Feedback from the “Influencing and Informing Engage to Change: Knowing me, knowing you” listening events

The report “Influencing and Informing Engage to Change: Knowing me, knowing you” presents the outcomes of listening and learning events the project held in Cardiff, Carmarthen, and Llandudno in June 2024.

We felt it was important to bring people together, in person, to discuss employment, what people’s experiences were, what support is available, and what is still needed to help people with lived experience to get a paid job. People who attended included people with lived experience of having learning disabilities and/or autism, parents and family members, employers, service providers and service commissioners.

Clear themes emerged, including the importance of being employed, the need for accessible communication, better information sharing about available programmes, and the need for long term funding to support employment opportunities for people with lived experience.

The report highlights the need for the Welsh Government and stakeholders to learn from this feedback, focusing on improving transition support and ensuring inclusive employment opportunities for people with learning disabilities and/or autism. The recommendations at the end of the report call for policy changes to prioritise this issue across Wales.

These events were part of our ongoing efforts to tackle barriers to employment for people with learning disabilities and/or autism in Wales.