Driven to succeed

Young disabled people have gone into print to prove that they and their peers can overcome barriers to work. Elizabeth Choppin reports

Nearly one in five people of working age in the UK is disabled but only half are in work. Poor access, negative stereotypes and lack of awareness or support are just a few of the barriers faced by disabled people seeking jobs. But a group from the Hertfordshire-based WorkABILITY project, which attempts to overcome work barriers for disabled people, has tried to dissect some of these issues in a new booklet, User Driven.

The 80-page booklet, aimed at employers and funded by the Local Network Fund, tracked the first year of the group as its disabled students worked with local organisations and companies.

User Driven goes beyond a simple account of their work experiences and into their thoughts and feelings. It includes everything from practical recommendations for employers to poetry.

Most of the writing, coordination, design and editing was carried out by WorkABILITY members.

Mark Harris, 18, from Weathampstead, edited, structured and project-managed the book. He says: “Hopefully the book will inform people about what it’s like to have a disability and will show that we’re capable of working.”

Katie Fraser, 32, from Welwyn, was a contributor. “Working on the book was brilliant. It was a great concept. Even though we only had five weeks to do it, we still met our deadline,” she says. “The message we’re sending is that disabled people are very much a part of society and we can work just as much as other people can. The book says we’re overcoming the barriers to work and we’re going to fight to get disabled people into jobs.”

Some of the obstacles to work identified in the booklet are to do with bad transport, ill-informed employers, poor information, shortage of adapted equipment, lack of confidence and low expectations from parents.

Andrew Bird, 23, from St Albans, wrote several articles for the book. “Although I have a severe physical disability,” he says, “it doesn’t affect my ability to think! I am really good at planning and organisation.”

Andrew hopes User Driven will raise awareness of disabled people’s potential: “I feel proud of the book because it shows the work that can be done by disabled people.”

• Copies, at £4.99 plus £1 p&p, are available from Hertfordshire Personal Assistance Support Service. Contact the service via email at pass@hertspass.com or tel: 01707 321 442. Funds raised will go to WorkABILITY