Inclusive Employment - Marsh Farm's perspective

With so much going on, the business is always on the lookout for reliable, hard-working staff to keep things running smoothly. Thankfully, its open-minded management team has long understood the value of inclusivity, so when director Aaron Othman was approached by Caroline, one of ECL’s Inclusive Employment Consultants, about the possibility of working together he jumped at the chance.

“At Marsh Farm, we have always taken an inclusive approach to employment,” Aaron says. “I truly believe that not only does it benefit the individual, hiring a more diverse mix of candidates improves the entire business.”

Caroline already had the ideal person in mind. After getting to know Inclusive Employment customer David Newman, she realised that Marsh Farm would be the perfect fit – appealing to his love of animals and his fascination with machinery. An informal ‘get to know you’ chat led to David having the opportunity to tackle a trial shift and Aaron was so impressed by what he saw that he offered the 39-year-old a part-time contract.

Aaron says, “We recruit based on attitude and we knew from the outset that David would be an excellent addition to the team. When he’s here there’s such a lovely atmosphere – everyone has a smile for him, he works really hard, and we absolutely love working with him. I’m so proud of how far he’s come and of Marsh Farm for providing a safe space for people with learning disabilities and autism to thrive.”

Since the very first meeting, Aaron has had the support of an Inclusive Employment Consultant and Job Coach, to ensure all of David’s needs are being met and that the team is happy with his progress. However, Aaron says, “I’ve never felt any additional pressure or been concerned about David being with us thanks to the support we’ve received from ECL. Knowing that either Caroline or Linda are always on-site or at the end of the phone has been great and they’ve become an extension of the team – I wish we’d known about the programme sooner!”

Having had such a positive experience with David, Aaron firmly believes that more businesses should take the plunge and hire outside the box.

“At Marsh Farm, we want to get the best out of everyone that works for us and the support that each person needs to achieve that differs,” he says. “I believe that hiring individuals with learning disabilities and autism makes our business better. It creates a more positive working environment, encourages us to be more considerate and have greater empathy for one another, and focuses our attention on the way we choose to communicate. All businesses should be open to becoming an Inclusive Employer. By making a few small changes to the way we do things, we can create a more compassionate world for the next generation and that’s something to celebrate,” he adds.

About ECL Inclusive Employment

ECL’s Inclusive Employment service provides adults with learning disabilities and/or autism to achieve their ambitions of obtaining paid and meaningful employment.

The expertise of the team supports each individual to achieve their end goal of paid employment by identifying their talents, skills, qualifications and interests, matching them to ECL’s established network of partnership employers.

Every step of the individual’s journey towards paid employment is supported by developing their CVs, arranging interviews and work trials, as well as work experience if required. The team provides on the job coaching for the employer and employee to maximise success.

If you are a local business that is interested in becoming an Inclusive Employer, please contact Emma Young, Inclusive Employment Engagement Lead emma.young@essexcares.org or visit our Inclusive Employers page. Click here to find out more about ECL’s Inclusive Employment Service.