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Negative attitudes | Expert advice | Dealing with the interview | Positive signs | Success story | A lot to offer | Find out more
Daniel Webster was pleased to land the job of customer services administrator at Sports Soccer Limited, but then he was moved to the stationery department.
'They accepted me when I first started,’ he says, ‘but later on they got bored with repeating things for me, which made me miss out important information I needed to do my job. I kept getting in trouble and it wasn't my fault.'
Daniel tried to encourage his workmates to learn to sign a little, but they told him they didn't have time. He felt he was discriminated against because his colleagues could talk and work at the same time, whereas he was seen as not working hard enough if he looked up to lipread and join in.
Now 22, Daniel has been unemployed since November 2002, and with his son Tyler to feed and his girlfriend only working part time, that's a big worry.' It's so boring at home and I feel like I'm really losing my confidence,'he says.
After applying for 30 jobs and having only two interviews, wouldn't you be?
According to the RNID, people who are deaf or hard of hearing in the UK are four times more likely to be unemployed. There are many aspects to the problem.
Nick Southern, 26, who has Usher's syndrome, is one of the luckier ones: he's a web editor at Sense. But he had a hard time finding any sort of placement or job because he received no career advice at university. 'I know many lecturers aren't deaf-aware and have a negative attitude to the deaf students,' he says.
Emma Clarke is a 21-year-old art student in her final year at Reading College. She applied for a summer job at a chemist's, but when her friend called on her behalf to change the interview date, the shopkeeper realised Emma was deaf and said she doubted that she could work there. She did get an interview and an apology from the manager, but she didn't get the job. She says she doesn't feel this is unreasonable, because she would have been required to communicate with customers a lot. But what will she do next? She is unsure how to look for work and worried what employers will think of her.
There is help available. Daniel Webster found a visit to a disability employment adviser (DEA) very useful, despite initial reluctance due to wanting to keep his independence. 'I should have gone ages ago,' he says. 'I finally went because a friend had found it helpful.'
VEE-TV asked DEA Sarah Jones, of the RNID, for some advice. Here are her top tips for students:
• Improve your skills and get plenty of work experience, either during the summer, while you're at college, or after you leave.
• Put together a good CV, with references – work-experience placements help with this too.
• Think about what you really want to do and make an appointment with your college careers adviser.
• Attend graduate job fairs, which take place around the country in May or June. Some of them provide interpreters.
• Research any potential job so you really know what you're getting into.
You could also look out for the 'two ticks' symbol – a sign that an employer is part of a scheme to encourage a diverse workforce. Such employers guarantee an interview to any applicant meeting the minimum criteria, no matter how many people have applied.
Once you get to the stage of the application and interview, it's important to make yourself accessible to an employer, Sarah says. 'Keep the focus on your skills and abilities, because your deafness is not the only issue. You can make the employer see you as someone they want to employ.'
Sarah also suggests being upfront about your needs. 'Remember that if you need the employer to make adjustments to the interview or job, then you need to tell them about your deafness. Suggest adjustments like RNID Typetalk and remind them about Access to Work.' Access to Work is the government programme helping employers with certain extra costs associated with employing disabled people.
It's really important that you know your rights and are prepared to stand up for yourself. By law, employers are not allowed to ask a deaf person about their deafness at interview, Sarah explains. 'If they ask a question like 'Can you use the phone?', say: 'No, but I can use other modes of communication, such as text direct, fax machines, e-mail and Messenger.' 'Be calm and firm – not aggressive,' she adds.
Get in touch with the RNID Casework Service or the RNID helpline (see Find out more) for more information and advice. Every two months the RNID also provides a three-day work preparation course, which aims to empower deaf people.
You can contact a DEA through your local Jobcentre. DEAs will contact prospective employers to help them with the recruitment process and tell them about possible funding to support deaf employees.
You could also book a career counselling session with Deafworks, who offer a limited number of free half-hour sessions for deaf people. Deafworks also run one-day courses on interview techniques and assertion skills and encourage deaf people in jobs with advice and mentoring.
There's also SKILL: National Bureau for Students with Disabilities, which promotes equal opportunities for disabled people in education, training and employment across the UK.
All these contacts and more are listed below.
According to Sarah, there has been an improvement over the three years up to 2001: employment rates for people who are deaf or hard of hearing increased by 2.7%.
VEE-TV asked Maria Eagle, the Minister for Disabled People, about government policy. 'One thing we're doing is trying to treat people as individuals when we help them find work,' Ms Eagle says. 'In the past we’ve just been knocking square pegs into round holes and saying: 'If it didn’t work for you, then bad luck.'
‘We're strengthening the law against discrimination,' she adds. 'And the other big thing, which in many ways is the most important, is to raise awareness and to stop people in society making daft assumptions about what deaf people can and can't do and instead focus on what their abilities and skills are.'
