Promoting Diversity

Learning Difficulties and Disabilities
Cross-Culture Communication
Opening up Non Traditional Opportunities for Girls and Boys

Experience of work for young people with learning difficulties and disabilities

This section includes advice and support adapted from Mencap’s ‘Making it Work’ campaign.

Making it Work - a guide to employing people with a learning disability (Mencap 2002) is available at: www.mencap.org.uk/download/MIW_EMP.pdf

Good business practice

Many of a company’s actual and potential customers are people with a disability. There are 1.5 million people with a learning difficulty or disability in the UK. Families and close friends of people with a learning difficulty or disability constitute another three million people. A positive attitude towards offering an experience of work to people with a learning difficulty or disability can have a beneficial effect both for your workforce and your customer base.

Promoting social inclusion

Many people with a learning difficulty or disability want to work, and yet only about 10% of those with a severe learning difficulty or disability actually do. By offering experience of work to young people with a learning difficulty or disability you promote social inclusion, which enables their individual development and gives them the opportunity to participate in the wider community.

Reduced staff turnover

Young people with a learning difficulty or disability are generally reliable and are likely to stay with one employer for a long time. This can reduce advertising and recruitment costs. A young person with a learning difficulty or disability who has a positive experience of the workplace is likely to make a loyal and effective employee.

Access to an untapped pool of labour

You can access a previously untapped pool of labour, skills and abilities. Many people with a learning disability have not been in the labour market before.

A positive corporate image

Employing and involving people with a disability offers opportunities for positive publicity and an enhanced image with your workforce, trade unions, other organisations, and the general public.

Improved staff attendance

Overall staff attendance rates can improve because people with a learning difficulty or disability tend to take less time off work. They also have better than average health and safety records.

Adherence to equal opportunities requirements

Under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, it is illegal to treat a person with a disability less favourably than someone else in terms of recruitment, training, promotion or dismissal.

Including a young person with learning difficulty or disability into a team

The contribution of a young person with a learning difficulty or disability should be encouraged.
Talk to your team before the person with a learning difficulty or disability joins you. Explain that the young person has a learning difficulty or disability and what implications this will have for them.
Make the team aware that the person might require extra support and encouragement to settle in.
Mencap’s Education and Employment Service (Mencap contact details) and other specialist agencies are happy to come into a workplace and give a short talk to your team to answer any questions.

A young person with a learning difficulty or disability should have some external support from school, college or supported employment service while on a placement for experience of work. Nevertheless, there needs to be a mentor in the workplace to offer help and advice, and progressively to take over the mentoring role if the placement becomes an extended period of work experience.

Teachers, Connexions personal advisers and learning mentors will find ‘Experience of Work – for young people with learning difficulties and disabilities’ (Best Practice and Resources - learning difficulties and disabilities) useful when setting up placements and other experiences of work and promoting participation, progression and achievement.

Cross-Culture Communication

The West of England area is made up of people from many different backgrounds and cultures. A lack of cultural awareness in a multicultural community can be seen at best as insensitive and at worst as racist. Perception can equal reality, therefore, a remark made through cultural ignorance and perceived as racist can destroy the confidence of groups or individuals and the non-discriminatory efforts of many others.

Some Do’s...

Do seek advice, where possible from colleagues with different cultural backgrounds about how to communicate effectively.

Do ask the first language of the person you are talking to.

Do take care to be patient and reassuring when accent or language hinders communication. (Remember, a translator could be useful).

Do be prepared to check out the precise meaning of words for family relationships, such as ‘uncle’, ‘cousin’ and ‘aunt’ as they may have a different meaning.

Do avoid use of racial and ethnic terms such as ‘coloured’, ‘Afro-Caribbean’ and ‘half-caste’ as they are liable to give offence. Alternatives may include ‘black’, ‘black-British’ and ‘dual parentage’.

Do be sensitive to the difficulties that using jargon or slang may present.

Do appreciate how cultural differences in body language might contribute to misunderstandings and conflict.

Do be sensitive that using colloquialisms or terms of endearment may cause offence (‘my love’, ‘my lover’, ‘my dear’).

Do be aware that it may not be the custom in some instances to shake hands, especially among women.

Do be aware that it may not be the custom in some instances for a man to be in the same room as a woman who is not related.

Do be aware that an act of comfort, such as putting an arm around a victim, may cause embarrassment or offence.

... and Don’ts

Don’t make generalisations about groups or individuals.

Don’t assume someone’s language is the same as that of their country of origin.

