How and why is access denied? Part 3

Jackie’s story


When I left School I went to a Social Service Training Centre. I earned 25p a day to make up boxes and screw things together for televisions. This was then stopped and I left. Since then I have not earned any money of my own, although I wanted to.

I worked voluntary in a nursery for some years. As they said they couldn’t afford to pay me, they gave me gifts and vouchers as payment on my birthday and Christmas. This was sweets or a £5 Woolworths voucher. I finished Play Group after Dad died.

I then worked in a charity shop with no salary. My job was to make the staff drinks, and clean the toilets and the kitchen. One of the staff used to send me to pay her gas bills. This was a worry to me as I had a lot of money and had to find the shop to pay the bill---When I said this, the member of staff told the Manager that “If I didn’t leave she would”. So the manager told me to go, as she didn’t want to lose the lady. I was not supported by her----This made me feel bad and I felt hurt.

I am currently looked after by my carer, who pays me £5 a week to clean her house. This is where I live. Because I want to work and be independent I have contacted my key-worker that I see at the Day Centre on a daily basis, to ask her to put me in touch with an employment agency. I am waiting for them to contact me. I would like to do a cleaning job with a contract and a salary.

What kind of Access to people with learning disabilities want? Part 3

Access that is permanent or long-term: Jeremy’s story

I was at college, doing a gardening job for the Borough Council. I got paid for this. Then I got moved, although I did ask Services if I could stay as I enjoyed it so much. They said No.

Glory[1] found me employment with the Borough Council, with a salary, funded for a year. This was a gardening contract. When I left the area, Glory found me another gardening job. I had to start at 7am and was taken to a house to cut the grass. This was for a trial period of one week and it did not last.

Glory then got me a job, which I got paid for. I had an interview, got the job and started on the Monday. The job I was given was to cut the grass which was on a very steep slope which I had difficulty with. I was then given a different mower and asked to cut the flat areas, which I managed fine.

On the Wednesday of the same week, Andy from Glory came to tell me “they didn’t want me any more”.---This left me hurt and upset.

[1] Not the real name of the agency