New scheme to boost employment for people with disabilities
Currently, just 4.8 per cent of people with learning disabilities are in paid employment, despite many wanting to work.
It is a joint project led by Wrexham and Flintshire County Councils alongside specialist agencies like HfT Flintshire.
John Pritchard, lead member for adult social care at Wrexham Council, said: "We're here to support employers every step of the way, and we take time to understand their unique business needs so we can help them find the best job matches.
"Employing someone with a learning disability can be hugely rewarding – there are lots of business benefits, and you can also make a world of difference to that person's life."
The service offers tailored support to employers, including help with recruitment, induction, training, and advice on reasonable adjustments in the workplace.
It also provides ongoing support to both businesses and employees for as long as it is needed.
Christine Jones, Flintshire County Council's cabinet member for social services and wellbeing, said: "Very few people with learning disabilities are in paid employment, and we want their potential and talent to be recognised and celebrated.
"To do this we need the support of local businesses.
"The Supported Employment Service is here to help employers find reliable, hardworking people while fostering an inclusive workplace."
The scheme is part of a wider project involving all six North Wales councils and Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, funded through the North Wales Health and Social Care Regional Integration Fund.
The service also helps businesses access funding through the Access to Work programme.
The Oaks Care Home in Shotton is one of the businesses already working with HfT and currently employs Jake Vernon.
READ MORE:
Dog rescued by Flintshire animal centre after 'awful start to life' looking for home
Tributes paid to kind 'chess king' who spent a lifetime impressing his opponent
Manager Sinead Fox said: "We appreciate Jake so much for what he brings to our company – fun, positivity, a willingness to go the extra mile, and a wonderful work ethic which shines through.
"Working with a supported employment provider like HfT has been a rewarding and easy process, and they've supported the employee and us as a company from the very start.
"Since we've employed Jake our options have changed, and we did have fears that it would be costly if any adjustments were needed, but we needn't have worried – it has been no extra expense and with the specialist support from the job coach it has been a smooth journey.
"They have supported us and Jake with all mandatory company training and more."
Employers based in Wrexham or Flintshire who are interested in getting involved are encouraged to contact the Supported Employment Service for more information.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Wales Online
2 days ago
- Wales Online
Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac get cold shoulder from Premier League fans in frank verdict
Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac get cold shoulder from Premier League fans in frank verdict Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac have taken Wrexham to new heights in recent years, but a recent poll shows not every fanbase would be happy with the Hollywood duo owning their club Most Premier League fans wouldn't be happy to have Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac at the helm of their club (Image: Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Getty Images) Wrexham co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac have been given a reality check regarding their popularity. The Hollywood duo have made waves in the football world since acquiring the Red Dragons in February 2021. Wrexham have achieved three consecutive promotions, catapulting them from the National League to the Championship. The club's success has garnered global attention, largely due to the Welcome to Wrexham documentary series. However, while fans in North Wales are thrilled with their A-list owners, a recent poll suggests not all football supporters share this sentiment. Betfair's annual 'Nation Predicts' survey reveals that 66 per cent of over 2,000 football enthusiasts polled wouldn't be interested in Reynolds and Mac owning their club. Liverpool and Newcastle fans were most opposed to the concept of Hollywood ownership. That is perhaps unsurprising considering the satisfaction levels with their current owners, who are significantly wealthier than the Wrexham duo. Last season, Liverpool clinched the Premier League title and have since embarked on a summer of heavy investment under the Fenway Sports Group. Meanwhile, Newcastle, backed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, secured their first major trophy since 1969 by winning the Carabao Cup. Manchester United supporters showed the greatest enthusiasm for the prospect of Reynolds and Mac assuming control, with 27 per cent backing the idea, whilst 56 per cent remained opposed. Article continues below Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac remain popular figures with Wrexham fans (Image: Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images) That could stem from considerable frustration with the Glazer family's stewardship and, more recently, Sir Jim Ratcliffe's partial acquisition. Remarkably, 69 per cent of Tottenham fans rejected the concept of the Hollywood pair taking over, with merely 21 per cent showing support. That comes despite Spurs supporters frequently