Yes I can

Lucy applied for over 500 jobs and kept getting rejected. Employers doubted what she could do, and she ended up doubting herself.

But thanks to your support, Scope's employment support services have helped Lucy have confidence that her career dreams can come true. 

“When employers found out I was disabled, they weren't interested.”

If you’ve ever applied for a job, you’ll know it can feel like an emotional rollercoaster. You spend ages perfecting your CV and covering letter, send it off, and keep everything crossed that you hear back.

Imagine how it felt for Lucy, going through all that not once or twice, but over 500 times. Most of the time, employers didn’t even reply. And when they did, it was always a “no”, even though Lucy has a university degree and all the right qualifications.

So why did she keep getting rejected?

“I have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome,” she explains.

“It affects my ability to walk”.

"When employers found out I was disabled, they weren’t interested. They made assumptions about what I can’t do, when actually there are very few things I’m unable to do on my own.”

Lucy just wasn't given a chance

It wasn’t just employers who had negative attitudes.

“I went to the job centre and they really patronised me. They asked, ‘what benefits are you after?’ It was so frustrating.

Everywhere she went, Lucy faced barriers. She was written off. You won’t be surprised to hear that it started to take its toll.

“I had put myself in debt to get a good education, but it was all for nothing. I felt worthless. I ended up with depression.”

You helped Lucy find hope again

You have supported Lucy as she found a way out of despair. She contacted our employment support services, which your donations help to fund.

Zaid, one of our Employment Advisers, reached out to Lucy on the phone. It was a stark contrast to how she had been treated before.

“Zaid genuinely cared about my success. He was encouraging and he kept saying, ‘I believe you can do this'. With Zaid, it wasn’t about my impairment. He was only interested in my skills and my experience. It was all about my future.”

Facing the future with confidence

Thanks to you, Lucy started to believe in herself again. She can see that all those employers who rejected her have missed out on the many skills she has to offer. And she’s feeling much more positive about the future – nothing is going to stand in the way of her and her dream job.

Lucy is determined to become a trauma therapist, working with former service people who have become disabled.

“In my career I want to help other people and make this world a better place.”

And this is exactly what you're doing too, by supporting Scope.

“It’s about having a life worth living, being happy and free.”

Zaid, Lucy’s Employment Adviser, is so grateful for your support:

“As soon as I spoke to Lucy, I saw that she was fiercely independent, intelligent and driven. So why didn’t employers see this too?

"The barriers that disabled people face at every stage of the recruitment process are ridiculous, from inaccessible application forms to obvious questions about their impairment.

"Your gifts enable me to support disabled people to overcome these barriers, get into work and succeed there. Which is so important for equality, representation and removing stigma.

"Disabled people face so many barriers when they apply for jobs. They're dismissed and rejected, again and again.

"The employment gap is real, but you’re helping close it. We see the difference your gifts make every day. Thanks to you, so many more disabled people can get into work.”