What are your experiences with Disability Employment Advisors?
Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2021 1:13 pm
I'd just like to know what experiences of Disability Employment Advisors people here have had. I saw one years ago who put me on a placement at a care home. When I saw what my duties would be I said I didn't think I could keep up, but she said "Well that's what it's like in the world of work". I have severe dyspraxia and am very slow at household tasks, but thought I'd give it my best shot.
Sure enough I was too slow, but the DEA said I wasn't trying and thought I had a bad attitude. I was working hard, and a friend who knows me well said that from what he knows of me (he'd lived with me) I was giving 200%. I left the DEA's office in tears, and from then on focused on getting a degree because I had a chance of achieving it. I was suicidal after that experience.
This was a very long time ago. I spoke to Mary Colley (if anyone remembers her) about the incident and she said she probably did awareness training with her . Mary Colley was dyspraxic and a neurodiversity activist. She pointed out that not all work is physical and practical and seemed to think the DEA couldn't have been listening very well during the training.
I've always been most successful at jobs I chose for myself. That's a message that I'd like to put across. You know yourself and your skills better than anyone else and other people can help you but not dictate what's going to work for you. All I hear about DEA's is glowingly positive, which sometimes makes me second guess myself being as I apparently got the help most people don't get. Who else has seen a DEA? What was it like for you? Were they helpful?
Sure enough I was too slow, but the DEA said I wasn't trying and thought I had a bad attitude. I was working hard, and a friend who knows me well said that from what he knows of me (he'd lived with me) I was giving 200%. I left the DEA's office in tears, and from then on focused on getting a degree because I had a chance of achieving it. I was suicidal after that experience.
This was a very long time ago. I spoke to Mary Colley (if anyone remembers her) about the incident and she said she probably did awareness training with her . Mary Colley was dyspraxic and a neurodiversity activist. She pointed out that not all work is physical and practical and seemed to think the DEA couldn't have been listening very well during the training.
I've always been most successful at jobs I chose for myself. That's a message that I'd like to put across. You know yourself and your skills better than anyone else and other people can help you but not dictate what's going to work for you. All I hear about DEA's is glowingly positive, which sometimes makes me second guess myself being as I apparently got the help most people don't get. Who else has seen a DEA? What was it like for you? Were they helpful?