Making life easier with disability at work
Work has always been a big part of my life. That’s not because I’m focused on earning money or climbing a corporate ladder, but because I’ve always worked in the third sector for organisations that support disabled people. Something I’m passionate about for what you might say are selfish reasons.
Last month I received my award letter from the Access to Work scheme for a new manual wheelchair and a power assist. I thought that it was a good opportunity to share my experience of applying for equipment through the scheme and some of my reflections on work in general.
Why I’ve always worked
Both before and after my injury, I’ve never shied away from work. In my pre injury days I did whatever job I could find. Starting with delivering newspapers, later on going on to stack shelves, flip burgers and pull pints.
There are so many benefits to working that I have found both before my injury and also since going back to work. If I were to pick out the top points, they would be:
Socialising
Skills development
Lower lethargy
Improved mental health
Financial stability
Daily structure
When I use the word employment, I always like to talk about both paid or unpaid employment. Because there are benefits to taking on unpaid work like an internship or volunteering.
Most of the points above apply to unpaid work as well, the only one that doesn’t is the financial stability as you won’t be making an income. Though potentially spending less on gas and electric if you’re not at home.
Before I got paid work, I spent a lot of time volunteering to, well, have something to do. Volunteering has been a big part of my life, allowing me to do some amazing travels and really develop a whole range of skills. Even after finding paid work, I still found time to do volunteer work because it can be so much fun.
Things I’ve learned from working with a disability
One thing that people ask a lot is when to tell an employer that they’re disabled. It is dependent on the situation and you will know best depending on your individual situation. I’d like to share some of my experiences and what I’ve learned that you may find helpful.
In 2008, I got my first paid job following my accident. It was at a theme park, Morey’s Piers, in New Jersey, USA. I remember being in hospital following an operation when my cousin visited and told me about his plans to work abroad for the summer. I was sat in my wheelchair in a sling and immediately thought it sounded like a fun adventure.
Four months later I was on my very first flight as a wheelchair user going to New Jersey. I got a bus from New York down to New Jersey and as I sat waiting to get collected by a member of staff from the theme park I was going to work at, I was feeling anxious.
On the application form that I’d completed to get this job, they had asked if I was disabled but made it clear I didn’t have to tell them. I didn’t want to risk not getting a summer abroad so I didn’t tick the box.
They picked me up from the bus station without batting an eyelid. There was no way of knowing when I applied, but it turns out that the owner’s daughter was a wheelchair user as well. Which made him very understanding of adjustments that needed to be made.
Two things that I learned around work from that summer abroad:
Be open about your needs from the start. I likely would have had a much better living space over summer if I was up front about it.
Be open about your needs during your work. It wasn’t impossible for me to get into that ticket booth but coming out I bent a wheel which meant pushing for the next week felt like I had a brake on.
Talk to your employers as there may be adjustments they can make for you. When I worked for Real DPO in Tower Hamlets , every morning I needed to take public transport to get across the city. For anyone who has used the London Underground at rush hour, you’ll know just how crowded and uncomfortable it can be.
The difference in getting on an empty train and one that feels like a tin of sardines can be as little as twenty minutes. I knew that if I wanted to beat the crowd then I needed to leave home by 7am at the latest. I spoke to work about it and we agreed I could adjust my working day from a 9-5 to an 8-4 and I was able to beat rush hour and the crowds both going to work and coming home.
Getting the equipment you need
I’ve applied to the government’s Access to Work scheme a couple of times before when I’ve been in previous roles
Now that I’m working for myself, Access to Work required me to complete a business plan. This isn’t unusual when thinking about anyone who is going to invest money in you or your company. It’s about reducing risk.
Completing the business plan wasn’t a difficult task. It might be something that you already have to hand. Or like me, you might not have the information in the format they’re looking for but you have everything they want and you just need to piece it together.
My Access to Work advisor sent me a link to the business plan template from the Prince’s Trust. It took me an afternoon to complete. It is actually a really useful exercise in reflecting on what you’re doing and your plans moving forwards.
I made the online application in February and got an email to arrange a call to talk to my advisor at the end of June. Less than a month later I had my first award letter for a new wheelchair and a work place assessment booked in.
For some of the equipment provided, specifically that which you will use outside of work, Access work require what they call a “Social and Domestic Contribution”. If you’re working a 5 day week then you will need to pay for the a percentage based on the days you don’t work, so 2/7 for the two days you’re not working.
The social contribution won’t be for all equipment, like changes to your workspace if working from home. For me the contribution on applied to my wheelchair. Now 2/7 of a wheelchair is still quite a bit of money. Even after calling wheelchair services to get their contribution in the form of the Personal Wheelchair Budget, my social contribution was still over £1000.
I was lucky to find out about a new scheme that has recently launched that will help out a lot. Motability have launched a grant called the “Access to Work Scheme” that reimburses the total of your contribution for:
Manual wheelchairs;
Powered wheelchairs;
Scooters;
Vehicle adaptations.
Preparing for your Access to Work claim
Think about all the things that would make it easier for you when you’re working. Don’t struggle with things that other people don’t have to deal with.
I’ve learnt from the times when I’ve struggled with tasks at work and now look at how I can make things easier for myself.
Before you apply, take the time to list all the environments you’ll be working in, any commuting you’ll be doing as part of work and what barriers big or small these may provide. Don’t just take my word for it, jump on Google and check out other people’s experience.
When you’re ready, you can get the ball rolling by starting your Access to Work application here.
