Gig Buddies Blog

Its interview time with Tom

This week the Stay Up Late team are interviewing for 2 new roles. One of them is a project worker for the Gig Buddies project and the other one is a quality checker for a local support provider.

The Stay Up Late team asked me to help interview for the quality checker role as I have previous experience in this area. I used to volunteer for a local support provider in a quality-checking role. I have also been a participant of the Gig Buddies project for just over 2 years and so understand the ethos of the project.

I think there seems to be a stigma around people with learning disabilities making their own choices and having their voices heard. I have experienced not being able to make my own choices and going out late.

Through being on the interview panel for the quality checking role the Stay Up late team has made me feel more included and as if I have a voice, which is being listened to. I feel like this helps break down the stigma that surrounds adults with learning disabilities because people can see that we have lots of skills to offer. I have been part of a quality checking team before and I also have a learning disability and so I have experiences that the Stay Up Late staff don’t have.

I think having an adult with a learning disability on the interview panel shows that the Gig Buddies project and Stay Up Late is an inclusive project and working by its ethos.

I would like to wish the successful applications good luck in their new role.

From

Tom

PS. One of the applicants brought a Baglamas  with them – so Kate had a go!

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Paul Richards