Benefits for Graduates with Disabilities
If you are a graduate with a disability or specific learning difficulty who is finding it difficult to get work in line with your qualifications then the Willing Able Mentoring Programme might be for you…
WAM offers graduates with disabilities and specific learning difficulties the opportunity to gain mentored work placements of up to 6 months with some of Ireland’s biggest employers. These graduate placements are paid at the going rate for the positions on offer and provide an excellent opportunity to showcase and develop skills acquired during your education and training. Every WAM placement will have an in-company mentor who will help graduates settle in to the social side of the workplace for the placement period. This ensures that the placed graduate knows someone in the organisation from their very first day and therefore can make the most of the placement from an early stage. Prior to the commencement of WAM placements, AHEAD will provide mandatory pre-placement training for all graduates, mentors and managers taking part in the upcoming programme.
WAM placements offer a number of benefits for graduates with disabilities and specific learning difficulties. These include;
- Work experience in major mainstream companies which make use of your qualifications.
- An opportunity to demonstrate your skills while enhancing career development.
- The chance to develop social networking skills that might be of benefit to you in the future.
- The support of the WAM Mentor Model.
- Training prior to the start of all placements.
- AHEAD has secured an agreement with the Department of Social and Family Affairs whereby Disability Allowance (DA) and Invalidity Pension payments will be suspended for the duration of the placement but the status of those receiving these benefits will remain. In short, under the terms of AHEAD’s agreement with the Department of Social and Family Affairs, the WAM participant will not have to re-apply for either payment when their placement is finished.
NOTE: Disability related benefits which are governed by income earned or hours worked will be affected by the taking up of a WAM placement.
What previously placed graduates had to say about their WAM experience
‘...it gives managers the opportunity to see what graduates with disabilities can do and gives graduates with disabilities the opportunity to get work experience & confidence...’
You'll never get experience without work and will never get work without experience. This project broke the vicious circle for me’
‘I can picture my future better’
‘Pride: Working, pulling your own weight, earning a crust’
‘I was the first person with a sight problem to come into that building, a lot of people benefited from knowing me and working with me…’
‘I was teaching them as much as they were teaching me’
For further information on the WAM programme please click here…
For information on current WAM opportunities please click here…
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