If you’re a disabled student concerned about making the transition to the workplace, then it might interest you to know that you may be eligible for government funding under the Access to Work (AtW) Scheme.
The funding is made available to assist disabled people and their employers in making adjustments to overcome work-related obstacles that might be encountered by a disabled individual. These adjustments can include things in addition to the reasonable ones employers are legally obliged to make (read more about what these entail here.)
A few examples of how the money awarded under the scheme could be used include:
- adaptions to the equipment you use
- special equipment or software
- British Sign Language interpreters and video relay service support, lip speakers or note takers
- adaptions to your vehicle so you can get to work
- taxi fares to work, or a support worker if you can’t use public transport
- a support worker or job coach to help you in your workplace
- a support service if you have a mental health condition – this could include counselling or job coaching
- disability awareness training for your colleagues
- the cost of moving your equipment if you change location or job
Courtesy of the Gov.uk website – https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work/what-youll-get
From a student perspective, as well as these all being options of how you could use the funding once you start a role after graduation, it’s something you can start prepare for before that, as you can apply for the funding as soon as you have a job offer. It can also be used for internships and work experiences, providing they’re paid. You should also be able to use the service to access support with an interview or assessment day.
It’s worth doing a bit of reading up on the scheme, and your eligibility for it, but once you make the application you’ll be provided with a dedicated adviser who’ll be able to take your application forward and liaise with your employer. Some good sources of information about the scheme include: