Having a disability comes with many challenges, not necessarily all physical. Finding your place in the work field can be difficult.
Most employers are either too scared or hesitant to offer a position to someone with a disability. They may feel it would be harder to accommodate someone with a disability.
Here are five things you should know about hiring someone with a disability.
1 - Capability
If someone with a disability applies for a role in your workspace do not underestimate their capabilities before meeting with them because they would not be applying for the role themselves if they did not think they were capable.
2- Intelligence
Intelligence is not defined by physical appearance or mobility. More common than not someone's intelligence is underestimated and overlooked.
3- Perspective
When a person is faced with challenges throughout life such as having a disability it allows the ability to view the world in a different light, which makes them an asset to a team. Those with disabilities are great problem solvers.
4- Workplace
Having an accessible workspace is a must. Often people are unsure how to help someone with a disability in the workplace. They are good at reaching out and communicating their needs. They are like everybody else and that is the way they should be treated.
5- Work ethic
Those with disabilities work extremely hard to achieve goals that one would take for granted day to day. The truth is it is extremely hard to find a job when you have a disability so when we get offered a chance to prove ourselves, we do.
As someone who has found it difficult to find a job with Cerebral Palsy, that does not affect my thinking or learning these five things you should know about hiring someone with are disability are simple, but I often feel are forgotten.
My name is Hannah, I am twenty-two years old and was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy at the age of two. My Cerebral Palsy affects me from the hips down, although I have a disability, I have never seen myself as someone that is disabled. I have always found a way to achieve my goals in my own way, I partook in all the school events such as cross-country and joined the football team with the support of my family. As I grew older, I came to learn I had a love for photography, it helped me be part of the activities that I couldn't so easily join in on. Then went on to do a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree majoring in photography, now working for brolly sheets. This isn't to say that it has always been easy. I have had eighteen surgeries with the hospital as my second home but I can happily say that my disability has shaped me into the person I am today and I wouldn’t change it if I could.