Paradigm’s grant funding helps people with disabilities into paid employment

Paradigm Housing Group has awarded grant funding of £8,000 to Watford Workshop to support their work helping people get into paid employment.

The Workshop provides paid employment, support and training to their clients who may have a learning disability, physical disability or mental health issues. Many later go on to secure jobs elsewhere with mainstream employers as a result of their development at the Workshop.

For others, that transition is not a realistic possibility, and they stay as long term and valued employees. By attending the Workshop it also means that the clients’ carers are provided with respite.

Ronnie Jacob – Finance Trustee of Watford Workshop commented: “Since Paradigm and Watford Workshop serve the same communities in Herts, Beds, Bucks and North-West London, we feel we have entered into an excellent and fitting partnership.

“The amazing funding provided for our charity means that our disabled service users can continue to be provided with professionally delivered work and life skills training during their supported paid employment with us; in which they complete work for commercial customers in assembly and hand packing.

“Our work nurtures them to become skilled, employable, independent and confident; they discover ability they never knew they had and become as we like to say – ‘prepared for life’.

“We have operated a satellite employment project in High Wycombe for the last two years which continues to expand and therefore Paradigm’s support means we will be able to help more people with disabilities into employment in their most immediate locality.”

Matthew Bailes, Chief Executive of Paradigm Housing said: “We are proud to support Watford Workshop with this grant. The pandemic has had a huge impact on our customers and has left disabled people with far few opportunities than before.

“Our contribution to the project helps to continue the support and engagement with those vulnerable customers who have lost valuable training opportunities during lockdown.”