phone: (028) 297882

·        Royal National Institute for the Deaf(RNID) Wilton House, 5 College Square North, Belfast BT1 6AR Tel: 028 90239619 Fax: 028 90312032 Website: www.rnid.org.uk Email: information.nireland@rnid.org.ukWebsite:www.disabilityaction.org Email: hq@disabilityaction.org

·        Sensory Learning Support, 85 Jordanstown Road, Newtownabbey, Co.Antrim, BT37 0QE. Textphone: 028 90868361 Fax: 028 90868761 Email: information.sls@lineone.net Website: www.jordanstownschools.co.uk/sensorysupport.php

·        The Orchardville Society, Lagan Village Tower, 144-152 Ravenhill Rd, Belfast, BT6 8ED Tel: (028) 90732326 Email:employmentservices@orchardville.com Website: www.orchardville.com

Specialist Colleges – a number of specialist colleges in Great Britain such as the Royal National College for the Blind in Hereford or the Doncaster College for the Deaf offer educational and vocational courses. For further information contact Natspec – www.natspec.org.uk

Industrial Therapy Organisation (ITO), Mourne Villa, Knockbracken Healthcare Park, Saintfield Road, Belfast BT8 8BH. Tel: (028) 9040 3726. Fax: (028) 90 403727

Website: actionmentalhealth.org.uk

Email: info@actionmentalhealth.org.uk

Action Mental Health/Mencap (Areas Covered – Province Wide)

·        Action Mental Health, Mourne House, Knockbracken Healthcare Park, Saintfield Rd, Belfast, BT8 8BH
(028) 90403726

·        Mencap Eastern Area Office, 416 Ormeau Rd, Belfast, BT7 3HY
(028) 90492666

·        Mencap North & West Area Office, 17 &19 Bishop St, Londonderry, BT48 6P
(028) 71262227

·        Mencap Southern Area Office, 20 Russell St, Armagh, BT61 9AA
(028) 37528767

Fermanagh Training Ltd (Areas Covered – Fermanagh, Dungannon)

·        Skills Centre,Killyhevlin Ind Est., Dublin Road, Enniskillen BT74 4EJ
(028) 66324860

Network Personnel Ltd (Areas Covered – Magherafelt, Cookstown, Limavady, Ballymoney, Coleraine, Derry, Dungannon)

·        The Business Centre, 80-82 Rainey St, Magherafelt, BT45 5AJ
(028) 79631032

Omagh New Deal Consortium (Areas Covered – Omagh, Fermanagh, Strabane)

·        5 Old Market Place, Omagh, BT78 1BT
(028) 82246535

Ulster Supported Employment Ltd (Areas covered – Belfast (North & West), Newtownabbey, Armagh, Ballymena, Banbridge, Carrickfergus, Craigavon, Larne, Lisburn, Antrim, Ards, Ballymoney, Coleraine, Derry, Down, Dungannon, Moyle Newry & Mourne, North Down, Strabane)

· 182-188 Cambrai St, Belfast, BT13 3JH
Tel:028 90356600

· 11 Market St, Portadown, BT26 3JY
028 38350202

Ulster Supported Employment Ltd., 182 – 188 Cambrai Street, Belfast BT13 3JH.

Tel: 028 90356600. Fax: 028 90356611
Website: www.usel.co.uk
Email: info@usel.co.uk

If you require further information about this scheme, or any of the opportunities outlined in this leaflet, contact the Careers Adviser or DEA in the nearest Jobcentre/Jobs and Benefits office.

FURTHER READING

“Disability Rights Handbook” available from Disability Alliance, Universal House, 88-94 Wentworth Street, London E1 7SA.

Tel (voice and minicom): 020 72478776.
Fax: 020 72478765
Website: www.disabilityalliance.org
 
National Bureau for students with Disabilities produces a wide range of literature. For further information contact them at:-

Skill NI Representatives, Unit 2, Jennymount Court, North Derby Street, Belfast BT15 3HN

Tel: 028 9028 700. Fax: 028 90287002
Website: www.skill.org.uk/ni/index
Email: admin@skillni.org.uk

“A Practical Guide for People with a Disability” available from the Department of Health and Social Services, Disability and Mental Health Unit, Dundonald House, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast BT4 3SF

Tel: 028 9052 4294.
Also available through the website: www.dh.gov.uk/publications and statistics