I was an extremely ambitious child. I wanted to be a teacher, a fashion designer, a journalist, a real estate agent, a teacher again, and an advertising executive.
I was also very entrepreneurial. While most children were nagging their parents to buy them colouring books, all I wanted was an invoice book. And I made good use of it too.
For a while I had a hustle selling friendship bracelets made of brightly coloured platted wool (they were all the rage at my primary school), but despite my genius advertising strategy, (one poster on my grandma’s fridge), I didn’t sell a single one.
Slightly more successful though, was my enterprise selling aprons. More successful, in that I did sell one. But I had to shut up shop soon after, as Nonna didn’t have any more spare material.
So, I moved on to my most profitable venture of all, ‘Butler’s Catering Company,’ an endeavour I took so seriously, my cousin Jody even made me business cards for it. ‘Catering’ meant packet cakes, made to order, which I talked family into buying. I baked and decorated them myself (sort of), but all the ingredients, utensils, and workspace were supplied by Mum. Once I made enough to start paying for the overheads (and I had to clean up after myself), the novelty of business ownership finally wore off for some reason.
From there on in, I chose to work for others, and overall, it has turned out pretty well. I mean, at one point I had two Directors competing for me, which was nice. Sorry if that sounded like a brag, by the way. It happens when I’m bragging.
Here’s why you need a disabled employee to compete for too:
Enthusiasm:
People with disability can and do want to work. We enjoy the same activities and experiences as anyone else, and we have bills and expenses just as you do.
These things cost money and thus, we are eager for the work to make these things happen. Studies show that on average, disabled people take fewer sick days than our able-bodied counterparts, and tend to stay with employers longer-term. I was at my last job for more than 19 years.
Alternative perspectives:
People with disability often do things differently, it comes with the territory. But in doing so, we also get to have experiences and/or engagements that others will never have.
This gives us valuable insights and vantage points, which your customers may also have, that you may otherwise never get to tap into. Remember, there are an estimated 5.5 million people with disability in Australia, and disability is one of the few demographics you can become a part of, without meaning to.
Problem solvers:
People with disability live in a world that is mostly not designed to accommodate us. So, it is often necessary for us to find work arounds in unanticipated situations, to allow us to go about our day. We know our bodies and what works for us, so we are usually very good at thinking on our feet, even if we are actually sitting down.
Organisation:
Being blind and with mobility issues means, I can’t just leave the house and go, it takes a lot of planning ahead. This is the case with most disabilities. The upside though is that practice makes perfect, so we are often really organised, and very good at research.
There’s a common misconception that hiring employees with disability costs too much, and that making modifications to a workspace or providing technology a new member of staff might need is too hard.
But, did you know that JobAccess, a National Government-run program can help with grants and support, through the Employee Assistance Fund (EAF)?
Any employee with disability is eligible to apply for the EAF, as long as they are in a paid role. And employers can also reach out for free help in employing people with disability, workplace modifications and more.
Okay, now you know. So, ready, set, GO!
Nina writes her own blog Inner Musings of a Funny Looking Kid. She doesn’t receive any supports from Activ Foundation but has jumped on board with Activ to share her first-hand experiences of living with disability and educate the public through her witty musings.
Look forward to quarterly catch-ups with Nina through Activ’s socials and website.