In this episode, Peter talks about his career as an Olympian swimmer and the importance of making sure that sport is accessible and inclusive for everyone.
http://peterhullmbe.com
In this episode, Peter talks about his career as an Olympian swimmer and the importance of making sure that sport is accessible and inclusive for everyone.
http://peterhullmbe.com
Welcome to pass me the celebrating disability podcast with disabled people, talking about their experiences of being in the workplace, looking at the goods, the Bads, the amazing, the downright ugly, disabled people bring a wealth of experiences, skills into the work environment. This podcast is designed for listeners to understand the benefits of supporting a disabled employee to achieve. Hello and thank you very much. There are lots of myths and misconceptions surrounding disabilities that can prevent an employer seeing the benefits of having a disabled person in the world. Both was it. In this podcast, we will talk to disabled people from a variety of career backgrounds to discover how they manage that stability of work, sharing advice to managers and other disabled people to ensure inclusion.
Speaker 2:Hello everybody. Thank you again for joining us for another podcast. Parts of me. This is episode 11. Now, pause me and we're here with our 11th interviewing, so we're just going to get straight on with it. As with every podcast, if you have any comments or questions after this podcast is that we would love to hear from them and I'd love to know how you feel and what, who do you think that you would like to hear next? So please do get in touch with any comments were interviewing will be passed along as well. So we're here today and I'm just going to introduce the next person. So hello. Thank you very much for joining us today. Can I just ask who you are and what you did?
Speaker 3:I'm 52. I live in south Hampton. Sounds like your banking app
Speaker 2:on
Speaker 3:wave. We've never legs and my arms. I'm tending to mine. Some people consider I am, but I'm, I'm asking too young. I'm from a very young age. I was encouraged to be physically active. I'm very much aware that I'm leaving the alliance on my report each day. Pretty much everything. Meeting, eating, drinking, testing, getting around is all going to be to my, to my upper body. And your swimming. I took up good old wound exercise, cardiovascular exercise, a good fee on with major, major muscle muscle. Um, long story short, she comes to the competition, she compete as a junior and senior selected to represent my country. Uh, the uh Huh. Um, so paralympics, which was, was a bit of a Mongrel. No, my swimming up until then and they'll just spend as political goal is and stuff that's about to be identified as being good enough to represent the country. It was quite, quite daunting. I'm waves out completion and full racist came forth in a while, so just outside of the metal some people would probably position you can get because you'll just outside just personal bests. So that kind of motivates me, you know, are going to be going to the next next games was training, paid off to Barcelona,[inaudible] 92 and came back with three goals and um, I'm off the, off the ball. So now I sold to take a step back and composition I became very apparent to me are more quality of raw foods by physically, mentally and emotionally connected. And so I wanted to give something back. So I go and see sports development. Went Back to college. I did two years studying and uh, again, long story short songs to work for the county, for him. Shit, I'm a disability sports development officer and that's kind of walking, doing things with accounts are now for a chance to trust in Southampton, Kodak Nation, whose mission is to get nation axis on Paul, that active conveniences team engagement coordinator. We have free programs, activity programs about togs and people who, for whatever reason it may be because of an impediment, but it could be cultural values, can be financial buyers. They know active and we'd go to these very flexible programs. We can get as many people outside doing
Speaker 2:no and you out there, Huh?
Speaker 3:They can take this stuff. They can do, do we endorse mean for example, our program is not great on the OTP or federal team and the health professional can so you can refer yourself and a white teacher who you are medical condition, whatever. Um, and I tailor my program. Physical activity program will be getting down you and you have to support her. So after six weeks on content, you in Metro and if you know, go into gym is what you need then. Great. If I'm dying fast works best for you because of that. Sounds great for you. So
Speaker 2:that sounds really good. I know we're not talking specifically about your, um, your work as, as a job, but you know, I'm really interested actually. So the type of people that sign up, do they always do on their own or do they work in a team or
Speaker 3:uh, within, within the program when we do have a, have a team to support. So we have an activities coordinator, um, and that, that person's responsible for certain activities are for coaches to then run activities for individuals with the same mind. Am I have, I mean for example, another one about programs called active ability to say what adults with learning difficulties, but we've also got a basketball program now I'm not, I'm a firm believer that whatever your position is you can do, you can do something about identifying one from the sounds of these statements are about what you can do more what you mean?
Speaker 2:Yeah. I think you. I think you're right. I think the reason I think is a cliche because people said so often, but it is true. It is true. It's about Isabella did fun moods, friends and celebrating with friends rather than thinking what you can't do, which is a model of disability about. Anyway, isn't it? No,
Speaker 3:I'm exhausted. Like I often use is you know, football, you know football is kicking the ball with your foot now. If your feet down work or no, you can't see the boom then you. Yeah. Well we need some communication can simply by using different equipment, different environments. You can still play football the last counties, but they're using it again as an example. You got, you got Brian for a, you got CP circle talk again individually.
