CSES sources work for Damien

A KILLALOE man has landed himself paid employment in a local shop after proving to himself and a potential employer where his strengths lay.

Damien Moroney has an intellectual disability but went to the Clare Supported Employment Services (CSES) looking for their assistance in finding work.
He told CSES staff that he was keen to find a job in his local town, Killaloe. Employment facilitator with the FÁS-funded agency, Lorraine Hughes, knowing where his strengths lay, approached Maria Castles, owner of An Siopa Beag, a local health food and gift shop and sought to have Damien trialled as a stock assistant in a retail environment to see if he was capable of mastering all the tasks involved.
Damien began his trial in September 2009 and by early November he had mastered all the tasks involved. He was relocating stock from delivery, through sorting and pricing to re-stocking shelves.
“While his experiences in mainstream employment had been rather limited to this point, he soon discovered a real affinity for this kind of work and his confidence grew as he saw how his work contributed to the overall business. Damien, who is very pleasant to be around and gets on really well with the existing staff, is now a paid member of staff and works at An Siopa Beag on Friday mornings,” Alice O’Carroll of CSES said.
Maria was so impressed with Damien’s standard of work that she had no hesitation in hiring him after the work trial had worked out so well.
“It’s a joy to work with Damien; he shows a real interest in the products he handles. There is a noticeable uplift in mood in the shop when Damien is working. This is due to how he engages with myself, the customers and the other employees,” she said.
Starting off unpaid, Damien is thrilled to be paid for working two hours on a Friday morning. “It’s good to be doing something I like,” he said.
“The beauty of the work trial at the start is that it gives both parties a chance to see if the job and the person are the right match. It’s a great method of recruitment; it works for both employers and employees,” added Lorraine, who is very keen to assist other employers in the county in finding suitable employees.
For more information about Clare Supported Employment, contact Alice or Karen on 065 68344007, email info@claresupportedemployment.ie or log on to www.claresupportedemployment.ie.