Disability Activist is Right At Home With Award Winning Swansea Employer

12/07/18

We are very proud to hear that one of our valued business tenants, Right at Home in Fforestfach, Swansea has won recognition for championing disabled workers’ rights and ensuring their business is accessible to all – receiving a Disability Confident Employer Award from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).

The company, which gives high quality homecare and companionship across Swansea, Neath and the Gower, has worked with employee Lee Ellery to secure support from the Department of Work and Pension’s Access to Work scheme, so Lee could graduate from being a volunteer with the firm, to becoming a permanent member of the team as a Community Engagement Officer.

Lee, aged 34 from Winch Wen has Cerebral Palsy Spastic Quadriplegia and he is a Disability Activist and a Disability Equality Trainer. He joined Right at Home after an introduction from a business mentor to Right At Home’s Managing Director.

Right at Home’s MD, James Foley, said: “Tim Dallinger of Social Care Consultants Ltd had informed me of Lee’s teaching abilities and it struck me that Lee could share his personal experiences with our Carers during our CareGiver inductions.

“Lee is also qualified in delivering Disability Equality training, which is an invaluable topic. All in all, it made perfect sense for Lee to play a key part in defining our core values and assisting us to train our CareGivers in what makes us different to the more conventional standard of care being delivered, with his unique experience.

“I met Lee for the first time when he was in respite. We hit it off instantly and shared many frustrations with the sector and vowed we would work tirelessly to try to improve things. By appointing Lee we have really started on our mission.”

Under the Access to Work scheme from the Department of Work and Pensions, Right at Home will be provided with equipment, support and transport help to enable Lee to carry out his role. A key factor in the success of the new partnership between Lee and Right at Home is the premises of the firm itself. Henley House is one of a range of business premises owned and managed by Business in Focus across Wales.

Right at Home’s office is a Disability Disabled Access-approved office, meaning Business in Focus is a Disability Disabled Access-approved landlord, looking after around 300 SMEs throughout South Wales, offering modern and inviting business premises on flexible terms.

Lee, who has worked in the voluntary sector for 14 years, said, “When I met James it was apparent that we shared a vision of what good quality care should look like, then as they say, the rest was history. I have now become part of the exciting Right at Home Swansea story. You can clearly see James is surrounding himself with people of great talent that makes for a dynamic team. A team that I’m very proud to say I’m part of.”

Mr Foley continued: “For me, it doesn’t matter what Lee’s disability and mobility issues are, these things we can overcome, especially as our office in Henley House is very accessible to people living with disabilities. The fact that Lee has a wealth of knowledge and experience that he can share with our team is priceless. It’s a real pleasure to have him working for us.”

For further details about Business in Focus as a landlord, click here.

For further details about Right at Home go here: www.rightathomeuk.co.uk/swansea/