Speaker 2:So activation. Is it only in South Hampton or is it nationwide?
Speaker 3:My Nicole constructive activity around country by far our biggest pocket of activity is in, is in south Hampton.
Speaker 2:Brilliant. Excellent. I'm thinking after this I'm going to sign up myself. So obviously, you know, afterwards, after we figured this blood costs, you'll give me some details of where people can get to find out more and if they have somebody they know that might want to get involved,
Speaker 3:we all live within one hour forest. So yeah, absolutely. The plan is to, you know, just to spread the word, just let people know what's going on.
Speaker 2:That sounds great. Okay. I mean I'll do another question now if you get mine. So are there any challenges to the workplace and see your work environment that you faced due to your impairment?
Speaker 3:Uh, officers are going quite small. Um, I'd to will say to, you know, to get around, it's an open planned office. There's a few of us actually can be a bit difficult if everybody's in the office the same time. Uh, I use confused a lot of engagement coordinator. I'd like to go out and meet people, talk to people, to plan to spend time on the phone. However, I also have an admin support medical Hannah who could, you know, I can do all of this stuff. It does have to do it. Yeah. No, I know grades or certain meetings up organizing me on most organized person in the world and it was graded as well. I always say he's a voice activated software. Oh my God. Sandy hills. Um, so yeah, you know where
Speaker 2:this is. Absolutely. I put. So what, what kind of advice would you give to people about, about the solution in the office environment, but looks people in an office space,
Speaker 3:um, speak to the individual to find out what, what did she say? How, what I found out, people tend to make assumptions. Yeah. Quite easily. You know, are my personal opinions. I mean people will look at me and then subconsciously put themselves in my, my position now think, crikey, how would I do this if I didn't have, didn't know that will never, never, never happened, but speak to the individual, find out what they want they can, they can do and consult with them and just be as flexible.
Speaker 2:I'm just thinking back specifically to what you mentioned a minute ago where you mentioned some of the challenges that you face in the work environment. You talked about the office space and I'm thinking, I, the conversation that a manager has with a disabled person might mean that actually if you placed my desk slightly so that I can go and put my chair but differently or I can work in, you know, the, the meeting room if it's free or perhaps if I come in slightly earlier finger, slightly there, it makes a massive difference if somebody can be set up to begin with. Um, and so you didn't masturbate, you expensive, you massive life changing.
Speaker 3:So that can be a barrier in itself. Manages employees component this potentially this large building to make these alterations. Chapter Charitable Trust at the end of the day, right? Just by simple just consulting and say, you do what you want me to. For example, why I get around in my wheelchair and I like to get into an office chair gives me better support. I'm back to where my best is at the moment. I have got somewhere where like a power wheelchair and transfer into an office.
Speaker 2:I think that's a massive assumption. You find this massive assumption that people make as well. About being a will tell you that. So you have a wheelchair all the time.
Speaker 3:Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Yeah. I'm a, you often hear the expression wheelchair bound makes me incessantly.
Speaker 2:Yep.
Speaker 3:No, exactly. Yeah. No,
Speaker 2:that's another podcast I'll send. Didn't. My colleague was a brilliant. Thank you very much. And I mean what you were saying about um, personal assistant helping you with all sorts of things as well. I think sometimes it can be an assumption that when you have the personal assistant as it's the same with us and so that's one reason and one reason only, but as you very well kind of demonstrated that at least somebody can be there for all sorts of things and personal assistants have all sorts of skills and attributes so that Korea qualifications that they can bring into the workplace to assist somebody as well. So it doesn't just have to be about the physical aspects.
Speaker 3:I mean the job description price between I need to go when I go to meetings. She helps out in the wheelchair, in the comic books, core sap or presentation to do that. And the thing is as well, personalities as well. We, we collect imagery, you know, if you call it you're going to have a working relationship. I think it's good if you make that connection. Yeah. So joking aside we make is we are colleagues well in that respect. No, I know if she's got any issues just let me know. We can talk it through and I think that having that connection.