expressing frustration with chairman Daniel Levy regarding the club's recent trajectory. Whilst Premier League followers might look down upon Reynolds and Mac, who has recently applied to legally alter his surname from McElhenney, their reputation at Wrexham remains sky-high. Former England shot-stopper Nigel Martyn also considers that celebrity ownership can deliver positive outcomes for football, pointing to the progress seen at Wrexham and Birmingham City, who count NFL icon Tom Brady among its part-owners. Watch Welcome to Wrexham season 4 on Disney+ This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more from £4.99 Disney+ Get Disney+ here Product Description Welcome to Wrexham is back on Disney+ for a fourth season. Fans can watch the series with a £4.99 monthly plan, or get 12 months for the price of 10 by paying for a year upfront. Speaking to Parimatch, Martyn said: "I think it's been a breath of fresh air if I'm totally honest. Seeing things like the Wrexham documentary on television and how open they've been with everything is great for the game. "They're popular people and while Ryan Reynolds is somebody that most people think, 'Yeah, he looks like he's a nice guy and he's funny,' both he and Rob McElhenney are serious about how they run the football club as well. "You won't hear anyone in Wrexham say a bad thing about them, I wouldn't imagine, because they've turned them around from a team that had been out of the Football League to one which I expect to see pushing into the higher echelons and the Premier League. It's been tremendous. Sign up to our newsletter! Wrexham is the Game is great new way to get top-class coverage Wrexham AFC is the arguably the fastest-growing club in the world at the moment thanks to a certain Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The Dragons have achieved two consecutive promotions and are cheered on by crowds from not only North Wales but also from all over the globe, thanks to the success of the Disney+ documentary 'Welcome to Wrexham'. But does it have a dedicated, quality source of information piped through to your inbox each week, free of ads but packed with informed opinion, analysis and even a little bit of fun each week? That's where Wrexham is the Game steps in... Available every Wednesday, it provides all the insights you need to be a top red. And for a limited time, a subscription to 'Wrexham is the Game' will cost fans just £15 for the first year. Sign up for Wrexham is the Game here Article continues below "Anything that boosts the club and the standing of your club in a positive way is a good thing. To have Tom Brady at Birmingham City, for Birmingham fans, it makes them stick their chest out a little bit further and say, 'Look who we've got now.'". He added: "So far, Wrexham have done it tremendously well and Birmingham appear to be making progress. In all honesty, it doesn't matter how much money you throw at it, there is no guarantee that you're going to win the league. But, so far, both teams have bounced up the leagues pretty well. "Fair play to them, it's going to be interesting but I think it's a positive thing, definitely, and celebrity ownership, with people trying to copy Wrexham and Birmingham, is probably something we'll see more and more and more of."
Wales Online
4 days ago
- Wales Online
Gareth Bale's massive new business empire as he warns Ryan Reynolds and Wrexham
Gareth Bale's massive new business empire as he warns Ryan Reynolds and Wrexham Former Wales captain Gareth Bale has been mistaken for Christian Bale on more than one occasion. Wales legend Gareth Bale spoke about the potential takeover of Cardiff City and what he would want to achieve with his hometown club. (Image: Boardroom) Gareth Bale has opened up on his post-football business empire, potential takeover of Cardiff City, ambition to take the club past Wrexham and being mistaken for Hollywood actor Christian Bale. The football legend appeared as a guest on Boardroom's YouTube channel, which features some of the biggest names in pop culture. Real Madrid icon Bale was recently revealed as the latest addition to TNT Sports' Premier League and Champions League punditry team for the upcoming season, and replaces Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand. He has previously appeared as an occasional pundit but will now be a main fixture going forward. Alongside his work in media, Bale is working hard to expand his business empire. The Welshman already owns Elevens Bar and Par 59 in Cardiff city centre, but is now aiming to take ownership of Cardiff City alongside a consortium of investors. Bale was asked about his intention to buy hometown club Cardiff, and revealed exactly why he wants to do so. "I suggested about my home team," answered Bale. "It's one that's been on the decline for a few years now and has such massive potential, being a one city club. We are looking forward to the response, we would love to get ownership of it and take the club back to where we think it belongs." Article continues below This interview with Bale was conducted several weeks ago before news broke at the beginning of August that Cardiff chairman Mehmet Dalman has dismissed the speculation around the club being sold imminently as "fiction". He added that current owner Vincent Tan is not interested in selling the club right now. Wales legend Bale was asked by Boardroom about the recent success of Ryan Reynolds at Wrexham, and what it's like for him to see them thriving. "I think what they've done on the pitch, getting three promotions in a row is