​COVID-19 Working safely
Helping employers to build back better

Sixteen Co-operative is working to ensure that our job coaching support for employers, job seekers and employees can continue as safely as possible as restrictions are lifted and we all emerge into the ‘new normal’. 

We are training and supporting our job seekers to follow governmental COVID guidelines, both before they start employment and onsite, in line with your company’s COVID guidelines.

Our staff are tested twice weekly (lateral flow test) and we have introduced a policy to ensure the mandatory vaccination of the team.

We understand the situation is changing rapidly so we promote an open and
honest dialogue with all employers to ensure confidence in working with us,
our job seekers and your future employees. 
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Our comprehensive COVID-19 response includes:
• Updating our Service Status in line with current data
• Risk Assessments
• Health checklists for staff and job seekers
• PPE
• Training to follow our COVID guidelines and those of employers we work with
• Our team working in bubbles to reduce transmissions

Working with Employers

For some employers, recruiting and employing people with a learning disability will be a new experience. 
 
At Sixteen, we understand this and are committed to supporting both employer and the new employee.  You may well have had discussion with one of our Job Coaches already about the service we offer but we thought it would be useful to outline the process and offer the following guidance:
 
Supported employment is a specialist approach for supporting disabled people into work, designed to find you the right person for the job and then to help them settle in.  It is delivered by trained job coaches who work with both disabled people and the employer.
 
Job Coaches provide the key link between the job seeker and employment opportunity. The process starts with them getting to know job seeker really well so they are well placed to ensure a good match between the disabled person and the employer.  Once the job has been found, they will support the new employee on site to learn and perform the job the effectively.
 
This is really a partnership between the employer, the employee and the job coach
 
The Job Coach can:
 
  • Spend time learning the tasks and understanding the workplace before introducing the new employee
  • Agree a specific plan of action identifying tasks, performance levels and timescales, which are adhered to and reviewed at set intervals
  • Systematically train to agreed tasks and processes
  • Collect performance data but the Supervisor or Manager retain management of the new worker
  • Gradually fade support so that new employee can perform tasks unassisted
  • Keep in touch with both employer and employee and is available to support at a later stage should tasks change
 
To talk to us about how we can support you to create more employment opportunities, please contact:
It was a pleasure to be part of the success we achieved together –  the work you and your team do every day is inspiring.
-an employer