Explaining disability to children

So recently I got a message on Instagram from a mother with young children. She asked me how do I explain disability to my kids? As one of her children’s class mates had a disability.

From our conversation this gave me the idea to write a blog post answering this question too.

Don’t Avoid It

My disability is invisible however if I use my wheelchair when I’m out and about I do get those sideways glances and I have had parents go in a different direction with their children so I’m out of their eye-line. The funny thing is you won’t be able to take your child in a different direction if you see a person with a disability when your out in public every time . This is because you’ve probably walked past or even engaged with someone with a disability and you didn’t even know because their disability is hidden/ invisible.

When I’m out and about in public but don’t use my wheelchair I get a totally different reaction. Less staring, parents walk past me with their children with no fuss, more people communicate with me and just treat me like a ‘normal’ person.

I know maybe thinking your avoiding a situation but in actual fact without even knowing you are creating one. As you are making non verbal judgments and statements without even knowing. For example an indirect message could be sending the statement “ don’t go near them” creating a sense of fear of the unknown.

Staring

So when I’m out and about or even when I was at school or college. I found a lot of my peers just staring at me in wonder and it was a bit awkward. At school I wore a splint and would get mean comments and looks. Teach your children it’s ok to ask a question but in a polite way. I would rather someone asked me “ why do you wear that on your leg” rather than just staring at me making me feel awkward.A lot of the time when I saw people looking I would just mention oh that’s a splint and it helps me too…

Acknowledging

I remember I was at the shops once and I heard a child say “mummy she’s in a wheelchair”. The mum looked at me and smiled and said “yes that’s a wheelchair she needs it to help her do what she wants to do”. The child said “ ok that’s cool. And they carried on shopping. Hearing the child’s response put a smile on my face and made me feel that slowly people from a young age can start to accept people with differences.

It’s Not Just About What You Say

Children are really good at not just listening to what you might be saying but also observing your body language when saying something. If you are nervous of a situation chances are the children will start to feel nervous too. But if you try and normalise it through your body language children will be able to pick up signs that everything is ok and normal and not something to be scared off.

Learn About Disability

There are so many ways now to learn about disability. Here are some examples and places you could use to help learn about disability.

Websites

Articles & Magazines

Other Sources

You can also find information about disability through reading blog, watching YouTubers and also finding pages dedicated to explaining disability on Instagram.

Honest

Children love to ask questions so if your child is interested and wants to find out more that’s fab! However what I would say is don’t make up a story to tell. If you’re not sure be honest there are so many disabilities out there. It’s impossible to know the details to everyone. As well as this two people might have the same disability written down on paper but it effects them both different ways.

Disability Is Not A Bad Word

And finally the reason I think people may not know what to say around disability is because it can be associated with “bad”, “challenging “, “difficult” or “worse suffering”.

However I know people who are disabled and their disability makes them feel proud. I can’t speak for everyone as each of us have different experiences. But for me, my disability is a part of me it doesn’t define me. Like if someone said tell me something I wouldn’t say I’m disabled as my first fact. Instead I would say I’m an actor, I love animals and I’m starting a mini zoo at home, I enjoy seeing friends and then later I’d say oh by the way I have a disability. But if someone needs to know I have a disability for a health reasons then I would tell them but day to day life you’d find out a lot of things about me before my disability would come in.

Like I said before for me my disability is part of me but doesn’t define me!

Shoes & Splints: Finding the right foot ware for your AFO

disability, fashion

If you’ve ever gone shopping for shoes that can go with your AFO comfortable then like me you probably spent hours looking in store and online for the right ones. That one pair with not only comport but has style.

