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Empowering George to enter the workplace

Thanks to specialist support from Realise, George has been able to utilise his lived experience as an autistic person who has learning disabilities, to secure his very first paid job!

George has been supported by Realise since he left college in 2017, and together with his support team, has been working on building his confidence, skills and independence. Along the way, he has successfully taken on volunteer roles at his local library and a nearby charity shop. He also regularly swims at his local leisure centre, and enjoys meeting a friend for lunch. 

A new requirement for all health and care providers to deliver training in autism and learning disabilities, which is produced and co-delivered by autistic people and people with learning disabilities, presented a new opportunity for George. 

After his Realise support team talked him through the training, and helped him to understand how sharing his lived experience would help others to better understand autism and learning disabilities, George decided to take the necessary steps to become a trainer. 

George proved to be a natural presenter, and, when a paid job opportunity arose at Somerset Care to be an Expert with Lived Experience Co-Trainer, he applied – and got the job!

George continues to flourish in his new role, not only sharing his story, but developing and presenting related training modules, and leading question and answer sessions. An incredible achievement for someone who had not spoken in front of a large group before.

Securing his first job has had so benefits for George. It has helped to learn new skills, built his confidence to the point where he can now comfortably manage his 1 hour bus journey to the training centre unaided, and enabled him to become even more independent. 

Amanda Kingsley-Templar, who was one of the original members of George’s Realise support team, and now delivers training sessions alongside him, says:

“The feedback George receives from the delegates has been highly positive. He really has become the star of the show! He has learned so much since starting this journey, and is now a confident and skilled presenter. 

“We are incredibly proud of how far he has come – and see even more great things ahead!” 

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