[access-uk] Re: Access to support

  • From: "Harry Lyddall" <harry.lyddall@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Fri, 6 May 2005 18:04:06 +0100

there is an agency. called, the disabled rights comission. designed to impliment the dda and other related acts.
hth
harry
----- Original Message ----- From: "Andy" <andy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, May 06, 2005 3:50 PM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Access to support


Hi George.

I sent an e-mail message yesterday to Access to Work but all I got back was a statement reiterating that it was now out of their hands and any dispute I have with my employer had nothing to do with them. Disappointing really for I had expected Access to Work to want to here my views before making a decision as to whither or not to support me.

I feel that I am on my own here George despite the fact that there are numerous professional people and bodies taking a wage on my behalf. This does not surprise me George. Unfortunately, it is often left to individual blind peop;le like myself to fight or not fight. It is also unfortunate that many disputes are currently going on with the blind person fighting for disability rights quite alone and un-supported. Inevitably, like myself, these will probably conclude detrimental to the blind person and detrimental to disability in general.

I really do wish that there was an agency who would listen to me and support me through this difficult time, but who really cares?

Best wishes.
Andy from sunny Kilcreggan.

Drop me a wee line at:
andy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

----- Original Message ----- From: "George Bell" <george@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, May 06, 2005 3:26 PM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Access to support


Hi Andy,

I seem to recall that Action for Blind are very pro-active
in this area.  Have you tried contacting them?

George.

-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Andy
Sent: 06 May 2005 15:05
To: Access-Uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Access to support

    Hi all.

I'll try and not make this too lengthy a message but I
really 
need help from you guys!

On 28 January I was interviewed by a Scottish Local
Authority
for the post of Community Care Social Worker. Some on the 

list wished me all the best.

The same day, I was offered the post and subsequently,
received a contract within a few days for the post of
Community Care Social Worker.

My problems started when my prospective line manager
turned
out to be more interested in me undertaking a different
job 
than that interviewed for and that contracted to do.

Since January, I have had numerous meetings with Access to 

work, an agency who will provide support for my Personal
Assistant, and meetings with my new employer..

Unfortunately, Access to work could not commence
application 
until I had a start date from my new employer, and
unfortunately, my new employer could not provide a start
date
until my Disclosure Scotland had come through. In
addition,
my Guide Dog, Nairn, became lame during this time.
However,
although these things take time, I do feel that my
employer
has been kicking the ball into the long grass, so to speak

and that they are no longer interested in employing me for 

the job I am contracted to do.

Since January, I have had three start dates and all have
been
rolled back for reasons such as you cannot start without
your
guide dog, you cannot start without your personal
assistance
and you cannot start because your I.to equipment has not
yet 
been set up.

Some may recall that my Health and Safety Assessment
recommended that I be located on the ground floor as a
blind 
person may place able bodied people at risk, in the
stairwell, during a fire emergency.  As a consequence, the

Whole Community Care Team was move from the first to the
ground floor.

My prospective line manager had suggested that rather
than 
undertake the job I was interviewed for, the job I was
offered and the job I was contracted to undertake, that I
undertake a Duty Social Workers post.  As I was only
awarded 
24 hours a week funding for my Personal Assistant, I felt
that I could not possibly undertake this job without a
full-time Personal Assistant.

I declined the offer a month or so ago and subsequently
fell
out with my line manager. Since then, I've been fighting
my
corner. The discrimination I am experiencing is killing
me
and I don't have the knowledge or skill to hold them back. 

This is really getting me down folks.

On Wednesday of this week, I became very upset and walked
out
during a meeting. I was so thrust that knowone understood
my 
needs and no one  was interested in my views.

I telephoned Access to Work this morning who advised that
they were only concerned with assessing my needs and any
difficulties I was having with my new employer was nothing
to 
do with them.

I telephoned my employer and spoke to the Area manager who 

advised that I presented as very aggressive during my
interview and that caused him concern as I would be
expected 
to work with service users.

I explained that I walked out because I was very upset
adding
that I was trying to be assertive not aggressive but I was

indeed very upset. And that I was attempting to challenge

negative attitudes regarding blind peoples capacity to
hold 
down a job.

I now feel that I cannot possibly work with a line manager

who has actively discriminated against me for four months
and 
I suspect that the letter which is coming to me is
withdrawing my offer of a job.  However, I do have a
contract. of employment.

My wife is a nurse and on low income and I am on Income
Support.  I really need help but cannot assess legal Aid
as a 
consequence of my wife's income.
and I really feel that I need to hammer through to this
authority that they cannot treat disabled people like
this.
I'd like to sue the Local Authority through the DDA but
don't
have the funds or the knowledge to do this. I'm
considering
writing to Action for Blind People to see if they could
help 
but I thought I'd sound the list out first.

I have had 13 interviews over the last four years for a
job 
and I'm a qualified social worker.  I only happen to be
blind.  All of the interviews, apart from my ;last one in
January, proved negative.  The newspapers say that Local
Authorities are crying out for qualified social workers so

why am I not working. I firmly believe that it is because
I
am a blind person. DO YOU KNOW OF ANY SOCIAL WORKER WHO
HAS
HAD 13 INTERVIEWS AND IS STILL UNEMPLOYED.. I bet you
don't. 

My question at last folks, is what do I do now?

I'm really losing it folks and feeling very depressed,
alone 
and unsupported.

Any advice would be very appreciated as I'm at my wits
end. 

Andy.





















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