I don’t wear a splint now but I did for many years in primary and secondary school. I found it so hard to find a fun and stylish shoe that worked. I ended up buying shoes from the boys section. Growing up with splints going shoe shopping was the hardest because I wanted a stylish girly shoe like all the other girls at my school. I even had people come up to me and ask at break and lunch “ Is that a boys shoe” . Boys even came up to me and said “ we’re matching why is a girl wearing guys shoes? ‘. So I was bullied for a while for having to wear a splint. I wouldn’t wear a skirt at school even when the weather was so lovely and warm because I wanted to hide my splint from others. I just didn’t want those stupid, hurtful upsetting comments said to me again and again every day. Some kids didn’t to be friends with me because I wore a splint.

So I thought I would share with you some tips and tricks to help your shoe shopping for your AFO be less hassle and you won’t spend hours/ days looking for that right pair!

What is an AFO Splint?

An AFO is an ankle and foot orthotic that is prescribed to you by a orthodontist . AFO are commonly warn by people with a disability called cerebral palsy.

A fitted AFO splint is a plastic splints which are made from a cast of your foot and leg. When getting the cast done I remember feeling like I was becoming a mummy for Halloween. Splints are made to keep feet and ankles in a good position for when you walking and standing. Depending on your situation you may have one splint on one leg or splints on both your legs. As well as this your splint may have a joint or hinge at the ankle or it may be fixed this is depending on your movement.

Types of splints

Their are many different types of splints and even hand splints. Here are a few different types available:

Knee Ankle Foot Orthotic- this type of splint finishes just above the ankle it is also known as a KAFO splint.
Hinged Splint- this type of splint allows people with more range of movement to still have support and keep at least 90 degrees.
Fixed Splint- this type of splint holds the ankle and foot at a particular angle most commonly at 90 degrees

Getting the shoes to fit

When going shopping and trying to find shoes that would still fit my splint but also be comfortable I would have to up about 3 shoe sizes. If I managed to squeeze my splint into shoes that weren’t a great fit this would case rubbing and became very sore and painful. Another thing with wearing by having a larger shoe to fit the width of my AFO I needed to aware I could trip even more easily when walking because of the added length. I personally had to wear a splint just on my right leg so would use an insole in the other shoe so I wouldn’t have to find shoes with different sizes for each of my foot. By having insoles in the other shoe I was able to balance better when walking.

Getting the right kind of shoes

As much as I hated it I would dread having to shop in the boy shoe section I found boys shoes worked with my split as they were wider and more sturdy. I remember passing the girls shoe section just wishing I could wear girly shoes.
I found wider shoes a lot more comfy to wear with my splint. This helped to decrease rubbing and irritation when walking.
I found trainer type shoe style worked best for me. I don’t know about you but we weren’t allowed to wear trainers to our school so I had to get special permission.
So when I went shopping for shoes I would love to look at those girly shoes with heels. Unfortunately I found shoes with a heel did not work with my splint at all so heeled shoes were out of the question as it just didn’t work.
I liked to find shoes if possible with a higher back to them as I felt that my splint was supported better in a shoe like this.

More Tips

As I only wore a splint on my right leg I found that I would have to take the insole out of my right shoe to help the AFO fit better and more be comfortable.
Having a splint I had to always check that the witness of the shoe was good but also remember to make sure that the shoe is not too tight on your toes. As this can cause you to walk more unevenly and you may limp and fall.
I did find putting my AFO in my shoe sometimes especially when your rushing for school. An OT recommended to me to use a shoe horn to help with this and it was fab!
I highly recommend shoes that ‘give’ as they become more comfortable each time they are worn creating good comfort throughout the day.

Where should I buy from

So when I wore an AFO I brought shoes from ASDA or Clarke’s. But recently I was talking to some friends of mine who wear splints currently and they recommend the following brands:

Nike Air Zoom Tempo NEXT% FlyEase(£169.95)

Nike flyEase- This shoe design unzip at the back to fit splints in and can require less hand function when putting them on so saving you time.

Kids’ Freshfeet™ Adaptive High Top Trainers (£15.00-£19.00)

M&S adaptive shoe range- Their collection is for school shoes and trainers. To make putting on shoes easier their shoes are designed with a zip and laces. This is done to make it easier for those who have reduced motor function or need more adjustable shoes.

