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Looking for a job when you’re disabled or have a long-term health condition can present some real challenges but there is lots of support available to help and guide you through the barriers you might face.
Firstly, think about how you can best communicate your strengths and abilities to a potential employer. Your CV can highlight your achievements and demonstrate how your unique perspective will be an asset to their workplace and enhanced by your skill set. There are a wide variety of job roles available out there that can suit your needs, and more and more employers are looking into diverse pools of talent to find their new hires.
Be honest about your disability, impairment or long-term health condition and realistically describe what you need in the workplace to be at your best, highlight examples of where you have demonstrated worked successfully in other roles, worked differently to ensure that you can be the best you can be as an employee and your determination to challenge barriers in the workplace. Think about networking with others who have faced similar challenges and can provide valuable advice and support.
Disability employment services and community organisations can help you with your job search and if you have specific requirements, let potential employers know on your behalf, so that they are best placed to provide any additional support you might need, and are aware of your needs.
EqualEdge are dedicated to supporting disabled people at work by providing tailored Workplace Support Workers fostering inclusion, and enhancing professional opportunities.
For more information, click here to visit the EqualEdge website.
If you are disabled or have a long-term physical or mental health condition, Working Well: Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care can provide you with tailored support and guidance, to help you gain long lasting employment. The programme can support you to move into paid employment if you are out-of-work or enable you to stay in work or return to work after a period of sickness, whilst ensuring your health needs are prioritised.
The service collaborates with employers to develop tailored workplace adjustments, aiming to empower employees to perform their roles to their full potential. This inclusive approach may include workplace modifications, adjustment to work schedules and the use of assisted technologies.
For more information, visit Working Well: Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care
If you don’t quite feel ready to look for work but want some support, Working Well: Support to Succeed can help. You can get support to boost your wellbeing and confidence and advice in relation to managing your finances, budgets, housing or relationships.
Working Well: Support to Succeed will help to boost your confidence and support you to achieve your goals, with a friendly team of people who will work with you to get you feeling stronger and ready to start looking for work.
For more information visit Working Well: Support to Succeed (gcemployment.uk)
Working Well: Pioneer can help you into work through securing you early access to jobs based on your preferences, with access to a wide array of holistic support, such as job and skills matching, and health interventions).
Tailored support will be available to you, including job-coaching, training, support from a workplace mentor, and once you're in work, you will still have access to their ongoing support, with in-work reviews and check-ins.
For more information, click here to learn more.
The Working Well Work and Health Programme is a tailored service to support you back into employment, with help from employment specialists, health professionals and community organisations.
If you need additional support, then you can contact National Careers Service on 0800 100 900.