In October 2003, Cumbria County Council's Community, Economy and Environment department commissioned Lancaster University and the Disability association Carlisle and Eden (DaCE) to undertake an action research project concerned with increasing the employment of disabled people in west Cumbria. The project was aimed at helping Cumbria County Council and Allerdale and Copeland district councils to meet targets in their Local Public Service Agreement 6 (LPSA 6).
In the first phase we proposed to carry out a literature review and begin establishing links and working relationships with local networks, relevant organisations and employers. The research and work in this first phase was intended to produce an action plan and a model of intervention for implementation in the phase 2. The objectives of phase 1 were:
1. To identify the key barriers to employment for disabled people.
2. To identify successful projects designed to help disabled people back into work and to learn what support has been necessary to, Help people into work, and Help people once in work.
3. To identify how other support systems for disabled people, such as community care, could play a role in supporting people into employment.
4. To ascertain the extent of need in the target wards of Allerdale and Copeland.
5. To work with local employment staff (for example Jobcentre Plus and job brokers) to ascertain their current role in helping disabled people into work and to review and agree interventions.
6. To identify and establish links and good working relationships with all relevant local stakeholders.
7. To help draw up an action and a plan of intervention for Phase 2 of the study.
Publications/Outputs:
Report
Piggot, L., Sapey, B., and Wilenius, F. (2005) Out of touch: local government and disabled people's employment needs, Disability and Society, 20 (6)
Grant Holders: Bob Sapey and Fred Wilenius
Research staff: Linda Piggott and Mark Tennant
Our Partners: Disability Association Carlisle and Eden
Project Funder: Cumbria County Council