Women’s Leopard Billy Gore Lows (£50.61)

Billy Footwear- These shoes unzip to completely open the shoe helping you to fit your splint into the shoe.

Finding shoes to fit with your AFO that is comfy and stylish can be hard but I hope my advice helped! Growing up I always wanted to create my own shoes that were both comfy, stylish and inclusive so you never know what the future will bring, I would also love to model for fashion brands such as Nike.

I hope to do more blog content that is all fashion for example inclusive fashion posts and petite fashion. As I know a lot of you would agree we maybe disabled but we still love fashion and want to look stylish regardless of our disability!

5 Misconceptions Disabled Women Can Face Explained

disability

There are many misconceptions and assumptions about disability in society. Some people believe that disabled people are unable to be parents and be in relationships let alone have a partner who is able bodied.

In this blog post I wanted to write about the misconceptions and assumptions disabled women can face. Disabled women may do things differently but this should not prevent us from embracing all aspects of womanhood if we want to.

Below are 5 misconceptions about disabled women that stand out to me, from my own experience and what I’ve heard and seen.

I often get surprising comments and looks when people see that I’m wearing makeup. I have gotten comments in the past which are along the lines of “ I didn’t know disabled women wear makeup”. Just because I’m disabled that doesn’t make me not want to dress up and experiment with looks. A lot of disabled women also love fashion. However for many women the clothing out in mainstream fashion houses are not accessible for us and we may need to shop else wear or make our own clothes. But this doesn’t mean we’re not into fashion in fact a lot of us love it but want the industry to be more diverse which I believe is starting to happen slowly. A big dream of mine is to model for high street clothing brands. Our differences need to be celebrated not hidden . Life would be boring if we were all the same! Disabled women should be able to feel sexy and on trend just like everyone else.

It is sometimes assumed that disabled women can’t have relationships. Dating is the chance to get to know another person, see what you have in common, maybe find love. Being disabled doesn’t stop a person from experiencing this. Sometimes disabled women who have partners others often assumed that their partner is also disabled or the women’s carer.

Disabled people are often seen as needing to dependent on others. Therefore not able to care or be in a motherly role. Their is no rule book on how a family should look. Families come in all different shapes and sizes which is filled with love.

Disabled women still need to be part of the conversation around the topic of women’s rights just as much as able bodied women. We still face the same challenges, stigmas and inequalities that mainstream women face. This is often harder to see as the disability is seen first. All women need to come together regardless of the label’s society gives us.

Their are certain disabilities that are perceived as ones women can’t have. This means these disabilities get undiagnosed, leaving some women unsupported. An example of a disability like this is Autism . Autism is more diagnosed in men than in women. Many women find it hard to get their autism recognised. The National Autistic Society says a possible reason for this is because women “ are often better at masking or camouflaging their difficulties”. However it did say that diagnosing the disability is getting better!

Down Syndrome is another disability which is more common in men than women, Source- disability scoop.

5 Things That Comfort Me When I’m Feeling Low

mental health

So with all this lockdown stuff my mood has been a bit of a up and down rollercoaster ride. Over the years, I’ve developed my “mental health toolkit.” When I notice things are going down hill here are some things that give me great comfort.

Walks

I enjoy going for walks with my dog Mango especially in the nice weather. With lockdown I have found that I’m on the screen for a much long time. However if I was at college I would be doing dance classes and moving around a lot more. I find taking Mango on walks helps me not only get exercise and fresh air but helps with clearing my head and staying grounded. Lockdown has really made me realise how doing exercise really does help me to lift my mood back up when I’m feeling low. Going on walks helps me cope with my anxiety I find if I’m not doing much exercise my worries can build up more causing me to worry and not wanting to do much.

