A DISABILITY training firm that started life in a bedroom three years ago has joined forces with a deaf charity to help people with hearing loss into work.

Martin Kelly, who was inspired to form Disability Experts after he suffered a stroke, saw at first hand the problems deaf people have to deal with because both his wife and daughter wear hearing aids.

Now his company has partnered with Gloucestershire Deaf Association, which is providing a qualified sign language project worker for a series of sessions teaching employability skills.

He said: “There is a massive gap with employment and people who are hard of hearing. I’m delighted to team up with GDA which will help us with being able to bridge this hole.

“This is a subject really close to my heart especially when it comes to helping others as I know the difficulties they are facing, I want them to know that they are not alone. This programme will make a huge difference to so many people’s lives.”

Martin, a former business director for Music Alive and lifestyles co-ordinator for disability equality charity Scope, has a contract with the Department of Work & Pensions and the European Social Fund with the aim of getting jobseekers with disabilities and health conditions back into employment.

Sessions are tailored to help people prepare for job interviews, manage their money, brush up on their computer skills and go through online training.

They would be harder to understand without the help of a dedicated sign language expert, but since the launch of the partnership with the deaf association he has set a target of helping six people a week in the first three months and between 20 and 25 people before Christmas.

The community interest company runs an ability job club, part of the Links to Work programme funded by the DWP and the ESF, to help people, whether they are looking for paid work or voluntary roles.

He said: “Having someone who can do sign language fluently will make all the difference to the people we see, this will also give our clients the opportunity to be able to open up about themselves.

“I’m immensely proud of what we are doing as we are giving people who don’t get a fair chance the help they deserve.”

Reg Cobb, GDA project development manager said “We strive to improve deaf and hard of hearing people’s life chances and we have excelled in getting deaf people into employment in Gloucestershire.

“We are now excited at the prospect of extending our work into Swindon in partnership with Disability Experts, to reach more deaf people and support them into employment. We know that successful employment is the best way to help anyone achieve a better sense of themselves and their place in society.”

Visit disabilityexperts.co.uk for more information.