A Strong Partnership Supporting Inclusive Employment

At Optalis Supported Employment Service, creating opportunities for people to access fulfilling work is at the heart of everything they do. The team has built a strong and collaborative relationship with Waingels School. Through this work, individuals have gained access to valuable opportunities, built confidence, developed new skills, and become valued members of the Waingels community.

We spoke with Luke, now a valued kitchen porter at Waingels, and Melinda, a senior member of staff, about the impact this collaboration has had.
Luke spoke proudly about his journey into employment, sharing how the support he received from Optalis helped him build both skills and confidence.

“I am now a kitchen porter at Waingels. I had help from Optalis, helping me get from where I started to where I am today. I have been taught how to talk at interview, they helped me get an interview and a trial shift.”

His experience highlights how specialist supported employment can open doors, particularly for individuals who may face barriers to work. The guidance Luke received, from interview preparation to on-the-job support, has not only enabled him to secure a role but to flourish in it.

Melinda described how the school’s ethos of belonging and inclusion is strengthened through its ongoing work with Optalis.
“Waingels is a school where everyone belongs, thrives and succeeds, and our partnership with Optalis is a clear expression of that ethos. Inclusion at Waingels is not limited to our students, it is woven through every aspect of our community, including the way we welcome, support and develop our staff. Working with Optalis allows us to demonstrate to our young people that belonging and inclusion is something we practise, not just something we talk about.”

One of the key strengths, she explained, is the continuity of support. Optalis stays connected well beyond the recruitment phase, offering refresher training, clarifying new processes, and helping colleagues build confidence as they settle into their roles. Melinda emphasised how personalised this support is: “Because Optalis know our other colleagues so well, they can quickly recognise whether instructions have been understood, are still being processed, or need to be communicated differently. This personalised approach reflects our belief that inclusion means meeting people where they are and enabling them to flourish.”

The success of the partnership is clear. Waingels now has four members of staff recruited through Optalis, each making a positive contribution to school life and helping embed inclusion as a lived value.

Luke summed up his experience, “The support that I have had from Optalis has actually been absolutely incredible and helpful for the entire basis of me getting a job and getting where I am today, doing this amazing opportunity.”

Reflecting on the partnership, Donna Morgans, Head of Supported Employment Services, highlighted the shared benefits of working together: “Having employer partners like Waingels is essential to supported employment. Their commitment to inclusion and willingness to work alongside us creates real opportunities for people to gain, retain and succeed in work. It is a genuine partnership, and one that benefits everyone involved.”