Empowering Adults for Success

by The Living Link

Johannesburg, Gauteng Education Job Creation

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Different Donations

Direct Donations

R 59,300

Funded to date

R 59,296

Goal

Empowering intellectually disabled young adults: your donation will fund NQF Level 1 Cleaning & Hygiene training and a 6-month Gap Skills Development Program. This program helps graduates find employment opportunities and provides transport stipends to enhance their work experience and secure permanent jobs.

The Living Link is a non-profit organisation that caters for the disabled community regardless of race, gender and religious background. The centre aims to encourage, enhance and support the development of intellectually disabled adults, and help them attain a high quality of life.

The organisation was started in 2000 by Julia and Ingrid, sister and mother to Nadine, who has an intellectual disability. Through dedication and perseverance, they taught Nadine essential living skills, which have contributed to her independence and her intellectual and spiritual growth. They were inspired to share their knowledge and allow other such adults to become more valuable members of society.

Students at The Living Link complete a 1-year life skills and work readiness programme which incorporates a NQF Level 1 Cleaning and Hygiene qualification. The program focuses on the following areas – Math literacy, Communication, teamwork, Financial Literacy, Cleaning, Use of Chemicals. Job sampling placements during the training year allow the students the opportunity to experience different types of jobs and prepares them for the realities of work.

On completion of their training, The Living Link seeks to place graduates into open labour market employment by implementing the Supported Employment Model. Adults with disabilities are placed in ordinary working environments, doing regular work where salaries and benefits are real and reflect work performance. The Living Link provides placement support and ongoing Job Coaching and training to both employer and employee.

The Living Link is continuously exploring opportunities for the graduates who have completed the programme to be meaningfully occupied while we find them permanent employment – Gap Skills Development Programme.

The types of tasks suitable would be entry-level, repetitive simple jobs.

Based on the idea of full inclusion, The Living Link encourages and facilitates the transition of their members into employment and independent living. Adults with disabilities who have employment are supported in making the move away from their parents and into the community. With structured interventions, these adults manage their own lives and households.

The Living Link strives to facilitate growth and change by empowering their members, support networks and the community and by creating an environment of understanding, acceptance and possibility.