Getting the disabled back to work

JT made a comment a while back about the fact that blind people are discriminated against:

"In view of the climate we live in, I ask why oh why is it that blind people are not given driving licences? It's total, iniquitous discrimination. Yes, the blind drivers are very likely to do themselves much harm, and others also, but the same is true if you face the facts as opposed to the convenient mythology, regarding anal intercourse intercourse, as promoted by sex educators, the government/media etc., and that doesn't stop the "liberation" of the "equality" laws?

Well, regarding giving the blind, driving licences, I have a tale to tell. This dates back from when I was running an Executive Jobclub during the last century. Are you sitting comfortably?

One of the Jobclub members was an amazingly bright and personable gentleman (who I will call Bob) who took his guide dog everywhere, even bringing him into the Jobclub (where we fed him biscuits and added to his increasing girth. The dog that is, not the blind man!).

It was time when the Employment Agency down in Bromley were pushing for all those who had been put onto Disability Allowances (DA)to be returned to the job market and so all those long-term unemployed who'd be put on DA to decrease the unemployment figures (no, it did happen I assure you!) were given 'back to work interviews. So off trots Blind Bob ably assisted by his dog, who we will call 'Spot' to protect the guilty!

On the way to the interview, Spot leads Bob off to the bus stop. A bus stops and as it's not the right bus, Bob stand by the stop, foot on lead, to wait for the right bus. Sadly, Bob's foot was not on the lead and five minutes later Bob realises that Sport has vanished and he's got his foot on a piece of litter! Bob starts to ask if anyone can see the dog, but he's gone! People start looking, the right bus comes, and goes, and there's no dog!

Suddenly, up screeches a car driven by a bus Inspector with, yep, Spot sitting in the passenger seat with his head hanging out of the window. He was well-known and the driver realising there was only half of the disabled (we called them People With Disabilities, PWDs) duo on the bus had radioed and had him taken back along the route!

Well eventually Bob arrives at the interview, late and tries to explain what had happened. He eventually gets a slot and is seen by an EA (Employment Advisor). He is asked to fill out some forms and after explaining that he can't see too well (and that the dog has lost his pen) they find someone to fill out all the forms. They then call him back to the EA who asks him to complete a nifty little programme we used to run which asks about likes and dislikes and then comes up with three 'perfect match' career paths.

These three, most apt and excellent career roles are entered onto Bob's paperwork and he is told that he will be contacted within 'n' working days with an invitation onto some relevant course of training to get him off the DA and onto JSA (Job Seekers Allowance) alone and then gainful employment. He is given a piece of paper which tells him that failure to attend the course will result in him being taken off of the benefits system and told he can go.

A week later Bob comes to the Jobclub with a letter inviting him to an assessment session with a training provider. If successful with the assessment he will be invited onto a twelve week course with a driving Instructor training scheme, with a guaranteed job at the end of it!

Well Bob went to the initial assessment and oddly enough met another of our members there, a lady with severe epilepsy, who unfortunately also failed the initial assessment! Bob did explain that emergency stops would be O.K. as he could bang the dog on the dashboard to signify that he wanted them to stop! The Epileptic said she didn't consider it to be fitting for her to do the raining!

When I left the wonderful world of unemployement a year or so later they were still bot gainfully unemployed. I also understand that the government are to introduce Jobclubs as a sparkling new initiative shortly - like it says, "There's nothing new under the sun!"

ps. Both of my PWDs had driving licences at some time. Bob had never lost his and so technically could drive, the lady thought her's had been taken after the illness which caused some damage to the barin had stricken her. Still, we all laughed and of course, it shows how wickedly funny PWDs can be, doesn't it?