Supported employment, quality of jobs and employment typicalness: The experience of the Engage to Change project

Abstract

BackgroundPaid employment represents a challenge for people with an intellectual disability and/or autism. This paper analyses the quality of jobs offered by the Engage to Change project and their relationship to the ‘typicalness’ of the employment offered.MethodData on the quality of 384 paid jobs were collected, including hours worked and wages earned, and reported social integration at work. The typicalness of the employment experience was assessed for 141 young people, using the Index of Typicalness of Placement Questionnaire.ResultsThe Engage to Change project offered a wide range of jobs. There is no difference in the typicalness of the employment experience in relation to the interactions in the workplace, but there are some differences in the recruitment process for men and women.ConclusionJob coaches should make sure that, despite the procedures being ‘atypical’ for the workplace, the outcome is ‘a typical employment experience’ for each employee.