Training hope for adults with severe disabilities
The HSE-funded facility provides training, residential, respite, day and multi-sensory services to people with learning disabilities and helps them find employment.
Skills in IT, horticulture, woodwork and other disciplines are taught and some of the adults with learning disabilities who have used the training resources, running since October, have already found jobs.
Employers benefit from the services of a job-coach who ensures that the employee is skilled and competent to carry out the duties of the job.
In addition the job-coach will ensure that both employer and employee have ongoing support as required, and will also be aware of any other relevant supports available from Fás and other agencies.
Fás also provides a grant to pay for an interpreter to attend a job interview and has arrangements made for people who are deaf, or are hard of hearing, or have a speech impediment.
Speaking at the opening of the new service, HSE co-ordinator for Disability Services in the Carlow/Kilkenny area, Jacinta Culliton said the new facility was “most impressive”. It has an assembly room, a literacy room, library, classrooms, meeting room and atrium.
“The HSE is very grateful to Delta’s director of services Eileen Brophy and her team of professionals and volunteers for all of their hard work in helping us to bring this outstanding development to fruition,” Ms Culliton said.
“The HSE looks forward to continued co-operation with the Delta organisation and has no doubt that this state of the art centre will be a tremendous feature of community services in Carlow.”
The facility is built on land owned by the HSE at Strawhall in Carlow. The HSE licensed the Delta organisation to build and operate the training and education facility there and the full €1.8 million costs of construction and equipping were met from the HSE’s Capital Development Plan.
In addition, the HSE continues to fund the Delta Organisation to provide services.
This funding will come to €2.4 million.
