Supported employment

Work is really important. I am a grown man now and I need money.

Toby talks about his job

What is supported employment?

Most people with learning disabilities have little or no experience of paid or unpaid work. Supported employment enables people with learning disabilities to fulfil their potential through workplace opportunities. It helps them find and sustain paid employment in workplaces or to give something back to their community by volunteering. Affinity Trust works with people with learning disabilities and with employers local to them to find suitable positions and offer any extra support both employer and employee may initially require.

Within our department, I have two workers with learning disabilities who work for 2-4 hours a week and provide a great resource within our structure doing routine administrative tasks. We have benefited from increased productivity and motivation as a team. Our new employees have been invaluable in sharing the workload of the existing team members: enabling our staff to concentrate on the more specialised aspects of their job roles.

Colin McIntosh, Reading Borough Council

Affinity Trust's supported employment team based in Reading, known locally as Contact, works with over 60 people to help them gain paid employment, work experience or voluntary placements.

Find out more about what Toby does at work

Get in contact

To find out if we can offer supported employment in your area please contact your local office