If you do experience discrimination, keep a note of what happened with the dates and times. You have to report the incident within six months. Talk to a DEA or ring the RNID helpline (see Find out more).
Cathy Cross is one example of a success story. Since 1997, when she started as a fast-track trainee on a six-month placement, she's been working for the banking group HSBC, and she is now assistant finance analysis manager.
But Cathy knows what it’s like to face discrimination. She had 50 unsuccessful interviews for assistant accountancy positions in 18 months. She dreaded the 'telephone question'.
Now Cathy trains HSBC staff and college students in disability awareness.
It's still pretty tough for deaf people trying to compete in the jobs market. But it's important to have faith in yourself and not give up. 'I think deaf people getting out there and making it clear that they've got a lot to offer is a big part of it,' says Maria Eagle.
So think positive. And good luck!
Hit the feedback button to tell us about your experiences and share your views.
Channel 4 is not responsible for the content of third-party sites.
Links
BBC Jobs
www.bbc.co.uk/jobs
The BBC offer internships for disabled trainees so keep an eye on their site.
Channel 4 Brilliant Careers
www.channel4.com/brilliantcareers
Channel 4 website with tons of information plus help with your CV and tips on
how to find work.
Deaf and Creative
www.deafandcreative.ac.uk
Information on jobs, funding and support for deaf people wanting to work in
the creative industries.
Deafclicks
www.deafclicks.com
Lists a wide range of companies that welcome people who are deaf or hard of
hearing as customers. Could be useful for job hunting.
DeafUK
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/deaf-uk-jobs
An e-mail group for deaf people in the UK. The site is regularly updated with
vacancies. Registration is free.
Employment Opportunities
www.opportunities.org.uk
Helps people with disabilities find and retain work. Also provides support and
advice for employers on disability and employment issues.
Four All
www.fourall.org
Channel 4's disability database is a resource designed to help Channel 4, FilmFour
and media companies working with the channel. Post your CV if you’re interested
in work as a member of crew, cast or audience.
Jobability
www.jobability.com
Job site for disabled people with more than 1,000 jobs listed.
Jobcentre Plus
www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk
You can find your nearest disability employment adviser (DEA) through your local
Jobcentre.
Ready Willing Able (RWA)
www.readywillingable.net/currad.html
Recruitment bulletin aimed specifically at disabled people, now published both
on the internet and in magazine format. Jobs are regularly updated online.
Royal Association for Deaf People (RAD)
www.royaldeaf.org.uk
Provides information and support, training and interpreting services. The employment
section of the site lists a wide range of jobs.
You’re Able
http://youreable.jobsgopublic.com
UK's largest site for public-sector career opportunities. You can register and
receive job updates via e-mail.
Organisations
Deafworks
59 Banner Street
Clerkenwell
London EC1Y 8PX
Voice: 020 7689 0033
Text: 020 7689 1048
Fax: 020 7689 1049
E-mail: general@deafworks.co.uk
Website: www.deafworks.co.uk
Specialises in supporting deaf professionals through advice and mentoring and runs fee-paying courses on interview techniques, assertion skills and career counselling sessions. Also offers a limited number of free half-hour sessions.
Employment Opportunities
123 Minories
London EC3N 1NT
Voice: 020 7481 2727
Text: 020 7481 2727
Fax: 020 7481 9797
E-mail: eopps.ho@care4free.net
Website: www.opportunities.org.uk
Helps people with disabilities find and retain work. Contact details of regional offices are listed on the website.
Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID)
19–23 Featherstone Street
London EC1Y 8SL
Information line: 0808 808 0123 (Mondays to Fridays 9am-5pm)
Text: 0808 808 9000 (Mondays to Fridays 9am-5pm)
Fax: 020 7296 8199
E-mail: informationline@rnid.org.uk
Website: www.rnid.org.uk
Offers free confidential and impartial information on a range of subjects including the Disability Discrimination Act, employment and audiology.
Skill: National Bureau for Students with Disabilities
Chapter House
18–20 Crucifix Lane
London SE1 3JW
Voice: 020 7450 0620
Text: 0800 068 2422
Fax: 020 7450 0650
E-mail: info@skill.org.uk
Website: www.skill.org.uk
Promotes equality of opportunity for disabled people in education, training and employment across the UK. Also provides a good information service.
Skill: Northern Ireland
Unit 2
Jennymount Court
North Derby Street
Belfast BT15 3HN
Voice: 028 9028 7000
Fax: 028 9028 7002
E-mail: admin@skillni.demon.co.uk
Skill: Scotland
Norton Park
57 Albion Road
Edinburgh EH7 5QY
Voice: 0131 475 2348
Fax: 0131 475 2397
E-mail: admin@skillscotland.org.uk.
Website: www.skill.org.uk/scotland/info.asp
The booklet Scotland: Opportunities at 16 can be downloaded free of charge
from this website.
Channel 4 is not responsible for the content of third-party sites.