For the last 13 years, Merton Centre for Independent Living has provided advice and services to local Deaf and Disabled people. At its heart has always been a user-led approach – run by and for Deaf and Disabled People, working to create a more equitable community.
Since 2018, Merton CIL has adopted a ‘grow your own’ model, recruiting and training Disabled people, including former service users, and developing them into skilled advice workers. This model not only ensures a more inclusive workforce but also fosters a deeper understanding of the unique challenges faced by service users.
In this blog, we look at how Merton CIL developed a ‘grow your own’ approach, and its benefits and challenges.
Why did Merton CIL decide to use the ‘grow your own’ model?
Like many other Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisations (DDPOs), Merton CIL struggled to recruit experienced advisers.
After a number of difficult recruitment rounds, the organisation decided to take a more innovative route: hiring and developing Trainee Advice Workers. By taking a ‘grow your own’ approach, it was felt that Trainees would already have a better understanding of delivering advice to Deaf and Disabled people.
How did it work?
Trainee Advice Workers were recruited from within Merton’s Disabled community, including service users. Trainees begin their journey with simpler tasks, such as completing travel applications, before gradually progressing to more complex work, like preparing appeals and representing clients at tribunals.
Using funding from Trust for London and City Bridge Foundation’s Strengthening Voices, Realising Rights programme, Inclusion London provided vital training and peer support, which helped Trainees meet formal advice standards, such as the Advice Quality Standard (AQS). Access to Inclusion London’s peer support network was essential for Trainees as they navigated the complexities of advice work.
The benefits of a ‘grow your own’ model
I came to Merton CIL after being out of the workforce for many years. I did have some advice experience but it was out of date. As a Trainee Caseworker, I was trained up in all aspects of casework, which built up my confidence and knowledge. All the training through SVRR has helped me to become the confident caring Caseworker that I am now.
A Merton CIL caseworker, who progressed from a trainee
Using a ‘grow your own’ model had a number of benefits – for Merton CIL, for the service, and for the Trainee Advisers themselves. Some of the benefits included:
Addressed recruitment issues: Adopting this model helped Merton CIL to address the issues it had faced recruiting experienced advice workers. Recruiting Trainee Advisers, and providing routes for them to progress to become more senior case workers, made this easier. And as an organisation serving Disabled people, it helped Merton CIL to develop a more inclusive workforce.
Holistic, hands-on service: Recruiting people who had experience of what it’s like to be on the other side helped to improve the service. Trainee Advisers were able to use their lived experience, combined with the expertise they developed, to create a space where Disabled people felt comfortable seeking help, and to provide a holistic advice service.
Thank you for all of the Inclusion London support…it has been a huge help in my development and a big contributor to me getting this new job that I am very excited about, so I am very grateful.
A former Merton CIL trainee on the importance of Inclusion London’s capacity building work
The challenges
Despite the successes of the Trainee model, there have been challenges. Training new advisers is labour-intensive, particularly during the initial stages when trainees may spend up to six weeks without doing any active casework. Managing this alongside the growing demand for advice can be difficult, especially with the ever-evolving needs of the Disabled community in Merton.
Providing progression routes can also be a challenge, as it relies on there being funding for a more senior Caseworker role for Trainees to move into. For the ‘grow your own’ model to work it requires long-term, flexible funding.
Final thoughts
By nurturing talent from within the Disabled community, Merton CIL has been able to create a workforce that is not only skilled but also deeply connected to the people they serve. The value of this model extends beyond the organisation and its employees—it significantly benefits service users, creating a more inclusive and holistic service.
The ‘grow your own model’ is an investment in both people and services. It creates a pathway for Disabled individuals or individuals who might have faced barriers to enter the advice workforce, empowering them to make a difference in their communities. It also helps to address the sector’s recruitment challenges, and ensures that organisations like Merton CIL can continue to offer high-quality, user-led services.
Funders play a critical role in ensuring programmes like this can succeed. Flexibility in funding, for example, is key to allow organisations like Merton CIL to promote Trainees into permanent casework positions, ensuring a stable and experienced advice service.