NCMH Honourary Research Associate, Gerraint Jones-Griffiths has been awarded the prestigious David Granger Award at the British Association of Supported Employment (BASE) conference awards ceremony in Manchester.
The awards ceremony took place on Tuesday 19 November and celebrated work taking place across the UK to change and enrich the lives of disabled and neurodivergent people through supported employment.
The David Grainger Award is presented an individual with lived experience who inspires others to have high aspirations in employment and change perceptions around what disabled people can achieve.
Exemplary work for the NCMH Engage to Change project
Gerraint was nominated by Dr Elisa Vigna and Andrea Meek for his exemplary work as an NCMH Honourary Research Assistant and lead ambassador for the Engage to Change project. This project has supported over 1000 young people with a learning disability and/ or autism to gain work skills or move into paid employment across Wales.
In his role, Gerraint has undertaken collaborative research, dissemination and made an impact within the team to challenge perceptions around employment for individuals with learning disabilities and autism:
“Gerraint has been central in advising and guiding us in the development of accessible research methods, and outputs and has inspired a co-productive approach between researchers and people with lived experience.
Elisa and Andrea from the NCMH Engage to Change Project
He has led presentations which ensure research statistics and outputs are accessible for people with learning disabilities and promoted employment for all at every opportunity, using his own lived experience as an example of what can be achieved.”
Championing inclusivity in employment
In addition to receiving an award, Gerraint also gave a mainstage presentation to over 400 people at the BASE conference about his work as an ambassador for supported employment. This has included delivering presentations to employers, education providers, young disabled people, parents, carers and academics. He has also championed inclusivity in employment by co-developing and delivering ‘Autism and Neurodiversity in Employment’ training from a lived experience perspective with the research team and promotes accessible communication in recruitment practice across the university and beyond.
Furthermore, Gerraint has advocated for employment policy changes with members of Welsh Parliament, raising the profile of supported employment for people with Learning Disabilities across Wales.
Advocating for individuals with neurodivergence and disabilities
Gerraint brings his unique skills and knowledge to his role as Honorary Research Associate. He naturally embodies joint working with an aim of delivering solutions to the challenges faced. He uses his voice as a self-advocate to include and encourage others with learning disabilities and autism to push for adjustments, support and the right for a good career.
“I really did not expect this. Thank you to Andrea Meek and Dr Elisa Vigna from National Centre for Mental Health for nominating me, to Angela Kenvyn at Learning Disability Wales for your support, and to the British Association for Supported Employment.
Gerraint
You will hear in my acceptance speech: I don’t do this for the recognition; it’s because I feel I want to make a difference. I am so overwhelmed!”
Get more information about the Engage to Change project by emailing: E2C@cardiff.ac.uk