About GoldStar 
| Name | Age |
Project |
|---|---|---|
 Steven Clough |
26 |
Gateshead Access Panel |
Steven, who is 26 years old and has muscular dystrophy, has been volunteering at GAP for just over a year.
Steven had been to university and obtained an art degree. After finishing university Steven started to work independently as an artist – doing exhibitions, etc. However, he found this to be a difficult and particularly anti-social existence.
“It was basically me in a room five days a week just doing it. I decided that I wanted to pursue things that were a bit more sociable so I went to the Job Centre. I was really interested in just doing something – a part time job. I was not that concerned about the nature of the job, just to engage in a different type of activity and contrast what I was doing with the art. The Job Centre advised me to go to one of the disabled job brokers (the Shaw Trust)”.
Job Centre Plus was keen for Steven to go and work with the Shaw Trust.
“It wasn’t that the Job Centre couldn’t help and support me, but they said that an organisation like the Shaw Trust would be able to go to greater lengths to help and support me and had more experience. Basically that it might just be better for me. So that’s what I did and it was decided to look for a work placement, because I have not worked so I don’t have any experience.”
The placement involved three days a week. This allowed time to go to the gym, etc.
"First of all I was interested in doing admin work, so it was a six week placement to be in a work environment and get the experience of the actual work, but also as important was for me to see how I reacted to working. I didn’t know if sitting and using a computer would be a problem. Would I be too tired? How would that affect other things – would I be too tired to go shopping? With my condition I go to the gym quite regularly which I need to do – would I be too tired to do that? It was much an unknown.
Steven did the six weeks placement which he fully enjoyed, but Steven also started doing more IT related work with the technical worker at GAP. This included undertaking graphic design work and more development work on the computer that was more technical in nature, rather than just using the computer. Steven enjoyed this work more and was lucky enough to get a second six week placement to explore IT related work. The Shaw Trust continued to oversee this work with regular reviews, etc.
“I thoroughly enjoyed it, I found that I could cope as I hoped and thought I would, but I had proven to myself that I was quite capable of working.”
Since the second placement Steven has continued to work with GAP as a volunteer three days a week.
“I enjoyed the work and enjoyed the office environment and enjoyed being with the people that were in the office I said that I would stay on to pursue it a little bit longer. I have been fortunate in that I have been able to work with Steve Smith (The technical worker at GAP) in developing an interactive training CD. It’s something to go on my CV which has got my name on it. It’s something that I am looking for to prove that I have that bit of experience. The other thing as well is that I am able to get an actual reference through volunteering here for that period of time”.
“I felt that I knew what I had learnt in the six weeks and it had helped me with my confidence, in terms of being in that work environment. I felt that staying on I could progress further and get somewhere towards where I wanted to be”.
Steven would now like to get a bit more experience under his belt in terms of contributing to actual finished work (i.e. accessible websites, etc), get relevant and appropriate references and then go out and more seriously look for employment. However, he feels that the experience is the main aspect that is still lacking.
In particular, Steven would now like to get involved in work that is IT and web based, although he does not have formal qualifications in this area. Steven feels that he may have to undertake further college course work through local colleges, but hopefully to compliment the voluntary work being undertaken at GAP. He has no concerns about doing what is necessary to get himself into a position where the opportunity of work becomes a more realistic opportunity.
“With benefits being as they are, to take that leap to employment, be it full time or part time and the knock on effect it obviously has with the your benefits, I don’t want to be in a situation where I do that and jump into something and find its not working. It’s really being given that opportunity to make that step when you know you are good and ready to do it.”
This is seen by Steven as one of the main benefits of volunteering. The ability to prove to himself that he is really capable of holding down a job and also to test different job roles. Although Steven recognises that volunteering work is not the same as paid employment and does not have the same pressures, it nevertheless provides an appropriate environment to try out different options and gain confidence.
“In terms of the physical aspects of disability I think there is ways around most problems…but it is having that confidence. Confidence is a huge thing. For peace of mind. I could go now to work in an office or call centre and know now that I can manage physically. I don’t need any specialist equipment. It’s that peace of mind. I’m not worrying about it. I think that’s something that you can not really put a price on”.
