Ellie initially joined Autism Plus through our Multiply programme, which was aimed at supporting individuals to improve number confidence. Despite having a learning disability, she is dedicated to expanding her knowledge and specifically learning maths skills in a work environment. During her first meeting with our team, Ellie expressed an interest to secure employment, telling us about the many different voluntary roles she has had in the past. Ellie had already achieved a Level 2 Qualification in cooking and was keen to pursue a role in a café environment. Ellies past voluntary work had not given her the opportunity to develop the skills she was interested in.
Ellie after a while moved over to our Rise2Thrive programme which has a specific aim of supporting people to progress towards employment. During her time on programme she received support with her CV, mastering interview techniques and building her confidence. Ellie with her coach developed a disclosure statement to communicate her necessary reasonable adjustments to potential employers, boosting her confidence in knowing how to explain her needs in the future.
Requiring recognition and the chance to advance in her ideal career it was essential for Ellie to gain work related experience in a café environment, where we could support her to develop the specific skills for this role. We worked with Ellie to secure a placement at Autism Plus Chocolate Shop in Easingwold. In this role she has developed till skills, cash handling, customer interaction, preparing beverages and serving customers.
“I really enjoy making the afternoon teas, it is my favourite day of the week”
We have seen a significant increase in Ellies confidence during her time on placement. Ellie has begun to engage more with customers, participating in conversations and developing a rapport with the customers. Previously Ellie faced challenges in volunteering due to a lack of patience from others regarding his processing skills and the need for more detailed instructions when learning new tasks, however the support from her coach and the team at the chocolate shop have worked at Ellies pace, ensuring she was supported throughout appropriate to her needs. Ellie now perceives herself as a valuable team member, marking a substantial milestone in her development and enabling her to see the wroth she can bring to an employer.
Our team continue to support Ellie in her job search and are confident that she will find the right role in the new future.
“Ellie comes home beaming from ear to ear every week from the chocolate shop”
