We are the Employee Consultative Committee and represent the workers Workpower's ADE businesses. As a team , we feel ADE's are a very important source of employment and are a massive part of all of our lives. Before we came to Workpower: • My day was spent watching TV and I didn't leave the house. • I was having a lot of personal issues and had no one to support me with them. • I was at high school looking to find some sort of employment that could support my needs. • I was at home feeling quite isolated and alone. Through our employment we now feel: • Included and accepted for who I am and not what disability I have. • I feel I have developed my skills which has helped me stay in employment. • Work helped me socially to make some friends that can relate to me. • My workplace is a friendly environment with people to talk to each day, this makes a big difference in my life, as I live alone. • We feel like we are part of a big community, like being invited to a National Day for People with a Disability event last year. • We have people who care about me and what happens to me. If our workplace was taken away from us: • I would start to feel annoyed and frustrated with having nothing to do with my day. • I would feel isolated and alone. • I would be caged in my house again with nothing to do. • I would have less income to look after myself and my family with. • It would be very hard for me to get a job in open employment. Our workplace is a huge part of our lives and it is very important to us, so we all need to keep them up and running.