Woman with cerebral palsy lands first job at 36 after years of discrimination
A woman with cerebral palsy is thrilled to have landed her first job after years of being told she wouldn't be able to work due to her disability.
Jade Cotton, 36, faced numerous rejections and discrimination and found job-hunting extremely challenging as a result. However, she's now finally secured a position at NHS' Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Northfield, Birmingham, which she will start in January 2024.
Jade, who uses a wheelchair and is registered blind and non-verbal, often struggled to progress to the interview stage during each job application. She described her challenges as "banging [her] head against a brick wall".
Jade, pictured with her husband Andy, suffered rejections and discrimination (Sense)In addition to her new job, Jade is also a nominee for "Person of the Year" at the Sense Awards, organised by disability charity Sense. Speaking about her disabilities, Jade said: "I was born with Cerebral Palsy, I was diagnosed with Scoliosis in 1999 and I was diagnosed with Epilepsy in 2005-2006. I was told I couldn't work at all because I was disabled. It made me feel like I might as well bang my head against a brick wall, because I felt that I was on my own looking for work."
"I was watching something on television and I saw someone in a wheelchair in Scotland who was working in a law office, so I thought why can't I work myself?"
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Jade, who communicates using text-to-speech software, asked for interview questions in advance to prepare her answers. However, the company refused, which Jade believes was discriminatory. After seeking help from a local councillor and being passed around various organisations, she finally contacted Sense, who helped her improve her interview and practical work skills.
Eventually, her efforts paid off when she landed the role of Bank Admin and Clerical Support. She said: "I didn't believe it when I was successful in my interview with Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in May this year. I feel so proud of myself for getting the job, it shows that the determination to do what you want to do is key in life."
"I'm so thankful and excited to be shortlisted for this award. My motto is don't let your disability define you and don't give up on whatever you want to accomplish in life. My hopes for the future are to see where the job takes me."
Zoe Bates, Employment Co-Ordinator at Sense, who worked with Jade said: "There are many people living with complex disabilities that want to work, and with the right support they will thrive, but sadly they're being denied at the first hurdle the job search."
"Sense's research shows that half of jobseekers with complex disabilities do not believe they are receiving the support they need to find work."
"If the government is serious about reducing the disability employment gap and getting more disabled people into work, then the right support must be in place. Jobcentres are the frontline tool government use for supporting people to find work, but they aren't being provided with the equipment and training that they need to do this."
"The introduction of assistive technology and specialist training for all frontline jobcentre staff so that they can support people with more complex needs would make a huge difference, with the value outweighing the cost."
The Sense Awards celebrate the achievements of people with complex disabilities and people who support them. Jade is in the running for 'Person of the Year' award with this year's nominees to be announced soon.
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]
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