The presentation is delivered to participants of the School Leavers Employment Supports (SLES) program. It is available either face to face or by videolink. It provides an overview of the different types of disability, my personal journey with job seeking, working and eventually establishing my own business.
The format fits into the expectations of the SLES program, providing insights and real life experiences of working in open employment as a person with a non-visible disability. The content can be adapted to ensure that the students are engaged and is approved by the teacher or leader prior to delivery. Since the presentation is fairly lengthy, opportunities for student questions and participation are embedded at appropriate intervals.
Contact me at john@badwater.com.au to arrange a phone or video call to discuss the presentation format, how I can assist your organisation and to arrange an appointment.
Living with Non-Visible Disability
Definition of Disability
Overview of the definition of disability and how signage can be misleading.
Personal journey from illness to disability, and its impacts
Following years of deteriorating health, I faced the reality of disability. A major hurdle was accessing the Disability Support Pension. After several rejections, I lodged an appeal with the (then) Social Security Appeals Tribunal. I attended a hearing, where the panel ruled in my favour and overturned Centrelink's decisions not to recoginse my disability.
Relationship, Friends and Society Impacts
Friendships, built on socialising, ended as soon as I shared information about my disability. Some people just stopped calling and others blamed me for factors that I had brought on myself. I removed those people from my life.
Strangers make assumptions based on what they observe. No one offers me a seat on public transport and I don't ask as the person in the seat could also have a non-visible disability.
Returning to Work
I assessed my career and created a resume that only included tasks I was able to manage.
My experience with a disability employment provider was not positive. I found part-time contract work through a mainstream agency that specialised placing candidates in my profession.
Maintaining Employment
After returning to Europe, I was able to maintain employment until a severe relapse that rendered me unable to work. I was living in a country where I didn't speak the language and had no access to welfare. I moved to the UK where I was able to stabilise my condition and return to work. I eventually moved to a rural area, where I lived for several years before returning to Australia with my partner and two cats.
Working Without a Safety Net
My career has included permanent, contract and temporary work. Experiences of support for my disability has varied from excellent to appalling.
Without the safety net of Centrelink, I saved money while working to finance the times when I was unable to work.
I lived this way for 24 years. It eventually became unsustainable. After a particularly toxic work experience, I was forced to leave the workforce and consider my options for the future.
Current Activities
In 2021 I left salaried and contract employment to focus on my health and designing business services. In 2024, was again granted access to the Disability Support Pension.
In recent years my health has deteriorated and managing my disability has changed. Balancing resting and activity is no longer working and my disability, combined with ageing, is becoming more visible to others.
Self Employed
I completed the Self Employment Assistance program and established a small business. I draw on my lived experience of disability in the workplace and have developed various services to assist job seekers to find work, and currently employed persons to maintain work.
I also deliver presentations that are tailor made to the audience.
SLES students can benefit from insights into navigating the workplace when living with a disability and gaining an understanding that careers and ambitions can change at any stage of life. Entering the workforce is an achievement in itself and an opportunity to gain experience and confidence.
Once a person has started to build an employment history, they can find their passion and, depending on their circumstances, plan their career to achieve their goals and ambitions.