Not all disabilities are visible - I can come across as disorganised, rude or strange.
Image: Two women cooking in the kitchen. One has long brown here and a yellow cardigan, the other has short hair and is wearing a striped shirt.
When Corrina Phillips first started working at Life Without Barriers in 2012, she never expected to have so many opportunities arise over the next eight years.
Born with autism, Corrina knows how important it is to have a supportive employer who understands some of the many daily challenges she faces. Challenges such as anxiousness and being misinterpreted and compared to neurotypicals.
“To the lay-person I can come across as disorganised, rude or strange. This is because sometimes I can take things out of context or don’t respond in ways considered appropriate, like not smiling or knowing when it is my turn to speak,” she explains.
“My past employers haven’t offered the same flexibility I’ve found at Life Without Barriers."
First starting as a disability worker, Corrina has worked across multiple functions and different roles and is currently working as a Community Engagement Planning Officer.
”Life Without Barriers has been incredibly supportive, giving me the opportunity to work across many functions and roles,” she said.
This International Day of People With Disability (IDPwD) is a chance to reflect on some disappointing stats. 1 in 5 people in Australia have disability, yet only half of those who are of working age have secured employment. The biggest issue people with disability face is discrimination during the recruitment phase as well as in the workplace, which is largely through unconscious bias.
What you can do?
Join our campaign to create employment without barriers.
