Diversity Jobs Group

MarieBarl

Does anyone have experience with these people? 

They seem to have a very broad selection of categories, but for a first hit lookiing for disability friendly jobs, not as specialised as I was hoping.

ADHDee

Sorry, I haven't tried them yet @MarieBarl. I've been looking at Jobs4Disability but it's very general as well

MarieBarl

Having had a look around, I think there is some very broad 'interpreting' going on. I might as well just look anywhere and narrow my search terms.

But thanks for another site anyway @ADHDee

Hannah_Alumni

Hello @MarieBarl

If you are looking to get back into work have you thought about reaching out to Scope's Employment Services for advice?  

MarieBarl

Yes, still navigating all the soul destroying paperwork.

I still wonder what I could do. There must be something. I hate feeling this lost.

Hannah_Alumni

Working remotely? There are lot of job types that are now remote, mainly admin and data input based. Is there anything you like to do that could lead to your own business? As an example, my friend makes and sells jewelry

MarieBarl

Ive been looking at thinhs I might do. I have a work capability assessment coming up too.

It's somewhat depressing when everything you can do to help yourself seems to make you worse off. I  get next to no help, what I have asked for will be a 5 month wait just for an assessment and I had already spent my savings trying to keep myself working safely.

I'm doing some courses and a lot of painting. I will find something because I need to feel useful and occupied.

I miss my colleagues. I miss my mobility and I miss my freedom. I am making new kinds of each. Onwards and upwards.

L_Volunteer

You deserve more help @MarieBarl. What would you like things to look like for you at the moment - for example, could you volunteer until you have a work capability assessment, occasional work (e.g., self-employment) and/or benefits? Hoping the courses and painting are helping you at the moment - at least with helping you to stay occupied 

MarieBarl

Once I get to august, I am on my own anyway as I hit 66. Pension is payable and DWP doesnt really want to know. 

I will most probably look at something self employed  there isnt much likelihood that I will regain my independence any time soon. My old skills are of little use, Anything new I can learn broadens my spectrum.

I just feel let down.

And deprived. Life wasn't spectacular before but its hard to see the positives at the moment. Im still adjusting and have bad days more than I am used to.

Looking for a way forward does help. 

Discovering I would have had more help if I had not tried to improve things myself has hit me hard. Plus I think I messed up the assessment. It just did not feel right  I will get a letter in about 6 weeks, then 2 weeks later I hit the magic 66.

Oh well. The worst they can do is demand the money back and I haven't claimed anything fraudulently, so they won't be doing that.

What do I want moving forward?

Comfort. Independence. The ability to leave my room and cook a meal.

Sorry if that sounds like self pity. They are my targets.

MarieBarl

As a PS to the above, @L_Volunteer, I have permission to work from home from my landlord's agent as long as it does not clutter the premises and I am not running a shop from my front room.

L_Volunteer

How does the idea of being allowed to work from home make you feel at the moment @MarieBarl? You deserve access to the things you want - like comfort, independence and the ability to leave your room and cook a meal.

Would anything, in particular, help you to access these things at the moment? Not self-pity at all, you are simply sharing your targets and they are all things you more than deserve too.

Please don't hesitate to let us know if there's anything we can do to help these targets become a reality for you. We are all here for you and listening to you. Though, I must apologise for the delay in my response 

MarieBarl

@L_Volunteer as it is the first time I have had a really positive response from my letting team over anything, so being given permission to work from home in any way is great. There are a few basic guidelines rather than rules, but providing I am sensible I can choose what I want to do.

I have other problems now, of course. 
I am being told how to organise my life, what belongings I can have, who I must talk to, what benefits I must claim (even after telling adult social services that I don't qualify. They really are poorly informed about many things) and am finally on the waiting list proper for assessment. It is very frustrating. The only thing I want help with is access to my home, but I have had to agree to so much to just get bssic advice that I wish I had not bothered at all. I can get out in an emergency but cannot get back in. I bought kerb ramps as a temporary stopgap but they are too steep for my chair to climb up. I would still be waiting for even that much if I had not done something for myself.

I know money is short, but the number of people and groups I have had to work around so far must be adding to the cost.

I am considering selling on any Paint by Numbers I dont want to keep. I could resell kits and art books alongside this. Its interesting, fun and I can pick it up and put it down as I am able so it would fit around me. Our post delivery person is lovely and has been helping no end wiith information and ideas for posting  packing and receiving supplies reliably and for the best value.

Accounting for it is easy as I was a trained bookkeeper for several years. That was also an option but I don't know current software packages and my knowledge is rusty regarding the standard required by HMRC. Obviously I can't offer tax advice but you do need to keep adequate books. And of course I am learning to navigate tax online the hard way! But I beat them to my refund figure for last year by about 3 months.

I considered a few other things too. Primarily everything depends on what I can do and how long I can do it for which rules out a lot.

But

I hate the assumption that many seem to have made that I am incapable because I am disabled. I hate the waiting and jumping through hoops in order to just be mysellf. I know I'm not alone. 

I reallly detest being told to exaggerate how badly I am affected in order to get the most money. I just can't do that. All my fairness and honesty buttons light up and scream at me. I would rather go a bit short. Probably unwise, but I have to live with it.