Warwickshire Employment Support Team (WEST)
WEST is a countywide service for people with a learning disability or who are on the autistic spectrum, who want to work. We help them to find full-time or part-time work in the public and private sector.
We help autistic people and/or those with a learning disability to access and keep up with paid work. We offer:
- expertise on disability employment and benefit issues
- personal profiling and job matching
- ongoing support to employers and employees
Recruitment and support
We specialise in recruitment and offer a professional service to employers who offer employment or work experience to people with learning disabilities and who are on the autistic spectrum or Asperger’s Syndrome. Our service includes:
- selective recruitment
- support with application forms
- support at a job interview
- one-to-one job coaching
- acting as an advocate for the customer with work-related issues
- full review of the effects of employment on customers’ benefits
- support permitted work through DWP
How it works
- Initial referral to WEST
- Assessment and vocational profiling by an employment officer
- Agree on a working contract between our service, customer and family/carer
- Allocation of a named key worker
- Create opportunities for employment
- Work in partnership with employers, customers, parents and carers
Who is eligible to use WEST?
To use WEST, customers must:
- be aged 18 years or above
- live in Warwickshire
- want to enter paid employment
- have a learning disability or autism