Speaker 2:No, I think so as well. And kind of being able to communicate in that way. Be Open and honest with each other. Say like you can talk to me, but you know, it's weird after awhile you get to Nathan me personality as well. So you can kinda tell when that having a down day.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Brilliant. Thank you. Okay. So if you were going to give some advice to managers supporting a disabled person in the workplace thing, in my thing,
Speaker 3:I mean I guess drive, don't pick it out for we starting strengths. Outcome for interviews. Okay. That might be some physical barriers, but focus on the individual. I can bring innovation, you know, if you know, to know where the office should debate, if that's going to create a popup and then moving things out of my can I make an effort to find space for them because I can support you and your people and again, don't be afraid to oss think suddenly people were worried about saying the wrong thing, you know, I'll know when you peel away and he's training very often the focus a bit on terminology terminology is important because it helps you to understand that there are certain words. I think you can also act as the bow because why were they going to say the wrong thing? So they say nothing. Absolutely. And so often as well, terminology changes quite rapidly. I mean seven was sort of 20 years ago, you know, we used and now but I just didn't kind. That was accepted 25 years ago. Whereas now. Well absolutely. So yeah, just under the whether. I mean I'm trying to still get confused whether it's disability, obviously how we connect treating. But again, you people just get one and if you all, if you had all that kind of post and chances are if you do say something out of the individual, not necessarily thought you had all, say the prefer. If you didn't use that, he's another, another time or intention behind exactly the same time. You're still running square. Then you know, you still get those people who go who you can be really rude and that's, that's, that's his Auntie for you. You will get to screen the majority of the people if you do say, you know, they'll say they'll let you know what I'm saying, shut me tonight and everything behind it terminology
Speaker 2:and actually had a really um, kind of good response and loads of people wanted to get involved and wanted to be part of the debate within the organization. And something that people were saying was people coming up with, I hate it when I go into town and who, you know, nothing to do with disability. But I hate it when I'm in the town center and somebody walks past me and calls me love obeying and sue. I think. Yeah, I think it was a really helpful way of me saying it further than disability, but actually terminology can affect everybody, but as you're saying it's you, it gets in the way sometimes it creates a barrier in itself to people feeling confidence around several people. So it's almost like something needs to know and then forget about again,
Speaker 3:disabled community, but some women as being degrading thing again, there's no, he's not a party to that person
Speaker 2:and it can all to do with um, with, with people come from and the culture of the town of that both out then or kind of the generation that they all bought up and then things like that, like at that told my granny hens and I'd never had that anywhere else but my granddad saying it to my granny and it was a generation and way he came. So yeah, it's all a political things, but as you say, don't mean anything bad. So if you're saying the wrong thing, somebody will tell you, but as long as the intentions. Right. So what is the place where he gives to disabled people in the workplace?
Speaker 3:Oh, she don't say give up. Yes, they are all barriers. I'm sure you have a dream and, and be, be open to discussions with, with, with managers know if they're true to their word. When you speak to anyone and every, there's a lot of support. I don't think people fully appreciate the kind of support there is out. There's access to work which can support individuals, whether it be gang banging, not person or was it equipment or someone's driving around or that there is a little small for. Again, it's not always that easy to find out what it is it is, is how that and again, don't be, don't be afraid to fail. Um, I delivered a, a tool to, to a, to a conference once and someone else to do, you know, it wasn't telling I as a youngster stubborn on it as I've got older and hopefully a little bit wiser to every patient that we all need. We all need help. It's a sign of. It's not a sign of weakness, you know, whether it's someone you know to carry books or something. Hold the door for someone. Just talk to, you know, you don't have to be need, we'll need to get, I guess just to be where you find out things for you. Feel confident within yourself.
Speaker 2:I think that's really good advice. And actually a lot of the time individuals, when I'm training say to me you should dial for a disabled person and I hadn't. So I think that's a really good insight into why you should always offer help to somebody because people are worried about offending people by saying, would you like some help? But I think that's a really good insight into obviously why say people should not be worried about asking for help but also why people should not be concerned about offering health as well. So thank you for that. Very useful. And we're just going to change, you know, they feel bad. So, um, I want to talk to you about you as a consumer. So the consumer, when you're buying a product or seven from a business or an organization. So that could be a product or service, it could be something in the shop or something he bought online or something you go to or anything. So as a disabled person, what is your biggest challenge to buying a product or service?
Speaker 3:What springs to mind is getting money out of mind? Out of my water didn't change.
Speaker 4:I've been wasting coins.
Speaker 3:Really, really, really fiddly. And um, you know, and there was a time when I would be happy to give them some money out myself. Now it's becoming more difficult using my shoulders all the time. I'm sorry. I get pain and discomfort is about uncomfortable. So, um, sometimes I would also have been shown to bank so I'll keep my phone and my wallet in on our quilt. Same with, can take the money out of my. I hadn't initially comes to mind negative what he's comfortable doing that did you know, you know, complete strangers is Austin take money out of there? What do they tend to always feel comfortable doing that? And I'll go back to the same face as often, whether it be through market to pop to a chemist or whatever. People got me and yeah, that's fine. Going to be a little bit wary because I'm actually more worried about upsetting other people can make it myself because I can kind of pick up on that. But yeah, getting in money, I'm on what is really difficult. One contact contactless times now. Heck of a lot. What are the downside of that for me is I kind of lose track of how much money is it
Speaker 2:you got in your way and you spend 20 quid. Then we left
Speaker 3:and you use a card and swiped the card over the thing and you know, you think nothing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly. It's just a few weeks. Money. Money. Yeah. I mean doing, doing stuff on.