Don’t use phrases that include ‘black’ in a negative context, such as ‘black mark’ or ‘black day’.

Don’t assume people relate to ‘Christian’ or ‘surname’. For many it is a ‘personal’ name and ‘family’ name.

Don’t assume that just because someone responds to a question in English, they fully understand.

Don’t assume that words for the time of day, such as ‘afternoon’ or ‘evening’ have the same meaning.

Don’t assume that a lack of eye contact during conversation is a sign of guilt, misunderstanding or conflict. In some cases communities may be the opposite.

Don’t assume that a raised voice or gesticulations are necessarily signs of aggression or loss of control.

Don’t underestimate the influence of your own cultural background in the way it may affect your perceptions and behaviour towards others.

Don’t enter a room unless invited to do so. It may be a prayer room where important customs should be adhered.

Don’t assume that everyone from a particular country has identical cultural backgrounds or beliefs.

Reproduced with permission from Avon and Somerset Constabulary.

Opening up Non Traditional Opportunities for Girls and Boys

A high proportion of students are interested in non-traditional work experience placements and job choices: 76% of girls and 59% of boys, asked in a survey, wanted to try non-traditional work before making their job choices; 25% of boys said caring work sounded interesting or very interesting; and 12% of girls were interested in construction.

A recent investigation undertaken by the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) has uncovered real enthusiasm amongst young people to find out more about non-traditional work opportunities. 80% of girls and 55% of boys said they would or might be interested in a job not commonly undertaken by their gender. The investigation report Free to Choose: Tackling Gender Barriers to Better Jobs can be downloaded from the EOC website at www.eoc.org.uk/segregation.

The EOC has also produced a best practice guide Action for Change for Careers Advice Professionals and Teachers , which gives practical guidance on breaking down gender segregation in vocational education, training and work. The guide is based on examples of current practice, and aims to be an accessible working document for those at the front line of careers advice provision. You can download or order a best practice guide from the EOC website www.eoc.org.uk/segregation. Bulk orders can be accommodated.

Contact: Louise Johansson, Equal Opportunities Commission.
Tel: 0161 838 8216.
Email:louise.johansson@eoc.org.uk

