What is a Learning Disability Job Coach?

A Job Coach is a person who helps adults with learning disabilities, physical disabilities and mental health issues be able to learn work-based tasks by encouraging and showing them what to do. Also helping where needed to finish a task and making sure that the person is engaged, happy and safe.

The job coach can prepare an area for a task so that it is safe and ready to use. They will assess the capacity of a person with learning disabilities on the day to make sure that they are safe to carry out the task. If they are not the job coach will find something else that they may be able to do.

A job coach can teach new skills, enabling progress on the learning journey and in some cases looking for work.

A job coach doesn’t see the person as someone with a Learning Disability, they see someone who may do things at a slower pace or in a different way. They see someone with a learning difficulty who is looking to work or do volunteering.

A job coach will have received training on behaviours that challenge, Health and safety, safeguarding, Autism, Diabetes, Epilepsy, communication, first aid, learning disabilities, colours personalities and more.

Some Job Coaches help support someone with a learning disability into work, making sure that they know what to expect and even support them in work.

A job coach’s role is very varied and enjoyable and the results you see though helping adults with difficulties into work is extremely rewarding.