Mark Isherwood
An event Chaired by North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood in the Assembly heard from the North East Wales Working Links Performance Manager about support for disabled people into employment.
The event ‘Towards an Enabling Wales: Improving Employment Prospects for Disabled People’ was Chaired by North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood as Co-Chair of the Assembly Cross Party Group on Disability.
In his introductory comments, Mr Isherwood detailed the purpose of the Cross Party Group, which is to address key pan-impairment disability equality issues, including implementation of the Social Model of Disability and the right to Independent Living, emphasising that people are disabled by society not themselves, that we must work together to tackle the barriers to access and inclusion for all and that everyone must be allowed independence, choice and control in their lives.
Andrew Davies, the ‘Working Links’ Performance Manager in north east Wales, who works from the Working Links offices in Mold and Wrexham, discussed their delivery of the UK Government’s Work Programme, supporting long-term unemployed people, many of whom are disabled, into suitable, sustainable work. As a two year programme, it was encouraging to learn of the sustainable job outcome figures now being achieved.
Personal experience of seeking employment were provided by Owen Williams, General Manager, Vision in Wales, Dawn Gullis, External Affairs Officer, Mencap Cymru, and Will Evans, Founder, livingwithaspergers.co.uk, emphasising the need to educate society about the benefits of hidden impairments.
The Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty, Jeff Cuthbert AM, also spoke on ‘Employment in the Framework for Action on Independent Living’
Mr Isherwood, who is Patron of Flintshire Disability Forum and Vice Preseident of the North Wales Disability Resources Centre, as well as chairing other Cross Party Groups including Autism and Neurological conditions, said: “This was a very productive event and I thank everyone who contributed. It is vital that we remove barriers that restrict life choices for disabled people so that they can be independent and equal in society.”