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<< To front page Home Newsletter Work Experience Employers Guide Health and Safety FAQs Promoting Diversity Best Practice and Resources Case Studies Download Forms Useful Contacts Accessibility Wex Policy	Apprenticeships Mencap EOC Works4me Promoting Diversity Learning Difficulties and Disabilities Cross-Culture Communication Opening up Non Traditional Opportunities for Girls and Boys Experience of work for young people with learning difficulties and disabilities This section includes advice and support adapted from Mencap’s ‘Making it Work’ campaign. Making it Work - a guide to employing people with a learning disability (Mencap 2002) is available at: www.mencap.org.uk/download/MIW_EMP.pdf Good business practice Many of a company’s actual and potential customers are people with a disability. There are 1.5 million people with a learning difficulty or disability in the UK. Families and close friends of people with a learning difficulty or disability constitute another three million people. A positive attitude towards offering an experience of work to people with a learning difficulty or disability can have a beneficial effect both for your workforce and your customer base. Promoting social inclusion Many people with a learning difficulty or disability want to work, and yet only about 10% of those with a severe learning difficulty or disability actually do. By offering experience of work to young people with a learning difficulty or disability you promote social inclusion, which enables their individual development and gives them the opportunity to participate in the wider community. Reduced staff turnover Young people with a learning difficulty or disability are generally reliable and are likely to stay with one employer for a long time. This can reduce advertising and recruitment costs. A young person with a learning difficulty or disability who has a positive experience of the workplace is likely to make a loyal and effective employee. Access to an untapped pool of labour You can access a previously untapped pool of labour, skills and abilities. Many people with a learning disability have not been in the labour market before. A positive corporate image Employing and involving people with a disability offers opportunities for positive publicity and an enhanced image with your workforce, trade unions, other organisations, and the general public. Improved staff attendance Overall staff attendance rates can improve because people with a learning difficulty or disability tend to take less time off work. They also have better than average health and safety records. Adherence to equal opportunities requirements Under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, it is illegal to treat a person with a disability less favourably than someone else in terms of recruitment, training, promotion or dismissal. Including a young person with learning difficulty or disability into a team The contribution of a young person with a learning difficulty or disability should be encouraged. Talk to your team before the person with a learning difficulty or disability joins you. Explain that the young person has a learning difficulty or disability and what implications this will have for them. Make the team aware that the person might require extra support and encouragement to settle in. Mencap’s Education and Employment Service (Mencap contact details) and other specialist agencies are happy to come into a workplace and give a short talk to your team to answer any questions. A young person with a learning difficulty or disability should have some external support from school, college or supported employment service while on a placement for experience of work. Nevertheless, there needs to be a mentor in the workplace to offer help and advice, and progressively to take over the mentoring role if the placement becomes an extended period of work experience. Teachers, Connexions personal advisers and learning mentors will find ‘Experience of Work – for young people with learning difficulties and disabilities’ (Best Practice and Resources - learning difficulties and disabilities) useful when setting up placements and other experiences of work and promoting participation, progression and achievement. back to top Cross-Culture Communication The West of England area is made up of people from many different backgrounds and cultures. A lack of cultural awareness in a multicultural community can be seen at best as insensitive and at worst as racist. Perception can equal reality, therefore, a remark made through cultural ignorance and perceived as racist can destroy the confidence of groups or individuals and the non-discriminatory efforts of many others. Some Do’s... Do seek advice, where possible from colleagues with different cultural backgrounds about how to communicate effectively. Do ask the first language of the person you are talking to. Do take care to be patient and reassuring when accent or language hinders communication. (Remember, a translator could be useful). Do be prepared to check out the precise meaning of words for family relationships, such as ‘uncle’, ‘cousin’ and ‘aunt’ as they may have a different meaning. Do avoid use of racial and ethnic terms such as ‘coloured’, ‘Afro-Caribbean’ and ‘half-caste’ as they are liable to give offence. Alternatives may include ‘black’, ‘black-British’ and ‘dual parentage’. Do be sensitive to the difficulties that using jargon or slang may present. Do appreciate how cultural differences in body language might contribute to misunderstandings and conflict. Do be sensitive that using colloquialisms or terms of endearment may cause offence (‘my love’, ‘my lover’, ‘my dear’). Do be aware that it may not be the custom in some instances to shake hands, especially among women. Do be aware that it may not be the custom in some instances for a man to be in the same room as a woman who is not related. Do be aware that an act of comfort, such as putting an arm around a victim, may cause embarrassment or offence. ... and Don’ts Don’t make generalisations about groups or individuals. Don’t assume someone’s language is the same as that of their country of origin. Don’t use phrases that include ‘black’ in a negative context, such as ‘black mark’ or ‘black day’. Don’t assume people relate to ‘Christian’ or ‘surname’. For many it is a ‘personal’ name and ‘family’ name. Don’t assume that just because someone responds to a question in English, they fully understand. Don’t assume that words for the time of day, such as ‘afternoon’ or ‘evening’ have the same meaning. Don’t assume that a lack of eye contact during conversation is a sign of guilt, misunderstanding or conflict. In some cases communities may be the opposite. Don’t assume that a raised voice or gesticulations are necessarily signs of aggression or loss of control. Don’t underestimate the influence of your own cultural background in the way it may affect your perceptions and behaviour towards others. Don’t enter a room unless invited to do so. It may be a prayer room where important customs should be adhered. Don’t assume that everyone from a particular country has identical cultural backgrounds or beliefs. Reproduced with permission from Avon and Somerset Constabulary. back to top Opening up Non Traditional Opportunities for Girls and Boys A high proportion of students are interested in non-traditional work experience placements and job choices: 76% of girls and 59% of boys, asked in a survey, wanted to try non-traditional work before making their job choices; 25% of boys said caring work sounded interesting or very interesting; and 12% of girls were interested in construction. A recent investigation undertaken by the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) has uncovered real enthusiasm amongst young people to find out more about non-traditional work opportunities. 80% of girls and 55% of boys said they would or might be interested in a job not commonly undertaken by their gender. The investigation report Free to Choose: Tackling Gender Barriers to Better Jobs can be downloaded from the EOC website at www.eoc.org.uk/segregation. The EOC has also produced a best practice guide Action for Change for Careers Advice Professionals and Teachers , which gives practical guidance on breaking down gender segregation in vocational education, training and work. The guide is based on examples of current practice, and aims to be an accessible working document for those at the front line of careers advice provision. You can download or order a best practice guide from the EOC website www.eoc.org.uk/segregation. Bulk orders can be accommodated. Contact: Louise Johansson, Equal Opportunities Commission. Tel: 0161 838 8216. Email:louise.johansson@eoc.org.uk back to top
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