George, who has a learning disability, recently began a new job at a community space and coffee shop in Westminster.
He works as an assistant at The Onion Garden.
His favourite task is watering the plants. It is the first thing he does when he gets to work.
George found the job with great networking and people-skills.
He used to visit the garden every morning for a coffee and he got to know the owner, who is called Jens.
George told him that he was doing an internship and Jens asked him if he would like to work at The Onion Garden when he had completed it. George said: “Yes! I would like that!”
He now works part time, three days each week, from 9am to 12pm.
In the past it has been difficult for George to find a job though. Like many people with learning disabilities, employers didn’t give him opportunities.
For years George applied for many jobs and people didn’t even write back to him. Even charity shops didn’t reply when he asked about volunteering. “I felt stressed”, George says.
Christina, George’s sister, has helped him to look for work. She thinks that many companies don’t want to put the time or money into hiring learning disabled candidates: “People essentially don’t want to support people with learning disabilities in the workplace.”
While he was searching for a job George began to come to LDN London’s Community Hub and taking part in workshops and activities. It helped him to grow his confidence.
In 2024 George decided to apply for a supported internship with Westminster Council. And in September 2024 he started working there.
As part of it, he worked across three different places, 7 hours each day. He helped with administrative tasks at City Hall. He set up the office space for people, prepared paperwork, and he delivered parcels.
He also worked at the archives office and helped at a dance class and social group.
He loved it, even if he was tired when he got home at the end of the day, he says.
It was an unpaid position although he got help from a job coach and support to develop his career.
George says that he learned a lot, including about searching for jobs. He liked socialising and also developed computer skills: “I enjoyed that I met lots of people. I made many skills on the internet. That’s what I enjoyed most.”
But, it was still difficult to find a job after he finished the internship.
Christina says that, although the internship was brilliant, but most people with learning disabilities could not find a job after it.
She thinks that workplaces don’t want to put the time in to training. Even Disability Confident employers are unsure about investing in people with learning disabilities, Christina says: “They are more confident with physical rather than learning disabilities.”
Thanks to his people-skills George found a job himself.
He is enjoying his work at The Onion Garden. “It’s going really good. I like the place. The things we do: cleaning tables, taking the covers off chairs, putting blankets, talking to people.”
One day he would like to go from watering daffodils to working at a desk. “I would like to work in an office.” That is the career he hopes for.
Thank you to George and Christina for sharing their story.
Find out more about LDN London’s Community Hub.
If you would like to explore inclusive employment, we can help you find the right local service and be a friendly ear in the process. Please contact:
Mandy Crowford: mcrowford@ldnlondon.org
Luana Baptista: lbaptista@ldnlondon.org