Just Watching The Telly

When I’m feeling low I can find comfort in watching something. As much as I love watching new shows theirs nothing better than rewatching shows that you love. When I feel low I find my concentration levels are a bit all over the place and I can’t focus. When this happens I find it hard to read a book. Which is why watching a TV show I’ve watched before is so good. It’s like I can finally rest and let go giving my head time to breathe. Like self care and love for my head. Some of the TV shows I love watching repeatedly are:

Miranda
Once Upon A Time
Downtown Abbey
Fresh Meat
Bridgerton

Making Plans

When my head feels all over the place one thing I like to do is write down and make a list of things I need to or want to do and achieve in the day. Writing it down helps me visual see what my head is trying to tell me at one hundred miles an hour.

Simple Routines

When I’m feeling low self care is very important sometimes you don’t feel like doing lots of things. Here are some quick, simple and kind things you could do on a down day that don’t take very long.

Put some of your favourite lipstick or lipgloss on
Make yourself a nice hot drink for example a cup of tea or hot chocolate
But some of your favourite body butter/ lotion on
Put on some nice jewellery for example a pair of small shiny earrings .

Looking Forward

When people say look forward it isn’t always about making your career plan for the next 5 years it can also be about daily, weekly things to look forward to. I try not to be hard on myself and but pressure on anything as things can change last minute! However having something positive to look forward to can really help me to try and stay in a more positive headspace. For example setting a day up to meet up with friends on FaceTime or House Party, Doing extra activities such a drama with my drama club on zoom, to buying something nice to eat that I can look forward to eating later in the week like a cheesecake.

What do you find helps your mental health?

Riding for the Disabled Association: Helping To Train Duke

Riding for the Disabled Association

Recently at the stables we have had a new resident join our RDA family. A very lovely and friendly pony called Duke. I have been helping to train him in some of my riding lessons.

At the moment when the weathers not too hot and we are not going for hacks around the woods enjoying the sunshine and keeping cool. I am doing a lot of work with him going round corners and doing things like circles as he loves to lean onto my helper and ask for hugs and kisses all the time.

When riding Duke I notice I tend to go over to the left side more so we’ve been working a lot on straightness. This has really helped me to stay in the middle of the saddle and I find he responds better to me when walking straight compared to when we do work in the school involving doing circles or going in and out of cones.

I have found that if I do some pole work with him trying to make sure he is straight and not drifting this can really help him to make sure he picks up his legs and doesn’t trip or lose his balance as much. He finds balancing quite hard but we’re working on it.

What’s really lovely about him is that he always wants to try his best and wants to learn.

Due to the hot weather recently I have not been doing work with him in the school but going out for hacks in the woods instead. Going out in the woods I have found has really helped him to stay more straight and not drift so much. This has helped me a lot with keeping in the middle and not sitting to one side. As well as this when we go on hacks sometimes the horses and ponies might see something they are not used to like a ladder. So when gong out I have been able to show Duke things he might not have seen before whilst giving me lots of positive reinsurance .

I have found helping to train Duke very interesting as I also helped to train Billy when he first joined. It’s interesting how even though Duke is slightly older than Billy I need to work with him more on tasks Billy found more easy in the beginning when he first joined such as not drifting towards the helper or staying on the track.

I really enjoy riding Duke he’s so gentle and friendly and I can’t wait to see all the amazing things he will achieve in the years to come!

Disability Representation In Children’s TV

disability

Growing up I remember watching lots of different Children’s TV programs but very few of these programs featured a character with a disability. The only program I really remember watching as a child that featured a disabled character was The Story Of Tracey Beaker. However I only started watching The Story Of Tracey Beaker when I was old so what about before then?

I was diagnosed with my disability when I was in year 2 of primary school. My teacher at the time noticed I was having difficulties compared to my classmates and that’s when the many hospitals appointments started. I remember at the time I didn’t really know what was going on all I knew was that I had to spend days off school to go to the hospital some where near and some felt very far away.

