The SHIEC group (Sustainable Hub of Innovation Employment for People with Complex Needs) met on Monday 21 November 2016 to look at what had been learnt and how the lessons learnt could be moved forward. Viv Cooper, CEO of the CBF, set out the aims and outcomes of this group set up specifically as a demonstration project to prove individuals with complex needs could be supported to find and maintain employment. The Hub was made up of organisations and stakeholders (large and small) who would support individuals into work.
Prior to offering support, SHIEC first had to help providers change their perceptions, to understand that with direct support, individuals with complex needs can work effectively.
The Seminar included speakers from the Tizard Centre, Dr Nick Gore, who has been very involved with the project since its inception and offered a overview and introduction to SHIEC, Prof Rachel Forrester-Jones who gave a talk on how to move the project on in a realistic direction and Jo Ruffels who gave a case study from the Tizard’s experience of employing a member of staff with complex needs.
Rex Richardson from Linkage, a Lincolnshire based charity that supports people with learning disabilities, offered an insight into how people with complex needs can make a valued contribution through employment.
Those attending included representatives from the Department of Health, Dimensions, United Response, Avenues, BILD, Challenging Behaviour Foundation, Bangor University, NVFF, Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities, Local Government Association, Department for Work and Pensions, NHS England and Linkage Community Trust.