Government Office for London Annual Review 2001-2002 | Download the Complete Review in PDF Format here
Pathways to Work
"It gives you a really great feeling you know. Seeing someone get a job that they love and they're good at, for the first time. Nothing can beat that for me and that's what it's all about, isn't it?"
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(Vocational Training Facilities at Disability Times Trust) |
Ian Whitehead is a happy man. He is project co-ordinator for the Pathways for Disabled People - Disability Times Trust. Funded under the Objective 3 Programme, European Structural Funds, the Trust provides personal development, vocational training and real work experience to people wishing to build a career within the creative/media sector. And the project is a roaring success. The syllabus, run over 6 months, provides a unique and integrated programme of learning. Designed with the aid of lecturers at the London College of Printing (LCP), it utilises key desktop publishing packages to provide a comprehensive programme of learning that is otherwise not available as a single training programme. At the end of the programme, the students leave with not only the knowledge of desktop publishing, but also a professional portfolio of their published work - which is a vital asset when seeking employment with a notoriously competitive sector. |
The project, which has seen the development of the Trust and two further successful ESF bids, has had a number of striking achievements. Many beneficiaries leave with new-found confidence and set of invaluable skills to progress in their chosen profession - and also in life. Some have found the opportunity to study at the LCP, but perhaps the greatest feeling of accomplishment comes for students who go on to gain employment in creative/media roles within commercial organisations.
Such success stories include Arinze Alters, a severe asthmatic who followed the programme with the Trust and now works for design consultancy Ikon. Or Steven Portlock, afflicted with tunnel vision, who was given a long term placement with the Guardian newspaper after studying under the Trust and has since had his own work published.
But Ian feels the Trust still has a lot to offer and holds ambitious plans.
"Our success is down to a combination of three things - the enthusiasm and commitment of the students, the vision and support of the people at LKCP and last but not least those organisations who give our students invaluable work experience."
**Due to mis-information, The Government Office for London would like
to retract the statement which was made in this article, that Fabio Delpoio
suffers from dyslexia. Fabio has never suffered from dyslexia, he attended
the project due to a sports injury, not dyslexia.
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The employment rate for disabled people of working
age in London is 30%. The rate for the general working age population
is 70%. Unemployment in inner London is almost twice the
national average - 7.1% when compared with 3.6% in the UK.
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(Clients in the Personal Development Group room at Disability Times Trust) |
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