I remember the doctors and my parents explaining to me that I had a disability and that I had some brain damage that my other friends didn’t have but everyone is unique and life would be boring if we were all the same. During this time I did start to tell my friends at playtime that my brain was a bit different to theirs as I got used to saying I had a disability that’s when things started to change. Friends drifted away and started to make fun of me not wanting me to be with them. This was hard for me as I didn’t understand why because to me I hadn’t changed. I was still the same old me.

I remember coming home from school sitting on the sofa watching TV and I couldn’t see what was wrong with me just that I was different but I didn’t understand why I was treated differently. As I grew up I understood more and more what a disability was, how it made me different and how others saw me but to me I was still the same.

I remember watching TV programs and thinking I was strange as I couldn’t see anyone else like me but to me I was normal. As I got older I understood more and more about my condition and why others treated me differently but when watching the TV sometimes I felt strange as I couldn’t see a person in the programs quite like me. Until I was older and started watching The Story Of Tracey Beaker which had disabled characters in.

Not seeing characters with disabilities in things I watched when I was younger now looking back really affected me. I think it made me feel that I was strange a freak as I couldn’t identify myself with anyone from my favourite programs but my friends and other classmates could. It made me feel that whatever I did I wouldn’t fit in and when your a child all you want to do is be able to fit in with everyone else; to feel accepted and liked by others.

This is why I think it is brilliant that the very popular pre-school show Peppa Pig will have the permanent feature of Mandy Mouse starting in 2020.

I believe that it is very important to have disabled characters in TV shows for children who are very young like preschool years. I think that having characters like these introduced on Children’s TV is important as it helps to show young children that everyone is different and that we are not all the same. I also think that having more disabled characters on Children’s TV will massively help young disabled children feel less alone and it may help them to understand more about what having a disability is like and the types of things they may face. I also believe that if we show characters like these on Children’s TV from a young age then children may not feel like they need or should pick on or bully others that outside society’s norm. As well as this I believe it sends the message to children from a young age that someone might be disabled but disabled people can still do things and you might have more in common with them than you think!

To find out more about Peppa Pigs Character: http://www.pretty52.com/entertaining/tv-and-film-peppa-pigs-new-friend-has-parents-choking-up-heres-why-20190404?fbclid=IwAR2wyYjjQ3ZaCObilbJhQRFnBvDR6WW11ru_bvc2q9SyAl8YPl5Cd_pjHWo

My Horse Riding Journey Through The Years So Far….

Riding for the Disabled Association

As some of you may know recently Riding for the Disabled launched their 50 Faces Campaign. I am very lucky and pleased to say I am part of for this campaign. So this got me thinking about how my horse riding and love for horses journey began.

The first time I sat on a horse I was terrified. I only managed a few steps and then just had to get off. You wouldn’t believe me now if I told you. I love going horse riding I look forward to my Saturday morning lessons like mad. I would ride everyday if I could! Going horse riding helps me to stay and be more positive I have found that horse riding and just being with the horses and ponies really does wonders to positively impacting on my mental health.

Just been out on a hack with King.

One primary school holiday I did try horse riding again with Camp Mohawk at a nearby stables to the centre. I remember doing a bit of trotting for the first time with a leader and our riding instructor. When my parents came to lead me around the hacks we would go on. After the summer holidays I decided that I wanted to do weekly lessons at the stables as I enjoyed it so much. At that stables I normally would ride Candy or King. King was a very naughty Pony!

One of my first lessons on Anya.

Whilst riding at this stables my mum came across Riding for the Disabled Association and put me on the waiting list. It was lovely when we got a phone call from South Bucks RDA asking if I would like to come for an assessment as I had been on the waiting list for a very long time. I remember on the way to the stables I was so excited but when I got there I didn’t want to get on. After a bit of persuading I got on and I’m so happy and glad I did. The first pony I ever rode at South Bucks RDA was called Barbie she was lovely by the end of the assessment I didn’t want to get off!

