Engage to Change
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Evaluation of the outcomes of the Engage to Change transition to employment project
IRAS ID
214705
Contact name
Stephen Beyer
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cardiff University
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
NA, NA
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, 7 months, 24 days
Research summary
"Research Summary"
Unemployment in Wales is high for young people with a learning disability and/or autism. Engage to Change will work to place in paid employment young people aged 16-25 in Wales who have a learning disability or Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The 5-year project is being funded to the amount of £10 million by The Big Lottery Fund’s Getting Ahead 2 grant - the largest ever awarded by the organisation in Wales.Intervention
The project teams are highly trained in Supported Employment practices and will provide bespoke support packages for young people comprising elements of: specific vocational assessment; vocational advice, guidance/counselling; supported employment visits; vocational/independence training; supported work placements; supported interviews/work trials; long term sustained employment; supported volunteering; post-placement support; supported signposting to relevant programmes and training. The project will also prioritise activities to change government policy and agency practice in relation to evidence.The Engage to Change consortium will provide job coach support to enable young the target group into employment placements and paid jobs. The service will be offered across Wales. The target is to place 1000 young people and for 600 of these to get paid jobs over the five years of the project. As part of this the project will set up 5 Project SEARCH, one-year internship programmes with large employers. These young people will be in further education but at risk of being NEET.
Research
Dr. Stephen Beyer from the National Centre Mental Health (NCMH), School of Medicine, Cardiff University will design and lead the internal evaluation of the project. The team will design systems to collect and provide data for continuing quality improvement to Project Steering Group and partners. The team will provide data on project clients, support processes and outcomes in line with the project goals, with interpretation of implications for a range of policy makers.
"Summary of Results"
Evaluation of the outcomes of the Engage to Change transition to employment project.
Background
Employment is a key element in individuals' lives. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (United Nations, 2006) recognises: 'The right of persons with disabilities to work, on an equal basis with others; this includes the opportunity to gain a living by working freely chosen and accepted in a labour market and work environment that is open, inclusive and accessible to persons with disabilities. It is well documented that people who have a learning disability and/or are autistic are disadvantaged in the labour market and face significant challenges in finding, obtaining and maintaining employment.
Engage to Change was a seven-year, pan Wales project, to help young people with a learning disability and/or autism to tackle employment barriers and transition into a paid job. Led by Learning Disability Wales, it brought together ELITE and Agoriad Cyf supported employment agencies to deliver job coaching, unpaid and paid placements and paid jobs in ordinary workplaces. The project was supported by self-advocates from All Wales People First.
The Research Team
The evaluation of the Engage to Change project was carried out by The National Centre for Mental Health (NCMH) at Cardiff University. The project was funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and supported by the Welsh Government.
Influencing and Informing Engage to Change was a partnership between Learning Disability Wales and NCMH at Cardiff University. This took forward the policy, research, and legacy work of the Engage to Change project between 2023 and 2025.
The sponsor for the evaluation of Engage to Change was Cardiff University. There are no competing interests to declare.
Engage to Change and Supported Employment Engage to Change aimed to draw on Supported Employment and Supported Internships as models of good practice to demonstrate what works for young people with learning disabilities and/or autism in Wales.
The Supported Employment Agencies delivered job coach support following the supported employment model. Participants could make use of up to 6-months of an employer wage incentive in a paid placement. Wider services were also offered, such as vocational assessment; careers guidance and counselling; supported interviews and work trials; and travel to work training. The project also delivered four DFN Project SEARCH, and three Supported Internship schemes across Wales.
The research aim was to leave the best legacy work available for future generations of people with learning disabilities, to inform, inspire and promote supported employment and job coaching for people with learning disabilities and/or autism in Wales, UK and internationally.
How many people were involved in Engage to Change The evaluation of Engage to Change included all eligible young people, referred to the Engage to Change Project and who received input from the project.
In total 1319 eligible young people were referred to the project over 7 years (1075 young people on main project and 244 on supported internship placements). Participant age criteria were age 16-25 years and having a learning disability, a specific learning difficulty and/or autism. Participants were not in education, employment or training and also needed to be committed to gaining paid employment.
The project also worked with over 800 employers.
Evaluation results
The Engage to Change project successfully provided employment support through job coaching to 1075 young people and delivered 244 supported internships, gaining an overall paid employment rate of 41%. This is compared to an estimated employment rate of 4.8% for people with learning disabilities in England (BASE 2023). The project is no longer accepting referrals.
The Engage to Change study reinforces the importance of Supported Employment and job coaching to secure paid employment for young people with learning disabilities and/or autism.Key learning from the research and evaluation includes:
* The Engage to Change project demonstrated the potential of Supported Employment and job coaching as a successful pathway for young people with learning disabilities and autism to access sustainable employment. The whole-systems support, offered to the person, parents/carers and the employer, showcased the importance of the Supported Employment model in fostering an inclusive workforce.* The research suggests that there is a need for more tailored support for younger individuals, particularly those in the early stages of their career development, from education to employment, but with a recognition that the best practice should be available to all ages.
* The importance of job coaches is evident throughout the Engage to Change project, with employers consistently reporting high levels of satisfaction with the support received.
* Employers were satisfied with the work ethic, punctuality, and productivity of the young people on the project, with many expressing an interest in hiring future employees with similar disabilities. Within the Supported Employment model, job coaches pay significant attention to matching the young person to job and employer.
* Job carving is an effective practice, where the job role and tasks are "carved" to match the skills of the young person, to make sure the match works for both the employees and the employer. The young people performed at the employers' expected standards, and developed the social skills needed in the workplace.
Despite these successes, challenges persist. Stigma and discrimination against individuals with learning disabilities and autism continue to be barriers in the workplace. This is determined by the lack of knowledge and fear of risks associated with employing someone with a learning disability and/or autism. There is still work to be done to overcome misconceptions, particularly around concerns about reliability and work performance. More can be done to ensure long-term, widespread change.
Conclusion
The project legacy of Engage to Change and the positive employer feedback, together with the overall employment rate achieved of 41% compared to 4.8% nationally (BASE 2023), is a strong foundation for continued work in this area.
Employment is everyone's business. There are direct links between employment and wider life, for example, wellbeing, independence, health and social care provision, caring roles and the economy. Sadly, people with a learning disability and/or autism are not regarded generally as a priority for employment support.
The evaluation team remain committed to ensuring that Welsh Government and stakeholders are engaged in the employment of people with a learning disability and/ or autism. If we are to provide effective support we need to be clear about the model fidelity and the resources needed to deliver an effective service. The Engage to Change project's efforts in raising awareness about the value of a diverse workforce and encouraging employers to give people with learning disabilities a chance represent a significant step forward.REC name
Wales REC 7
REC reference
16/WA/0392
Date of REC Opinion
13 Jan 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion