I love my job and I love working and I have no intention of giving up, but in the last few years I have found that my commute into London has been excelerating the age related deterioration. I have now made up my mind to stop commuting completely, but unfortunately London is the only place that really offers quality jobs in my chosen field. Moving to London is not an option, so I am looking for someone to advise me on what else I could do with my skills.

I know that Scope has various employment related projects, but I was wondering if you also advise people who find that they might have to change jobs mid career to take account of the stresses and strains of ageing. Or can anyone recommend an advice service that understands the needs of disabled professionals?

N30+

Hi N30+

I am wondering if the department you work for is going through a downsizing and redeployment exercise?

I have taken the step of leaving the department i have worked in for 7 years as the future seems bleak, I am looking at other employment options.

Andrew.

Andrew

I understand your situation. It is a big concern for many people at the moment. My Dept is facing headcount reduction like everyone else. I have actually been taking on more work as other people have been leaving. This has meant that the big push to get my life sorted got put on hold. But it will be my main priority for 2008. I still haven't made up my mind about what I am going to do yet. I haven't been able to get any advice.

If you are worried about how the headcount reduction might affect you as a disabled person, if you want to stay in the Service, you could contact your departmental disability champion. They are there to protect your needs. This is what I have done. Your disabled staff group can also help.

N30+

Hi N30+

You have not stated what kind of work you do, but have you thought about working from home using a web cam and video conferencing programmes? In that way you could still do your job without the hassle of travelling.

What type of work based experience do you have?

What type of work would you like to go if you change career?

Andrew

Andrew

I am a civil servant. At this point I must say that the Civil Service, or rather my current Govt Dept, has been a model employer. They have supported me, promoted me, and let me set my own pace and made several reasonable adjustments. I even work from home up to 2 days a week.

While I understand your point about webcams etc., having worked remotely on and off for several years I have found that I work smarter in the office rather than at home. I really thrive on bouncing my ideas off other people. Managing staff remotely is not really that great either. This , alongside my health issues, is what has prompted me to think about change.

I have all the skills you would expect I suppose - sound analytical, communication, project management, and leadership skills. I also speak three languages, but I haven't a clue what to do with any of it.

N30+

N30+
interesting reply.

I am a civil servant aslo and currently work for Department for work and pensions.
with all the uncertainty about jobs and the fact I am fed up I am also considering a career cahnge. I am going to make an appointment with a adult careers advisor.

N30+ have you thought about being a translator? it may be worth seeing an adult careers advisor also to fine tune your options ?

P.S. have you looked at a website called association for disabled professionals, I have known of it for a while but never used it. The information is basic and simple, but the forum might be helpful to you

Andrew

Hi N30+

please forgive me the website address for the association of disabled professionals is www.adp.org.uk
I forgot to include it in my posting yesterday .
Andrew

Hi,

I work for EmployAbility which is a not for profit organisation that supports disabled undergraduates and graduates with the transition from education to employment, providing practical advice and guidance. We also work with professionals such as yourself. You can get in touch via: http://www.employ-ability.org.uk

All the best

Hi
I wonder if you have tried the Access to Work scheme (see jobcentreplus web site)? One thing AtW can provide is funding for alternative transport (e.g. taxis). I don't know how you currently get to work but this might be a solution?

Hi N30+

Hope your ok, just read your posting. If I am honest with you I have experienced something like what you are currently feeling when I was working for DWP, when my health situation was not improving. Personally for me working or not working is only part of the issue, as working is part of the role we play in society, but equally I think you should do whats right for you because you know what you can cope with.

When my health was bad and it was suggested I work part time instead of full time. I decided to carry on working full time as my working pattern of working full or part time made no different to my health in any way I still had the muscle and shoulder pain regardless.

The only advice i can give you is consider all your options, and do some soul searching asking yourself the question what would you do if you were not working, and would it make a difference to your current situation?

I am constantly now asking my self simular questions and arrive at different answers, which have allowed me to look at the wider issues which is positive thing for me

Not sure if this helps?

Andrew

My question today is how do you cope with the idea that you might have to give up working sooner rather than later and what do you find yourself doing?

Over a year after my first post here I am still in my job. I didn't manage to move on. By March the commute and the hours became impossible. To be honest doing anything had become an enormous effort. From March to August I worked from home (full-time) My employer was fantastic they did everything they could to help me and more. Since September I have been in the office one day a week, I tried recently to go up to two days a week but I just can't manage it. My stiffness and fatigue is getting worse again.
I don't seem to have the ability to bounce back from things anymore. I am beginning to wonder if I can continue doing this at all.

I have been told that now is the time to go for a new posting to push my career forward. This is positive - they still want me, but finding one where I can work from home more or less full time is difficult. It seems like madness given how unable I am to tell whether today is going to be a 'good' day

Most days now I just want to pack it all in - even if this doesn't make economic sense

What did you do when you got to this point?

Hi there. I have CP (spastic diplegia) and I work for the NHS. I worked as a nurse for 12 years when i had to be re-deployed due to being on my feet all day was killing me. As my stamina and ability to walk began to deteriorate, i was advised by my orthopaedic consultant that i needed to seriously look at my job. My employers were good and they found me a desk job that i was able to have a trial period with and i did take that job on. I have got to admit that i wouldnt go back to working shifts. I do so like working 9-5!!!