| USEL places 500th client into employment through New Deal for Disabled People |
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Ulster Supported Employment Ltd (USEL), provider of paid employment and related services for disabled people has placed its 500th client into employment through the New Deal for Disabled People Programme (NDDP), an employment programme designed specifically to help people with health conditions and disabilities move into and retain paid employment.
Funded by the Department of Employment and Learning, the aim of the voluntary programme is to assist those people with a disability who are in receipt of a qualifying social security benefit with the help and expertise to readily access employment.
USEL delivers the programme by working with both employers and disabled people, to match the jobs available locally with the skills needed to fill them, and to develop those skills for people who do not already have them. Many people who have joined this programme have benefited from the support to develop new skills and improved confidence – in addition to the financial benefits of being in work.
The 500th client, Joanne Quinn, who had been unemployed for several years was assigned to Teresea McFadden, USEL’s employment services officer who helped Joanne find employment with Greenlight Gateway, an organisation which offers workshops for young people with disabilities in the Moyle area, covering areas as diverse as aluminum can and textile recycling and horticulture.
To mark this achievement USEL presented Joanne with a cheque for £250. Joanne commented “Without the help and support I received on this programme through USEL it would have been a struggle for me on my own to try and re-enter employment. My confidence has increased so much and I am really enjoying my new job.”
Sam Humphries, Chief Executive of USEL commented “This is a significant milestone for USEL. We are committed to providing the training and development needed to expand the choice of paid opportunities for people with disabilities and would urge anyone with a disability or health condition to contact us and make use of our services.”
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| Katherine Redpath |
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