Playing to Our Strengths: Living, Working, and Thriving with Disability…

Dawn Harbinson is a Slugger reader from Belfast

According to recent research, 80% of people without a disability in Northern Ireland are in work, compared to 36% of disabled people (Ulster University’s Economic Policy Centre, 2022). I experienced a stroke either in the womb, during birth or within the first 18 months of life, affecting the strength of my left limbs.

My parents first noticed something was wrong when I was in my pram at around six or seven months old; my unusual sitting position raised concerns. Eventually, further investigation led to a diagnosis of left hemiplegia when I was about 18 months old. This condition resulted in delayed motor development, making it difficult for me to engage in typical childhood activities like doing handstands, skipping or riding a bike (a skill I still haven’t mastered!). However, I enjoyed playing games like hide and seek with my friends.

Thanks to my family, rather than attend a special school, I secured a place in a primary school. Although I faced numerous surgeries and periods of rehabilitation that caused me to miss a significant amount of school, I persevered.

When I entered secondary school, I was placed in the lowest academic stream. Through hard work, I managed to move up a level (but still resided in a below average stream). However, I felt increasingly frustrated and disillusioned with education, ultimately drifting through school as I looked forward to the day I could leave. Despite not performing well academically – something that was expected given my circumstances – I began searching for a job early on, aware of the challenges ahead but determined to secure employment.

Throughout my adult life, I have encountered barriers in the job market, often facing rejections or being placed on reserve lists and so that statistic I mentioned earlier does not surprise me. After eventually securing my first position as a filing clerk and staying there for a few years, I decided to return to education, ultimately spending around seven years at university and eventually earning a PhD.

While I have gained valuable experience and secured some good contracts over the years, finding consistent employment has remained something of a challenge… However, I refuse to let a lack of employment opportunities limit my potential!

My message to employers is that a lot of people with an impairment or disability want to work and are able to work. No-one doubts that Professor Stephen Hawking made a significant contribution to theoretical physics and yet he lived most of his life with a disability. Indeed, I suspect that because of his work, Stephen Hawking will be remembered long after any of us!

For me, disability has a context and employment is about understanding my limitations (jobs I cannot do) but playing to my strengths (there is a LOT I can do). For example, I wouldn’t be able to be a chef (thankfully, nor did I want to be) because I struggle to chop up food, never mind being able to chop food up at speed and so wouldn’t be suited to the pressures of a busy kitchen. Besides, I’m a terrible cook…However, I am suited to psychology because skills such as research, active listening, emotional intelligence, analytical thinking and the ability to build rapport with clients are far more critical than physical dexterity.

Everyone goes through life facing some kind of struggle and we all have hopes and dreams. My message to everyone is clear, ‘listen to your own inner voice and ignore the unnecessary noise of others. If you want to achieve something, you should at the very least try. Few people will remain with you throughout life but, sadly, regret hangs around. Don’t live with regret…’

I don’t want to live with regret and so I am playing to my strengths by setting up a social venture offering accessible and affordable coaching, mentoring, education, and training. If you want to know more about what I will be doing, please follow me on X (formerly Twitter) at @readytohelpNI, find me on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/dawnharbinson or visit my website at readytohelp.co.uk.