a4e

My initial meeting with A4E seemed promising

I spoke about my difficulties in accessing back to work programmes, because of my limited reading and writing skills and how these programs on the whole do not cope with my level of need.

• How on earth will I fill in the paperwork
• keep track of what I want to do and how I am progressing
• maintain a level of control of what is going on on the program.

we talked about getting an amanuensis (someone to read and write for me?) And although that seems a solution, we discussed how I would not know what is being written on the forms (it could be anything) and then I would have signed for it, I need a level of oversight which is in my control. Because I do not want to be pushed down a road that ends up with an outcome which isn't right for me. I would rather have any written material in a digital format because my computer can do the reading and writing. It is important to be as independent as I can because if I cannot cope with the program how am I supposed to deal with a workplace.

I discussed how in the last 10 years I have been pushed into jobs which either do not suit my main body of experience or physical jobs which tire me out due to my cerebral palsy, I've been happy to volunteer for roles in the past however they have not let to anything fulfilling or long-term.
It is very hard to access the right employment for me.

• Labouring work tends to make me tired and uncoordinated in a situation like a factory I become a danger to myself and others stumbling around when I am tired.
• Getting a driving job would be a solution however I need a converted automatic car with a left-hand accelerator pedal.
• And reading and writing is very stressful in a workplace for me unless everything is completely digital

A4E have assured me that they will work with me to find something that is fulfilling and sustainable I hope this is true.

Also spoke about self-employment and I talked about my experience with having a small craft business for three years in the past, and how when I needed to get extra money to help me pay the rent on the studio, it was so very hard to get even part-time work, because of my learning issues. 10 years ago when times were supposedly good, I have been on lots of employment programs in that time some directed towards disability some not but none of them have been able to address my level of dyslexia and how that affects me in my working life. And I have been on a downward spiral ever since I gave up self-employment. Even while running the business I had to have some support, from a lady called Marlene Rose who was from the Inland Revenue, she helped me with my books. I would like to develop away I can keep track of my books independently. I have been on courses in the past two facilitate me doing this, but again because they do not work with my level of dyslexia they have very little relevance for me.

And I spoke about the business idea that I have which I've been working on for some time, (further down in the blog)

I also stated that right now my confidence is at rock bottom and that I would like to go back into training to learn CAD this will help me in the long-term with some of the business ideas and also the difficulties I have these days with putting technical drawings down onto paper.

Things that have already been done to address my needs

The one of the two Sues at Basingstoke JobCentre helped me here! I have been having trouble with my computer, they put me in touch with Leonard Cheshire disability which reconditions computers with voice assist software which should help me cope better with organising myself to find a job. (At the moment I have managed to temporarily fix my old computer but it will not last as it has reached the grand age of six years, and I don't think the sparks that are coming out of it in intervals are a good sign.)


I am hoping that this blog will help me organise what I am doing with my work needs. Primarily it gives me the ability to read and write. It also helps me arrange what I am doing, and overcomes some of my organisation and memory problems by keeping everything in the same place, with the added bonus of being able to access the information from different locations so I do not need to carry loads of paper around with me. I will also tie this in with an online calendar,

I have also arranged with Sue 2 to sign-on with her, so that if I have a problem. I can report it to her before it causes me too much stress.

Things to do

a4e for their part said that they would look into 2 things for the next meeting which is on 9th March at 9.30

• to look into digitising the written information I need to access the program. (I have an e-mail confirming this already)
• to see who is the best contractor to support my needs (Whether that would be the CAD course and/or self-employment)

I have been working on some ways of getting funding to start a business already, however I am not quite ready to start a business. The first meeting seemed strongest with the self-employment that is good but I will still need funds to develop my initial idea, as I do not want to be stuck on the same stage for any longer than I have to be. Ideas can only get you so far, I need cash to develop them and for living.