Curtain Up For Business Guide

Apr 15 2008 By The Journal

AN INNOVATIVE North East theatre company is showing businesses what it's really like to employ someone with learning disabilities.

Gateshead-based The Lawnmowers Independent Theatre Company, which is run by and for people with learning disabilities, has been researching the concerns of employers when it comes to bringing in staff members who need extra support and exploring some of the best examples of how real businesses are making it work.

The Lawnmowers' findings and a practical guide for employers were presented at a two-day conference at The Sage Gateshead earlier this year. 
The research has been funded by a £40,400 grant from One NorthEast's Third Sector Capacity Fund, which was launched to help not-for-profit organisations find new and better ways of overcoming the barriers which can prevent people from working or starting a business, and to share new ideas across the sector.

Geraldine Ling, the founding arts director of The Lawnmowers, said: "One of the main outcomes of this project will be an interactive information kit for employers, providing small businesses with very practical information on the issues around employing people with a learning disability. We welcome discussion on opportunities to access work, particularly in the cultural sector."

Surveyor Malcolm McKennel, a private sector employer who gave feedback to The Lawnmowers on their research, said: "Often employers have the willingness to consider employing people with a learning disability but may also have concerns. Maybe this kit will have some of the answers. It's time to give the person with a learning disability a better chance to gain employment."

The project is the latest piece of research conducted by Lawnmowers, and is underpinned by the concept of Social Capital - a way of understanding social networks and their power to create value. Making sure that people with learning disabilities can play their full part in these networks helps them to live more independently, reducing reliance on benefits and making a more active contribution to the economy and community. The research is helping to tackle the fact that only 17% of people of working age with a learning disability who want a job actually have one.

One NorthEast's economic inclusion strategy manager Robin Beveridge said: "The Regional Economic Strategy highlights the importance of economic inclusion, making sure everyone has the opportunity to play their full part in the regional economy. The Lawnmowers' research will hopefully address some of the most common concerns and questions that businesses raise."

:: For more information, visit www.thelawnmowers.co.uk