Let's stop disabled people being unfairly labelled "unemployable"

My name is Jodi, and I am an Employment Adviser at Scope. It’s my job to support disabled young people into employment.

Right now, disabled people are more than twice as likely to be unemployed than non-disabled people, regardless of the skills, experience and expertise they might have. It’s unjust and unfair. With donations like yours, we are working to change that.

A lot of things can stand in the way of a disabled person getting on at work – from difficulty travelling to and from work, to confidence issues or a lack of experience and qualifications – up until now.

Thanks to donations of supporters like you, we can work with young disabled people to find the right job opportunity or apprenticeship, help them with CV writing and interview practice and also support them in their jobs once they’re employed.

It’s rewarding work and I love it. But it can also make me sad and angry.

Misunderstanding and prejudice

All too often, I see misunderstanding, prejudice and even bullying in the workplace and a tendency among employers to think of disabled people only in terms of what they can’t do.

It can be frustrating and demoralising for young people to be overlooked or labelled ‘unemployable’ – to feel like the pathway to greater independence and financial stability is getting narrower and narrower.

For a young person struggling with the whole idea of finding a job, having someone to help them navigate the pathway is really important.

Breaking down barriers

I work with disabled people to understand what unique and valuable skills they have to offer. This may involve a volunteering role to build up confidence and self-esteem. In other instances, something like time-keeping skills or the right preparation for an interview can make all the difference.

For employers, having Scope on hand to provide ongoing support is incredibly useful. By helping them to understand and meet accessibility requirements, we quickly break down barriers.

But for wider change we need to do so much more. That’s why we are also working to influence government policy aimed at closing the disability employment gap, as well as running campaigns to educate the public and address common misconceptions about disabled people and what they can and can’t do.

With your help, we can continue to work with disabled people to ensure they have the same opportunities to find fulfilling work and become more independent – both personally and financially.

Thank you so much for your support, it means a lot to me personally to know you are with us.