New guides to help people with learning disabilities move into self employment

3 July 2009

The Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities has released a suite of online products to encourage people to consider self-employment and to help them to set up their own business. Published shortly after the government’s employment strategy for people with learning disabilities, the guides and spreadsheets are part of the charity’s In Business programme.

There are an estimated 800,000 adults with learning disabilities of working age, of whom only 11% have a paid job - often a part-time one.

In Business aims help make self-employment a viable route into work for people with learning disabilities.

The products published this week include three Easier Read business guides:

Quick Guide to Self-Employment (in PDF format)
Developing a Business Idea (in PDF format)
Writing a Business Plan (in PDF format)

There are also two spreadsheet packages

Easy Cash Flow (in Excel format)
Easy Break Even (in Excel format)

In Business has been working since 2007with local authorities, colleges and voluntary sector agencies to raise awareness of self-employment as an option, assisting with business research and planning and supporting people to set up their own businesses.

Help with decision making

The first of three new online guides is the Quick Guide to Self-Employment. In plain English it aims to get people with leaning disabilities to think about starting their own business. The guide asks the reader to take particular actions such as:

Look at the different ways you can do work and earn money. Decide if self-employment is right for you

Talk to people who know you and see if they think starting your own business is the sort of thing you would enjoy.

It also gets readers thinking about where their business start up money will come from and the importance of record keeping; it also provides information on how starting a business will change their benefit entitlements.

Practical tips

Developing a Business Idea helps people and their support workers to think about their business idea in more detail, test their idea and begin planning. It contains a step-by-step checklist of actions a newly self-employed person needs to undertake and asks specific questions such as:

Describe what you want to sell

How long does it take to make or do?

Where will you sell it?

Getting backing for your business and help with the figures

The final online guide, Writing a Business Plan, helps people bring their ideas together into one plan to help with seeking support for their venture from the bank or job centre, for example.

Easy Cash Flow and Easy Break Even are simple Excel-based spreadsheets to help people decide if their business idea will work as a going concern, and to develop the financial side of their business. They should be used alongside the three online business guides.

Real help for real businesses

Fiona Gendall usedIn Business to help register her business and lodge a successful application for start-up funds for her company, Bermuda Business. At school and college people told Fiona it was not possible to have a career or any sort of meaningful employment. It was incredibly frustrating as her ideas were already starting to develop.

With the help of the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities and In Business Fiona is now working to expand her customer base. She said:

“I intend to form a business to train and advise people on the needs of people who are differently abled, to help to break down the barriers within society. I will provide a bespoke service for individuals, tailored to their wants and needs to enable them to live fulfilling and independent lives.”

Keith Bates, Manager of In Business for the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities, said:

“Why should a person be deprived of a fulfilling, exciting career because they have a learning disability? These new In Business guides will show people with learning disabilities that they can make a business out of a skill or hobby they are passionate about and guide them through what can be a daunting process for anyone.”

In Business has received funding from Baily Thomas Charitable Fund and the Department of Health’s Section 64 General Scheme of Grants.

ENDS

Notes to editors

For more information please contact the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities press office on 020 7803 1130/28 or email sloveland@mhf.org.uk

The Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities promotes the rights, quality of life and opportunities of people with learning disabilities and their families.