unheard of," answered Bale. "It's all credit to what they're doing. They've done a great job. Being Welsh and seeing another Welsh team do well is good for Welsh football. Hopefully they continue to do well." But he warned: "If we get Cardiff, hopefully we go past them!" Touching again on Cardiff, Bale was asked what it would mean to take Cardiff back to the Premier League, where they have not played since the 2018/2019 season. "It would mean everything," said Bale. "It's something that is on my radar. I would love to do something to give the Cardiff fans. Being from Wales, being Welsh, being born there, I know how passionate the Cardiff City fans are about their club. It has been a disappointing few years for the club. "A couple of relegations and the club feels really stagnant, so to bring some excitement back to push in the right direction, to give them something to look forward to would be the start. "And then the dream for every team is obviously to get to the Premier League, it's a very tough task but something I would for sure love to do." Being one of the best players on the planet in his prime, Bale was on a massive contract with Real Madrid, reportedly earning close to £600,000 per week. Thanks to a fine career at the top level, Bale has been able to invest into business and offer his expertise as a pundit. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Bale is worth £107 million, while he has been a regular figure on the Sunday Times Rich List over the years. It's also estimated that Bale received over £6 million per year purely in endorsements during his playing career. Thanks to his time at the elite level, Bale has been, and is currently, affiliated with Adidas, Lucozade and now golf-related brands. He reportedly earns £137,000 per sponsored Instagram post. Speaking about his brand partnerships to Boardroom, Bale identified three that resonate well with him. "I like to work with brands that align with me," began Bale. "I've been with Adidas since I started my career. We've gone from the football side to golf, where I'm involved a little bit more. Just enjoying working with that brand, throughout my whole career they have been amazing with me. "I do that with Heineken 0.0, because I don't drink. Promoting a 0.0 drink is something that fits in with me, aligns with me. Even the clothes I wear, I like to try and be involved with Hugo Boss. It's all just organic. When it is organic, it's able to naturally grow." As well as trying to purchase Cardiff and media commitments, Bale revealed what other avenues of business he is involved in. "We've invested in commercial and residential property, we've got some sports bars which are kind of fun things to do," he continued. "So we have branched out in different areas, we have investments in other areas as well. Just trying to build those pillars… maybe if one pillar gets knocked down, they're still able to hold up the building. To try and diversify as much as we can." When asked who would play him in a movie, the former Tottenham Hotspur winger said Christian Bale, and even revealed that he gets mistaken for the Hollywood actor on occasion. "Christian Bale," he answered. "It goes with the name, right? I have been mistaken for Christian Bale before." Article continues below "Have they said: 'Batman! Batman!' or something?," asked the Boardroom interviewer. "No, they just shout Christian, so they've obviously got things a little bit muddled up," said Bale. "Do you think people mistake him for Gareth?," asked the interviewer. "You're going to have to ask him, I don't know!," added Bale.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Daily Mail
Sir Keir Starmer would not call shoplifters 'scumbags', No 10 says in the wake of 'data protection' saga
Sir Keir Starmer would not call shoplifters 'scumbags', No 10 has said amid the 'data protection' saga. Last week, a shopkeeper was left stunned after police told him to change his sign in which he called shoplifters 'scumbags' because it may be offensive. Rob Davies, 61, who runs the Run Ragged vintage shop in Wrexham, North Wales, installed the notice to tell shoppers some cabinets were locked against theft. The hard-working retailer put it up after he caught five thieves red-handed in the last 12 months alone and lost roughly £200 of stock to shoplifting. He felt the police did little to help when he reported the five thefts and so he gave up doing so, instead taking matters into his own hands to protect his small business. But officers later showed up at his store, demanding he remove a handwritten note that calling thieves 'scum bags' because it was 'provocative and potentially offensive'. Now, Downing Street has said that the Prime Minister would not use the same word to describe the thieves blighting Britain's retailers. When asked if he resonated with Mr Davies' view, the PM's official spokesman said: 'It is not the language I would directly use', the Telegraph has reported. The spokesman did, however, state that the government had been 'clear through our actions' that they see shoplifting as a 'serious' issue and recognise the detrimental impact it is having on the UK's high streets and local businesses. It comes following a warning from the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) that shaming shoplifting suspects could 'breach data protection' laws. On an advice page for tackling shoplifters, the UK data watchdog warned that putting up images of thieves in a local area could 'not be appropriate' behaviour. As a result, they advised retailers to 'only share personal information that's proportionate and necessary to achieve your purpose'. But shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick called the advice 'madness' and suggested that shopliters should be 'named and shamed'. He told The Telegraph: 'We should be letting the general public know of the photographs of people who have a track record of stealing in towns.' Meanwhile, Labour MP Alex Davies-Jones admitted that shoplifting across the UK had 'got out of hand'. When asked if it was right to display images of thieves in shop windows, Mr Davies-Jones responded: 'I think it is on all of us to be aware of what is going on in our local communities.' Taking to X, Shadow home office minister Katie Lam recounted a story about a constituent who had been ordered by police to remove pictures of suspected shoplifters. 