European Union of Supported Employment

At the June Conference in Copenhagen the Executive Board unanimously elected a new President, Margaret Haddock, Northern Ireland’s Union of Supported Employment Chair. She will be assisted by three Vice Chairs; Fernando Bellver from Spain, Bertil Johansson from Sweden and Robert Elston from England.

Margaret stated that this had been the proudest day of her life. "I have been working in supported employment for over 18 years. I feel that in today’s environment  the challenges for disadvantaged people finding employment is even harder and I know that supported employment is the most successful way of gaining and retaining employment. I want to build on the work of the previous Presidents and thank Michael Evans for all his efforts in the past four years. He will be a hard act to follow."

Margaret Haddock – President, EUSE

Margaret has been newly elected as President of EUSE as of June 2011.  Prior to this she was the Secretary for 4 years and a council member for 9 years.  Margaret has also been the Chair of NIUSE for over 6 years.

Margaret’s career has been varied, commencing in the private sector employment and training arena managing several youth and job training initiatives.  During this time she was involved in N.V.Q. development and looking at courses for those with learning needs.

Margaret entered the voluntary sector in 1993 working directly with clients as an Employment Officer.  Over the years she has been instrumental in developing Transition Programmes with the Department for Education and has also worked closely with both the Department for Employment and Learning and Department of Health in promoting the Model of Supported Employment. An avid believer in personal development she has recently completed an MSc. in Executive Leadership at the University of Ulster.

Margaret is the Deputy Chief Executive of The Orchardville Society, a Charity based in Northern Ireland providing Employment Services to over 250 people with learning disability and/or autism.  Margaret has also been a key dynamic in the development of the Orchardville Society’s four Social Enterprises.

Fernando Bellver - Vice President, EUSE

Fernando Bellver is a Psychologist graduated at the University of Barcelona. He lives in Mallorca where he has set up and implemented supported employment services for people with disabilities in both the private and public sector. He has been one of the pioneers of supported employment services in Spain and was the founder of the Spanish Association of Supported Employment (AESE) in 1993.

Nowadays Fernando is the representative of AESE in the European Union of Supported Employment (EUSE) and the president of EMPLEA Foundation, a body to promote supported employment in Spain and Latin America.

He is also co-operating with different organisations in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Perú, Venezuela, Uruguay, etc. on the further development of supported employment for the labour inclusion of people with disabilities and other disadvantaged groups.

For many years now Fernando has devoted a lot of time to training professionals in the supported employment sector through on-line courses and training courses.

Robert Elston – Vice President, EUSE

Status Employment Chief Executive, Robert Elston, has over 20 years experience of Supported Employment for people with disabilities. Robert has specialist experience of working for people with learning disabilities and people receiving mental health services. Robert has operated at all levels of supported employment starting as a job coach for a municipality and working his way up to be a Chief Executive of services. Robert has also worked in four different delivery organisations, both in the Government Sector as well as in the non-Governmental organisations.

Robert was involved in the forefront of supported employment in Britain working for Blakes Wharf Employment Services one of the first supported employment agencies in the early eighties. Robert is currently the Chief Executive of Status Employment an independent charity based in South London helping people with learning disabilities and severe and enduring mental health needs find open paid employment.  Robert Elston is a Board member of the British Association for Supported Employment and represents them on the board of European Union of supported Employment.

Bertil Johansson - Vice President, EUSE

Bertil is Head of the Activa Foundation in Örebro, Sweden. He has been working as a job coach for nearly 20 years, using Supported Employment techniques. Today he is engaged in training jobcoaches in Sweden in the use of Supported Employment.

The development over these years has been an experiencing journey. Bertil has worked with people with intellectual disabilities as well as disadvantaged groups and people with other disabilities, in areas from from systematic instruction to employer engagement. Most of all it has been a privilege to meet all the wonderful jobseekers during the years. The lessons and impressions from this has been the fuel for his further work.

Bertil is the secretary of the Swedish association of Supported Employment and has been active in the organisation since 2000.