Guernsey Employment Trust (GET) is thrilled to announce that it has won the Small Supported Employment Award at the British Association of Supported Employment (BASE) annual conference. Recognised for its impactful work in inclusive employment in Guernsey, GET stands out among top contenders across the UK, celebrating its commitment to transforming employment opportunities for disabled and neurodiverse individuals.
As the leading national voice in specialist employment support, BASE advocates for high-quality Supported Employment services that increase job opportunities for disabled people. Each year, their awards spotlight exceptional work within the field, and this year, GET’s innovative approaches and dedicated team have earned well-deserved recognition. GET submitted applications in three award categories and is honoured to have won one and been shortlisted for another, marking a significant achievement for the organisation and the Guernsey community.
(L-R) are: Alexandria Martinson, Elaine Strappini, Claire Smith Rebecca Mauger
Small Supported Employment/Social Enterprise Team
This award celebrates a small but highly effective team that, with limited resources, has high ambition in promoting inclusive recruitment within their community. The team of 15 at GET provides disabled and neurodiverse individuals with opportunities for inclusion, belonging, and meaningful work. They are driven by a purpose to bring individuals and organisations together to harness talent and create diverse, inclusive workspaces.
The GET team won the award, competing against two other organisations: Bridge Creative and Salford Supported Employment. Some of the team were present in Manchester to accept the award, while the rest of the team cheered them on via WhatsApp video. The judges’ decision was unanimous!
Nikki Ioannou-Droushiotis (CEO) says, “The award is a true validation of the team’s hard work, collaboration, respect and appreciation for one another. It is testament to our dedication to improving the lives of the disabled community in Guernsey.”
Guernsey has a unique local landscape. Thirteen months ago, there was no law to protect the rights of disabled people. GET supported the campaign for the law and worked closely with local government, charities, and the business community to embrace the new Prevention of Discrimination Ordinance and best practices. Prior to this, GET paved the way for inclusive recruitment through the creation of The Employers’ Disability Charter, encouraging employers to provide reasonable adjustments many years before it became a legal duty.
Ten years ago, supported employment services transitioned from the States of Guernsey to the third sector, increasing the number of people supported and job outcomes as a result. The number of people entering employment and work experience opportunities has increased, and the team has achieved an all-time high job retention rate of 76%, indicating their job matches and levels of support are effective. Meanwhile, the demand for the service continues to grow.
Collaborating with Grant Thornton, GET’s potential social value for 2023 was calculated at £3.6 million.
Jurgen Donaldson Disrupter Award
This award is presented to an individual who is disrupting the status quo as a Disability Confident Ambassador. Elaine Strappini (Employment Development Manager) was shortlisted for the award and competed against two individuals from the UK.
Mrs Ioannou-Droushiotis (CEO) says, “GET created the Employers’ Disability Charter in 2017, but it wasn’t until Mrs. Strappini joined the team in 2018 that the momentum for positive change in disability inclusion in Guernsey occurred.”
Mrs. Strappini has built new relationships with employers and strengthened existing ones, leading to 72 employers signing up to the Charter (similar to the UK equivalent of Disability Confident). This goes beyond a tick-box exercise; these employers now proactively share job vacancies, offer work experience, conduct mock interviews, and guarantee job interviews for disabled applicants.
Discrimination legislation only came to Guernsey in October 2023. Prior to this, Mrs. Strappini raised awareness and promoted the value of diversity and reasonable adjustments through informal relationship building and workplace training, which she co-designed and delivered with a colleague. This, alongside GET’s refreshed and purpose-driven marketing, influenced and supported by Mrs. Strappini, contributed to developing a bank of employers, supporting a total of 178 businesses during 2023.
Supported Employment Practitioner
This award celebrates an individual who works within a Supported Employment team and has gone above and beyond in promoting inclusive recruitment both locally and nationally. The award recognises an individual who demonstrates partnership working and innovative practice and has achieved high numbers of well-matched employment outcomes for disabled people.
For this award, GET nominated Employment Support Officer Rick Robinson. At the point of submission, Mr. Robinson had secured 89 paid job placements over five years, averaging 17.8 jobs per year.
Mrs. Ioannou-Droushiotis says, “Rick is deserving of this award because of the impact he has had on the lives of our disabled job seekers. Beyond the numbers, he demonstrates on a daily basis his belief in his clients, going above and beyond. His go-get-it attitude epitomises supported employment, focusing on his clients’ abilities.”
Unfortunately, due to the high number of submissions for this hotly contested category, Mr. Robinson was not shortlisted. However, GET would like to thank him for his tenacity.
