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Employment for disabled?
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09-01-2007 6:42pm#1
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Sounds like you've a good setup there!
Transport is always a challenge. Because of the lack of accessible buses in my area, I ended up having to fork out on a car loan. When I started with my current employer, I used to make my way 2 miles to the Stillorgan Road in my chair to catch the 46A to work, because my local route was (and still is) using the older style double-deckers. I'd then have about a 15 minute 'walk' to the office. Total travelling time was about 1 hr, 45 mins, which included waiting for a bus.
The mornings weren't so bad, but repeating it late in the evenings when tired was a killer. Taxis were an occasional luxury, but the vans were starting to become thin on the ground too (this was in 2003). I stuck the commute for about 3 months before I went and got my own car. Only recently however, have I been in a position to get a vehicle that actually meets my needs and now I'm finally fully mobile
Do you live in an area where there would be companies / potential employers located nearby, like in the CC?
It's great that you're the type who would maintain productivity at home. I'd be okay for a while (and for as long as the work interested me), but I'd probably get bored. I also thrive on the social contact of the workplace. Each to their own...0 -
Unfortunately I live in the only part of Clondalkin that isnt covered by an accessible bus yet and taxi's would be my only option. And they are extremely unreliable (when looking for a wheelchair one), and too expensive.
The only potential jobs nearby are in shops, and while at this point, id be happy to work in any shop, very few have accessible *staff* areas.
I used to work in the city center, temple bar to be exact. I had to get a train into heuston at 6am then "walk" from heuston station to temple bar to work.
Total travelling time 3 hours, mostly by "arm power"!
In the end, I had arms like hulk hogan but was constantly exhausted. After three years I began using an electric wheelchair, but the problem was most of them can only travel 6 miles (being realistic 5), a day between a 9 hour charge.
I would have needed twice that between travelling, working, and travelling home.
There were nights when just as I was getting home my battery would run out 100m away from the house, leaving me stranded and having to phone a taxi or ask a member of the public for assistance (Very embarrasing).
Just makes me angry that home based workers are not seen as an option in this country.
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Ive spoken to most of the "employment for people with disabilities" orgs, including the various people in Fas.
And what I find is that all they are really interested in doing, is getting people into "supported employment" which is all well and good for some, thing is, I dont need or want Supported Employment, aside from anything else, think of how that would look to another potential employer "was helped by fas to find supported employment"
whatever you may say about that, there are many employers who would see that in a potentially negative way.
It is also very well known in the community sector that these orgs *sometimes* want "bums on seats" in their "courses" so that they will get another years funding to keep themselves in employment.
I feel, (and maybe its my arrogance or ego at work), that that undermines my training and ability. No matter how Un-PC it is to say that, its how I see it.
I dont see why I should compromise my mainstream working ability by having to go the "disabled employee who needs experience" route.
The simple plain truth is I have lots of experience and academic qualifications in the areas I want to work in, and I'm more than willing and capable to do any training that is required of me or any other applicant. (I always have been, I bet I'm one of the very few wheelchair users who actually have a diploma in Manual Handling (How to lift and manipulate heavy or difficult objects properly and safely) from working in retail and then working in one of the caring professions, included in my various training LOL .
Problem is, their definition of same seems to mean getting an employer to take you on as almost a favor to the org, or "for experience" or sending you on some training scheme which you really don't require or want.
Not all of us are into that. I have a degree I worked hard to get and do I want to waste 6 months getting a qualification I dont want, or (in most cases need) by taking a FAS run "pre-employment course" that will teach me such things such as, (and I quote), "how to tell your employer what you want"....
Nope, ....I spent years traveling the country giving workshops to potential employers about how they could make their services more disability-friendly. And now, its these organizations who claim to do that.
As I say, fine for some who wants it or needs it, but I spent 9 years teaching people with disabilities how to get what they want from their employers and skill sets. Its not something I want or need to be taught as, having done all that for so long already, it has no relevance to me at this stage.
It just sometimes seems to me that most of the "get a job for a disabled person" orgs and services are hauled out as a "cover-all" when a person with a disability is job-hunting.
(Just as a side-note, have a look sometime at how many actual people with disabilities are employed *by* the organization itself in key roles, tends to be few or none).
A lot of us are reasonably well educated, responsible and highly capable workers and dont want to go through the "special person" route and get it on our own merits using mainstream methods.
Its almost like saying, an able-bodied student leaves school and gets a temporary part time job in McDonald's for a while, but a wheelchair using student should leave college and then have to go through months of "pre-employment training" so they can have some disability organization try to find him or her the same job.
B
(If you are thinking I have a "chip on my shoulder" you may be right. I do resent not having the same employment opportunities as my peers, having gone through the exact same education process as them.
But its not, a "pride" issue. I am educated, capable and unlike everyone I know, cannot find even the most basic of jobs. I would be more then willing to work at a shop checkout, or answering phones if the option was offered to me and was nearby, (unfortunately it is not).
And, I would also be more than happy to work at any other area I was qualified to work in and be appropriately trained by said company along with their other employees).0 -
Well...!
You make a several interesting arguments there. I agree with most of what you said about the employment orgs. It sounds like you have more experience dealing with them than I do, but even though I'm no expert, a lot of what you said resonated with my impression of them. Especially what you mentioned about "bums on seats". I know a few people who are in 'supported jobs' and can't help feeling that they're selling themselves short or have been sold short by those who have supposedly tried to help them into positions of employment.
Regarding your own situation, you sound well trained and capable! I am a bit confused therefore as to why you would be more than happy to take basically anything, as long as it's nearby. Earlier in your post you talked about not wanting to take something in the 'supported employment' line because it would undermine your skills, qualifications and past job experience. Would taking a menial job at this stage not be selling yourself a bit short in a similar way? Sure, it would pay a few bills and there's nothing wrong with working at a checkout, but what you have detailed about your own situation seems to indicate that you are rightly looking for a bigger challenge!
Without knowing you, it's hard to understand why someone who is articulate, apparently skilled and motivated hasn't been snapped-up by some company. It may be that, for various reasons (you mentioned transport and access to staff facilities in a previous post), working in an office environment would be challenging for you geographically and/or physically.
Have you talked to a recruitment agency in your area?
When I read: "I do resent not having the same employment opportunities as my peers, having gone through the exact same education process as them.", my first reaction was "He's wrong. The Ireland of today doesn't allow for any employer to discriminate on the grounds of disability." But then I thought about it and about all the people I know of, have known in the past, who have not been afforded the same opportunities as their able bodied peers. Then I pondered the times when I've detected prejudice, however subtle, in my own career. Basically, I can see where you're coming from and the chip on your shoulder, if there is one, is understandable (I'm sure it's not really a chip, more of a little shadow based on life's experience)
So yeah, a good recruiter, who will listen to your needs / aspirations and maybe get your CV out there with the right people?0 -
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