Did you know there are over 8 million people who have a long-term health condition that restricts their ability to work?
This doesn’t mean that we don’t want to work, or that we’re not trying hard enough – it means that there are very real physical and social barriers we face. Our focus should be on breaking down these barriers, rather than placing prejudice and blame on individuals.
It’s time to change the narrative. Watch our campaign video below, and keep on reading to find out more…
It’s important to recognise that some people with long-term health conditions aren’t well enough to work at all and they should never be forced into unsuitable roles. However, we know from our work with Astriid’s community that there are also many of us who want and are able to work, and actively seeking out suitable opportunities. However, finding these inclusive opportunities can be a whole other challenge in itself.
People in positions of power tell us more disabled people should be employed, but propose cuts to Access To Work so we don’t have the adjustments we need to do our jobs.
They tell us they’ll improve employment support, but threaten the social support that we rely on to live.
They tell us we belong in work, but the severe lack of nuance in these discussions and lack of consultation with the community is hurting millions of us already.
We have so many talents and skills that make us an asset to the workforce, and there are many ways our lived experiences make us even more employable. But there are many barriers we face in employment. And until we tackle those barriers, nothing can change.
There has never been a greater, or more important, opportunity to change things for the better. So, instead of sanctioning people who happen to be disabled, here’s what we want to see instead:
- More flexible working options, including remote and reduced-hours roles so we can manage our health conditions and retain our quality of life.
- Better training on energy limiting conditions for employers and recruiters, so they have an increased understanding of the barriers we face and the practical ways we can to break them down.
- Nuance in the conversation about who can or cannot work, and recognising that long-term health conditions affect everybody differently and cannot be considered in a generalised way.
- A better understanding of workplace adjustments and urgent improvements to the Access To Work system so people are not left without the support they require.
- Investment in organisations and lived experience experts who support people with long-term health conditions and are most able to provide solutions.
Penalising disabled people and reducing their social support will not suddenly make them less disabled, and it won’t make the world of work more inclusive. There are so many better ways we can facilitate change instead, and we all have to join forces and work in partnership with each other if we want to make that happen.
At Astriid, we are experts by experience in long-term health conditions at work. By combining our expertise with our one-of-a-kind research findings, we create bespoke support sessions and resources for individual seeking work and deliver training and creative consultancy for employers and businesses.
If you’re an organisation looking to level up inclusion in your workforce, we provide action-based training centred on long-term health conditions and energy limiting conditions. We provide sessions on accessible job design, inclusive language training and more – find out more about Astriid Training here and email [email protected] to arrange your workshops.
If you’re an individual seeking work, we produce bespoke webinars and resources covering areas that are relevant to long-term health conditions and energy limiting conditions and often missed out from existing disability equality initiatives. All of these resources are free to access, and you can find all our Support For Candidates here.
If you’re a business and want to support our work, we’re actively seeking collaboration and partnership opportunities. Whether it’s volunteering, sponsoring services, or co-creating innovative solutions, we design partnerships that deliver real value to both your organisation and the individuals we support. Find out more about Astriid Partnerships here.
Now is the time to listen to our voices and work *with* us to change this narrative for good. Are you ready to join us?