My niece Olivia was born in 2006. One of fraternal triplets, she was diagnosed as having Down’s syndrome very soon after her birth. From the first moment I saw her I knew that she would change my life, but I had no way of knowing that my wish to gain a better understanding of her condition would provide me with some of the most rewarding and profoundly positive experiences of my life. I have been a volunteer with a local affiliated group (Down’s Syndrome North East) since 2006. In 2012, when I was HR Manager for a wholesale supply company, I decided to find out more about the DSA’s WorkFit programme. Via WorkFit, we recruited two Business Support Administrators on a part-time basis.
Working as an Employment Development Officer is often challenging and requires a
significant commitment both to the candidates and employers, but I hope that my experiences and belief in the programme will ensure that employers and other organisations feel supported and motivated to work with the DSA.
I was delighted to be asked to manage the WorkFit project in May 2018 and I am very proud of the success of the programme and the WorkFit Team