By Amy Saffell
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Amy Saffell |
We’ve
all seen the statistics. People with disabilities traditionally are
underrepresented in the workforce, and, just like people without disabilities,
women with disabilities have an even lower employment rate than men. Maybe
you’ve contemplated getting into the workforce but believed that you couldn’t
do it…that you don’t have the skills to offer, that your disability would get
in the way physically or attitudinally, or that your state benefits wouldn’t
allow it. Five women, including myself, want to tell you that those concerns
can all be overcome. While not every person is suited for every job, there are
plenty of types of jobs, whether they’re paying or volunteer, that people with
disabilities can do. If you have been contemplating the feasibility of joining
the workforce or volunteering, let the experiences of our panel of working
women with disabilities encourage and inform you based on their real world
experiences.
A Multitude of Job Possibilities
There are many jobs that people with disabilities can do,
both inside and outside of the home. I have a full time job at a record label
in sales, marketing, and customer service. Having a job in an office allows me
a stable work environment where I can set up my surroundings to fit my needs.
On the side, I also am a programming and marketing coordinator for a local
sports and independence program for kids who use wheelchairs. I work from home,
often on the computer. Working from home with the use of technology is another
great option for people with disabilities because it allows flexible work hours
and the best use of technology that fits the ability of the user. As I have also found by working with kids who
are wheelchair users and their families, many times, firsthand knowledge of
life with a disability is an asset to certain fields.
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Jenny Smith |
Jenny
Smith has worked in Member Care with a nonprofit organization. Her employer has 340 workers who live in roughly 40 different
countries. She helps train, counsel, support, encourage, and debrief workers as
they live and work in a cross-cultural setting with many stressors. She also worked part-time in college and grad
school, and then after she graduated with her Master’s Degree, she taught K-5 English
As A Second Language for one year before working for a non-profit organization
for eight years that distributed wheelchairs in developing countries.