Charlie Girl

And that’s when amazing life changing journey with horses and ponies started. Since that first assessment I have achieved things I never thought would be possible. Horse riding has helped my self esteem and confidence massively. From doing The Countryside Challange and Dressage Competitions at Regional and National level, doing horse riding and horse care as part of my Short Course PE GCSE to meeting Princess Anne!

Rosette from The Countryside Challange 2011.

National Championships with Bonnie 2012.

RDA massively helped me when I was getting bullied. The horses and ponies are like my best friends and I trust them more than people! When I went horse riding I could just forget about the things happening at school. I felt safe and it is a place where I can focus on what I can do and it’s not about what I can’t do. I love all the horses and ponies at RDA with all their different personalities. I have grown a massive bond with the horses and ponies at RDA I call them my Saturday morning pets! The bond between horse and rider is so beautiful, unique and powerful theirs nothing else quite like it!

RDA isn’t just a place where I go riding every week it’s a family. All the grooms and volunteers are amazing without them I wouldn’t of been able to achieve what I have! RDA changed my life and continues too I don’t think I’d still be here if it wasn’t for the RDA. I can’t wait to see what the future holds!

To find out more about the RDA visit: https://www.rda.org.uk

Want to meet all of The 50 Faces visit: https://www.rda.org.uk/50-faces/

Guest Blogger My Dad: How Riding for the Disabled has helped Bryony

Riding for the Disabled Association

Bryony started with the South Bucks branch of Riding for the Disabled (RDA) from the age of 8. As her Dad, I’ve got a lot of pleasure seeing how they have helped her overcome some of her problems whilst riding.

But before we get into that, I must confess that sometime in the last century I was also a keen horse rider: my mum had a horse called Blaze and, given her back problems, I became Blaze’s main rider for a few years. I mucked him out (sometimes), I prepared him for shows and won a few rosettes at the local Pony Club Events.

But while the few photos I have are of show events, my memories are quite different. I remember the togetherness of riding him over a round of small jumps with no saddle and no bridle (although I don’t remember how!). And my best memories are of sitting on his back revising for my “O” levels while he grazed on the grass in our small paddock. The type of togetherness that can bind man and animal, or, in this case, boy and horse. I didn’t have a lot of friends at school and Blaze was probably my best friend that summer.

So I can easily understand how the RDA has helped Bryony, how it continues to help, and hopefully help in the future. Her 45 minutes every Saturday morning are one of the top highlights of the week as she becomes a very different person. She becomes much more confident and self-assured, almost literally discarding her other issues as she gets on her horse at mid-day on Saturday. Her horse, whether it be Mabel or Billy, senses that Bryony is in charge. The horse may be led (usually by Hazel), but Bryony is definitely the boss. Her concentration is evident to us, her family, but we see something others don’t. We see that the issues and concerns that are very visible for most of the week are simply not there once she is riding. No-one is threatening her, or making fun of her, and that is clear from her appearance and confidence on the horse. I can’t remember when we last saw her have a fit on the horse, whilst she continues to have such episodes at home when she is not on a horse. Maybe it is the girl/horse relationship, maybe it is the nurturing and care of RDA staff, or more likely it is both of these. As Bryony puts it: the RDA is a second caring family to her and that’s an amazing thing to have when one is six foot up in the air on a very strong four-legged animal!

Bryony started this blog last year and we both hope that while it helps her, it can also help its readers, and can help others discover the pleasures – and very real benefits – provided by the RDA.

Communicating With Colours

mental health

When I am at college I sometimes find expressing my emotions to others very challenging. As I can feel threatened in this environment due to my past experiences at school with being bullied. The bullying affected me so much doctors diagnosed me with PTSD. To help me process and communicate with others I sometimes use communication aids to help me express myself in ways I feel safe and comfortable to do so.

