Two young women have found their dream jobs thanks to a unique partnership between a specialist employability programme and Gulliver’s World.
The Warrington theme park has joined forces with WorkFit, the Down’s Syndrome Association’s employment programme which brings together employers and job-seekers who have Down’s Syndrome. It is a tailored service dedicated to training employers about the learning profile of people who have Down’s syndrome so that they can be supported in the workplace.
And benefiting from the initiative are Beth Ryan, aged 25 from Widnes and Maya Elderton, aged 23 from Warrington, who both have Down’s Syndrome and are housekeepers at The Gulliver’s Hotel working there once a week for nearly two years.
Beth said: “My role involves helping the hotel team with all the cleaning duties. I love talking to different people and seeing the guests having a nice time at the hotel and on all the rides at the park! I enjoy my job so much and it has helped me gain lots of independence.”
Maya said: “I work alongside Beth and we help do the cleaning at the hotel so our guests can have a nice stay. I also like to meet new people and talk to them as well all the other staff at the hotel who are really nice and supportive. I enjoy everything about my role with Gulliver’s!”
Craig Clews, resort director at Gulliver’s World, said: “The WorkFit programme is a really fantastic initiative which supports people with Down’s Syndrome into paid work. It not only helps them as individuals but also, crucially, by providing employers, like ourselves, with extra support and advice to ensure we are offering opportunities that the likes of Maya and Beth can really benefit from.
“We’re a thriving family-company and our ethos is very much about being as an inclusive employer as possible. WorkFit supports us to do this so we can play a part providing paid job opportunities for those who may find getting into work more challenging as well as benefiting as a company by having employees who come from all walks of life.
“To see Maya and Beth progress over the last couple of years has been wonderful - they are a credit to themselves and to Gulliver’s as they have become much valued work colleagues to us all.”
To find out more about WorkFit please visit: https://www.dsworkfit.org.uk/
