May 2008
Back to work or stay on benefits?
These individuals are quite accepting that even with their level of impairment, they could work - but choose not too.
I have seen four distinct groups emerging over the last year.
1) The “I can’t and never will be able to work” group.
Those that believe that they could never work because they adopt the sick role or believe ‘disabled people don’t get jobs because of discrimination so why bother’. They see work as out of the question and often refuse to engage with anything that might indicate otherwise.
2) The “I could but don’t see the need to” group.
Those who are comfortable with free housing, free support and free social activities paid for by the council. Many have had well paid jobs before they became disabled, are not contributing towards the cost of their support, have maximised their benefits and feel that their ‘income’ provides a desirable quality of life - so why change? Many have high academic qualifications and many sought after skills and experience.
3) The “I will try work if I have the right support” group.
Those that want to work, but find it difficult to get the right amount of support and a job that pays well enough to come of benefits. They accept the responsibility of citizens to seek employment - and see themselves as no different in that sense.
4) Those who truly can’t work at all because they have a very severe level of impairment.
Often individuals who have high disability related and housing costs that go far beyond what benefits will cover. Individuals for whom the benefit system is really supposed to help - and which doesn’t go far enough in it current format.
Equality - we must ensure responsible citizenship.
I have worked with many social workers and care managers who quite readily offer 2 or 3 days at a resource centre or Direct Payments to enjoy leisure activities, without exploring whether that person should be engaging with work (and may thus rule out the need for so much leisure support to make a person’s days ‘fulfilled’).
I am not saying that disabled people don’t deserve funds to enable them to access leisure - far from it.
However, as a disabled person, it grates to know that I might be slogging away for 5 days a week at work, whereas someone else with the same level of impairment can be having 5 great days worth of fun activities.
Where is the equality in that?
Pause for thought
"The best way to predict your future is to create it."
I work with many people who are influential in the lives of disabled people. Many of them will influence health and social care - either as policy or decision makers, assessors or advisors.
Every UK citizen will also make decisions which affect the lives of disabled and older people. Through our democratic voting - we are choosing who we want to influence our future and the way they will do it.
It is perhaps wise for us all to think that one day, older age or impairment may well creep in. Have we chosen our future wisely or will we regret what we have done or failed to do?
Blogging about disability
02/May/2008 03:35 PM Filed in: Education
Yesterday was the national day for blogging about
disability.
Reading blogs by disabled people is a great way to discover the issues that disabled people are talking about, campaigning about or want you to hear about - they may be things that you can help change.
A little late - a recent story.
I am studying on a Post Graduate course around equality and consultancy in the field of disability and applied for a Disabled Student Grant. Students who require assistance or equipment for example can have a substantial amount of funding to enable them to access their course on an equal basis.
I have had three such grants - without which I would not have entered higher education as I need substantial help.
However, it's good to see that money is being put to good use (I'm being sarcastic here) by:
1) Making it really difficult to access
2) Being half way through your course with no funds or specialist equipment.
3) I know what I needed - but I still had to have an assessment from someone who thought they knew me better. As a result, I got a lot of things I have no use for and they went home with a nice pay packet.
4) The cost of the assessment is deducted from your Grant!
5) The cost of someone opening a box and plugging in my new laptop was £60 - which came out of my grant. Apparently I have an MA and help at home - yet still I am deemed incapable of opening a box and attaching a power supply!
Disabled people have the right to an education yet at the same time vital money is being wasted by government assessment processes. Other people on my course have also experienced similar issues - will this 'we know what's best for you' approach ever stop?
Reading blogs by disabled people is a great way to discover the issues that disabled people are talking about, campaigning about or want you to hear about - they may be things that you can help change.
A little late - a recent story.
I am studying on a Post Graduate course around equality and consultancy in the field of disability and applied for a Disabled Student Grant. Students who require assistance or equipment for example can have a substantial amount of funding to enable them to access their course on an equal basis.
I have had three such grants - without which I would not have entered higher education as I need substantial help.
However, it's good to see that money is being put to good use (I'm being sarcastic here) by:
1) Making it really difficult to access
2) Being half way through your course with no funds or specialist equipment.
3) I know what I needed - but I still had to have an assessment from someone who thought they knew me better. As a result, I got a lot of things I have no use for and they went home with a nice pay packet.
4) The cost of the assessment is deducted from your Grant!
5) The cost of someone opening a box and plugging in my new laptop was £60 - which came out of my grant. Apparently I have an MA and help at home - yet still I am deemed incapable of opening a box and attaching a power supply!
Disabled people have the right to an education yet at the same time vital money is being wasted by government assessment processes. Other people on my course have also experienced similar issues - will this 'we know what's best for you' approach ever stop?