To help me communicate with others I have done Lego Therapy with my support staff but also in small groups with other students. Lego Therapy is all about trying to identify your emotions by putting a colour to it. For example my happy colour is yellow and my safe colour is green. I use Lego because sometimes I might be feeling more than one emotion so we stack the Lego bricks onto each other.

Lego helps me because in the past whilst doing this with other students I have had to do our whole week in colour. By seeing my week visually using Lego has helped me to understand that my emotions can be mixed and that is ok. Doing this has helped me to identify why I might be feeling upset and other emotions during the week. Talking it through with colours makes me feel more relaxed in sharing how I maybe feeling to others. By dong group sessions it has helped me to understand that I am not “silly” for feeling some emotions as others can feel similar emotions to me in some situations.

By using colour I have been able to cope better with my feelings and thoughts rushing around in my head at 100 miles an hour. Sometimes when this happens I don’t know what’s going on.However if I can find a colour that best describes how I am feeling this can help to slow down my thought process into a more manageable way and it becomes less scary and less overwhelming for me.

I use this to also help me to tell others how the voices I live with are making me feel. I have coloured circles attached to my bag which I take with me all the time. Each circle is a different colour with the emotion it makes me feel on it too. So if I am out and about and feel I can’t tell someone how I am I can show them the coloured circle I am feeling. By having the circles with me makes it more discreet when out and about as I don’t need to get Lego out.

I find using this resource also really useful after I have had a seizure as I can find it very hard to communicate with others because I find it hard to speak or I am hard for others to understand.

I am now able to use this if I need to when I’m out and about with support workers, my family and friends. Using Lego has helped me a lot in understanding emotions and that it is ok to have mixed emotions!

A Letter To The Education System

disability

I want to talk about the actual practical experiences of a disabled student with mental health conditions applying for courses at college and the frustrations/challenges I encounter.

I am a young adult who is frustrated about the way the education system treats disabled students even before a student officially joins the college. Disabled students have more hurdles to go through compared with able-bodied students and the process takes a good deal longer than normal.

These experiences damage our self-esteem and self-belief and stress the people who care for us, having an impact on the young adult’s family. Not being able to fulfil my ambitions makes me tired, wears me down, makes me feel useless and worthless as I feel like I cannot contribute to society. I might be disabled but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to have a career and be as independent as possible.

I feel that I am being denied an education compared to my peers. For example when I’ve gone for course interviews in various subjects I always get told I am unable to do the courses because:

1. I will find it too physically active or demanding.

2. I will not be allowed/the college are not prepared to allow me adaptations to be able to do courses.

3. I will find course work or exams too hard or stressful.

4. Colleges I have been to are thrown when I talk about my mental health conditions as they do not know how to respond to this, let alone how to help me with this on a daily basis.

Going through constant rejection with no after-care support or guidance on courses we could do instead deeply impacts on our mental health. This then can turn into a vicious circle which seems to never end and you can’t see a way out. It becomes scary and frightening and this makes me feel more stuck and trapped as well as extremely fearful of my future: from not only job searching but making sure that I do not become more unwell, unable to give back to society.

We all have dreams and hopes for our future and this isn’t any different for people with disabilities, mental health conditions or long term illnesses.

This makes us feel concerned about the future because we know we can give back to society and,yes, that might not be in a highly paid job but we want to feel valued and feel more accepted by society. We are all different with different skills to bring into different industries for example, catering, health care or retail. Just because we are disabled doesn’t mean we don’t have anything to offer!

In fact we are have a lot to offer; we are determined, resilient and strong. Due to our disabilities we have to come up with new ways to be able to do something an able-bodied person may find easy so we are also great at problem solving! Sometimes our brains work in different ways so we see things differently to others. This means we may be able to notice things others may have never noticed before. Some of us are really good at remembering information and routes like buses and trains timetables or maybe information on other countries. This means that maybe someone with a disability could actually be a fantastic asset to a business!