'He gives police CCTV, card details, licence plates. No action apart from a visit to say he must take down pics of thieves "because of GDPR",' she wrote. 'Our system should crush the lawless and protect the law-abiding. It does the opposite.' The number of shoplifting incidents taking place in pharmacies and chemists across England has also been described as both 'unacceptable' and 'appalling' by Henry Gegg, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) chief executive. In the past year, around nine in 10 pharmacies experienced an incident of shoplifting, while the number of thefts of drugs and other medical supplies increased by 88 per cent, according to figures obtained by the NPA. Of the 476 pharmacies across England surveyed, 87 per cent reported an increase in aggressive or intimidating behaviour towards staff, while 22 per cent recounted instances of physical assault. Around nine in 10 pharmacies experienced an incident of shoplifting, while the number of thefts of drugs and other medical supplies increased by 88 per cent in the past year, according to the National Pharmacy Association (NPA). Meanwhile, nearly three-quarters of those who had reported an incident to the police described the response as insufficient. Several pharmacy owners have resorted to putting up photos of thieves in their shop windows, wearing body cameras and even paying for security guards. Sanjeev Panesar, who owns a pharmacy in Birmingham, described a 'noticeable rise' in hostility towards staff As a result, several pharmacy owners have resorted to putting up photos of thieves in their shop windows, wearing body cameras and even paying for security guards. Sanjeev Panesar, who owns a pharmacy in Birmingham, described the 'noticeable rise' in hostility towards staff as both 'disheartening' but also capable of having a 'lasting effect on job satisfaction, morale, and feelings of safety at work.' Ashley Cowen, owner of three pharmacies across Leeds and York that have been subjected to incidents, described the lack of police action on the issue as 'shocking'. He also described witnessing brazen thieves going as far as to burn, cut and even sow through 'steel grilles' in a bid to access drug stock. Mr Davies, who says he was driven to put his handwritten sign on his shop door because of escalating shoplifting in Wrexham, told The Mail on Sunday that he had no intention of taking it down. He added: 'The sign is staying – and I may even get a bigger one. 'It's a simple point, in my opinion, and succinctly put, and can't cause offence apart from to anyone intending to steal from me. 'I was even polite and put "Thank you" on the bottom.' Mr Davies, 59, said he put it up a month ago in frustration after discovering that he was losing almost his entire monthly profit because of thieves – but was astonished to then get a visit from the police. He said: 'A police officer and PCSO came in. They said the sign was provocative and potentially offensive. 'When I asked, "Why, who it could be offensive to?" the officer didn't answer. The only person who can be offended by the words "scum bag" is a scum bag who wants to steal from me!' Mr Davies said he had received overwhelming support from fellow shopkeepers in the face of a tidal wave of theft in the town. 'There's been massive support everywhere since the sign went up,' he added. 'Shopkeepers are all in the same boat; everyone is having stuff stolen, even cafes.' A spokesman for the Information Commissioner's Office said: 'We don't set strict requirements on how organisations should respond to shoplifting, as data protection law recognises that circumstances can vary. Instead, we provide guidance to help organisations use people's information in a way that is lawful, fair and proportionate. 'Data protection law enables retailers to share images to prevent or detect crime, as long as it's necessary and proportionate in the circumstances. For example, this could include sharing images with the police, shopping centre security teams, or other relevant authorities. 'Retailers will need to consider the relevant privacy implications, such as having a legal reason and appropriate security measures, when considering publishing any images of suspected shoplifters.' North Wales Police said: 'All reports of shoplifting are taken extremely seriously. We are committed to combatting retail theft.' Shoplifting figures released this week by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) showed just 2.5 per cent of offences were recorded by the police each year. It said 50,000 shoplifting incidents go unreported every day as firms give up on the police. BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said: 'Many retailers do not see the point of reporting incidents to the police.'
