Jon shows Inclusion Works

Jon’s dyslexia shaped his early life, requiring him to re-sit English before attending college. Commencing his working life 33 years ago as a part-time supermarket cleaner while studying, he’s now an Inclusion Champion for Ingeus, educating employers in the North East on the simple changes that can help people with disabilities thrive at work. With adaptations made at Ingeus to support him, he has first-hand examples to share. 
 
Before joining Ingeus, Jon’s extensive career saw him climb the retail ladder with his first employer – frequently moving roles internally thanks to his inquisitive nature and determined hard work. More than 30 years passed, undertaking personnel and management roles, before he took the plunge and proactively left, searching for a role where he could support and train others. He found it at Ingeus, joining us in 2024 as an employment advisor based in Cumbria. A year on, another move beckoned – to Ingeus’ new Inclusion Works service – giving Jon the perfect opportunity to put his own experience to good use. 
 
He says: “When I joined Ingeus, the contract I worked on had strict compliance requirements. I didn’t feel I’d fully grasped the training, so I directly asked the compliance team questions in a way that worked for me. This helped me build confidence and develop my knowledge. I was able to support the rest of the team with compliance checks, which we passed successfully. 
 
“I appreciate follow up emails after conversations and use read/write software and AI tools to help with written materials. My dyslexia is a consideration but not a constraint.” 
 
Also struggling with phone anxiety, Jon’s process of contacting employers has been tweaked to make contact via email, followed by video calls. An effective strategy, the Inclusion Works contract has just been extended by the North East Combined Authority due to its success. 
 
“I struggle with social anxiety but seem to step into a different character at work,” adds Jon, who has recently completed his mental health first aider training and joined the disability and LGBTQIA+ Ingeus employee forums. “My manager is very understanding; there’s so much support here. I often use my experiences to explain that adaptations don’t need to be costly or onerous. Ingeus is a great example to other employers. 
 
“I learn a lot from the LGBTQIA+ group too,” adds Jon, who has regularly attended Pride events for the last decade. “My generation didn’t speak so freely about diversity issues so I love being a part of Pride, which helps people feel they’re not alone.” 
 
When not busy championing inclusion at work, Jon’s pastimes are equally diverse. An avid cinema buff, dog walker, and video gamer, since joining Ingeus he’s begun rug tufting, a creative skill shown off by one of his early jobseeker participants.  
 
“I’m never bored,” he laughs. “I like change and am always looking for what’s next. It’s not always easy, but with the right support, I love to learn new things – something made easier now that I have the technology and understanding of simple adaptions to work with my dyslexia.”