Speaker 3:I guess that's what I'm saying.
Speaker 2:So what tells you a couple of questions tonight if you didn't mind, but go back to the coins for a second. Can you think of all the change? Not that you don't like organizational change, but it's the physical calling. Um, so is there any, are there any solutions that you can think of for overcoming that? I mean, you said one of the things, the big thing that concerns you is other people feeling uncomfortable about helping you. Yeah. I'm going to all those people.
Speaker 3:Cool and whatever. Just to get people to the terminology, but just to get them to relax and let him see it. Okay, I'm going to struggle with this, but I'm gonna need your help to do that. And they're always, you know, because it's quite. If they don't, I will say, okay, let me watch. Yeah, I can look through it. You know, you can actually see them so that they'll, for example, taking note, I know that of change out of me and that kind of thing. So that again, that makes sense. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Thank you. I, I can, I can identify with that as well, but I can imagine that quite a few of the disabled people listening because identify with that too. Especially if they have limited dexterity or they call it, use their arms and hands for any reason. Um, so I think that's really useful advice and really useful to hear from somebody else that somebody else feels the same and from the person, the shop presence point of view, to know that actually it's okay to feel a bit nervous and that you'll help them through. So thank you. The other day I was going to ask you is about, you said you prefer online shopping because obviously that takes a lot of those issues the way. Are there any barriers that you find that
Speaker 3:when you try and find something online? Um, sometimes I talk some specific sort of buzzwords or tomorrow sometimes it's difficult to. I think just using new terminology and of course I guess you did duke stuff off as an example. I'm trying to, I'm asking could exams very, very recently actually I'm, I myself, I'm pretty to ephesus and I ordered it and obviously came to the post or not. I would kind of aware of it beforehand but very much away of how can it the bloody thing in my year it was in the shop I would say. Okay, I'll see if I could have done a lot of failing and fortunately just so I can, I can get it. Can you see being in the show you have the advantage there and then actually just kind of wandering in any way because you can't find on anyway just one shop that I went to Canada.
Speaker 2:Oh Wow. Okay. Yeah, that'd be like you said the problem was the quite a few people and the thing that's why things like nay deck so, so popular because you get to try with somebody who actually understands the barriers that people face and it does make a difference. Um, I didn't know about you but I've sometimes been in a store and I said when I used to, but back in the day when we had landlines and when I divide language I would say can I just see it because I need to see whether I can hold it on my lap and things like that. And sometimes they'd be really confused and I'd have to really explain why. And so it's a lot easier when the person says in you or the person's 14 years is a bit more aware of barriers that people face in order to say, oh, this person for identity. And this was like in a closure when we eat a with a, um, personal shopper and knows exactly what you just went to like ippf brilliant. Um, is there anything else that you would like us today?
Speaker 3:I guess, you know, my personal crusade really is wherever you are, would you use a wheelchair or were you getting around or you were just sending one out just for the benefits of physical activity. Could few physically obviously gets you fit. But also the emotional benefits can be doing, doing a sport or physical activity quite often. People community, you know, do you start to. He's doing the sport activity, so romanoff he sought to achieve. It helps you sell confidence doing things you never thought you could do for, you know, how we can really. They literally is a believing there's something for everybody. I mean, even people who've got, you know, Paul conditions or conditions and they come and do physical activities that can be difficult. You can do light level and just just moving around and doing stuff. I think it can benefit from it and it's gone as it has kind of got me where I am today. I mean encouraged into, into swimming to tell me my independence, you know? Yes. It took me to a copper and pigs, but that certainly wasn't the goal. First Time I'm going to show me, you know, swimming is good exercise and you know, I am, I am independent and Joe, you know, I don't want to be relying on other people. Yes, I know what I'm saying. Like I do except I need help. But at the same time if I'm out and about, I'm married, but if it does become an issue then. So is this something that there's enough people out there now? Nothing. I'm 2012 deep on this for this. There's no expertise, other that whatever activity you want to do this, you know, they can adapt to do disability for any vertical adapters, for adaption the walls and you know, the equipment, the environment, you know, that you participate.
Speaker 2:Brilliant. Thank you so much. And as I said, yeah, we'll put links to this on, um, on the, um, on the subscription, but of the, of the post cost and we'll put it on the website and when we put out on social media will help link to you and love the people. Know what to do to kind of find out more information. Thank you so much for your time. I really enjoy talking to you.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 2:Thank you again for tuning into another episode of possibly the celebrating disability pulled cost. For further information on any of the topics range from your own experiences, please do get in touch by emailing c Dot Harvey at celebrating Disability Dot Co dot UK, or calling. Oh, one, two, five, six, five, seven, eight, zero one six. Or you can also find more information@celebratingdisability.co dot UK.