BASE

The June edition of our newsletter is now available for members to download.

Our congratulations go to Robert Elston who has just been elected as a Vice-President of the European Union of Supported Employment (EUSE). He was elected at the EUSE annual conference last week. Robert is currently Chief Executive of Status Employment and Treasurer of BASE.

BASE welcomes the publication of Liz Sayce’s review of disability employment programmes. We are particularly pleased that the review acknowledges that the place, train and maintain model of supported employment is recognised as the most effective means of delivering support to those who are at most risk of economic exclusion. It is clear that the use of personal budgets offers an opportunity to deliver the support that disabled people want. There is, of course, work to be done to ensure that a new funding system is fit for purpose.

We are however concerned that local disinvestment is making it much harder for services to deliver the support that we know works so well. We know that there are savings to be made by supporting people with significant disabilities into work. Evidence is building to show that supported employment has a vital role to play in the modernising of day services and health provision.

A way needs to be found to ensure that mainstream funding can be used for the place, train and maintain model so that all people with a disability get the evidence-based support they need to get a job and develop a career.

We welcome the call for more people to be able to get support through Access to Work though this will require a significant increase in funding for the programme. We are pleased with the recommendations to simplify the system and to support employers, particularly those employing people with fluctuating conditions.

BASE urges caution around the removal of funding from supported businesses. Previous closures have resulted in high levels of unemployment. This recommendation needs to be thought through and planned well if disabled employees are to remain in alternative employment.

BASE supports the transformation of supported business into enterprises, whether they be mutuals or other forms of social enterprise. Comprehensive business support will be vital. The viability of supported businesses has not been helped by the absence of a Government strategy for using reserved contracts within public procurement. We urge the Government to follow the example of the Scottish Government where a procurement strategy is being developed collaboratively.

We look forward to working with the Government to make employment a reality for many more disabled jobseekers. Their aspiration for work has always been evident. It’s now up to the Government and providers to work in partnership to make this a reality.

http://base-uk.org/policy/news/sayce-review-disability-employment-progra...

Please note that tomorrow's north west regional network meeting at Winsford has been postponed due to the poor weather. The Midlands network meeting scheduled for 15 December in Shropshire has also been postponed. New dates are being arranged for the New Year.

Our supported business website has now gone live at www.base-uk.org/business. The site will replace the one previously hosted at www.supportedbusiness.org.uk. The site offers a listing of supported businesses and their products and offers an opportunity for businesses to showcase their products to procurement officers. Members can add their listing by contacting Chris at our secretariat at admin [at] base-uk [dot] org.

BASE is pleased to announce the appointment of Fred Bowen as our Training and Development Officer. Fred starts work with BASE in the New Year and his appointment reflects the priority given to professional development and improved quality standards. One of his first tasks will be to identify member training needs through a member survey.

BASE is seeking to recruit 2 people on a consultancy basis for an 8 month project which will run in South East England. The Action for Inclusion project is funded by the South East LSC and seeks to map and benchmark regional supported employment provision and broker a number of partnerships between further education and supported employment providers. Further details are on our jobs page.