Charity helps disabled man find dream job

By Charlie Parry

A charity has warned that disabled people could find it even harder to get a job during the pandemic, but one man’s success could bring them hope. 

Mark Luff from Croydon suffers with autism and ADHD, which meant he used to have a hard time finding and keeping jobs. 

“I’d had a lot of problems with my confidence in approaching employers,” he said. “If I did secure a job, the anxiety would then kick in and I’d have a lot of difficulty keeping it.”

Mr Luff signed up to the Leonard Cheshire charity’s Change Works programme, which supports disabled people across London in finding employment. 

After learning to be more confident in himself through the programme, Mr Luff secured a job as a groundsman in his home town of Croydon. 

“I’ve gone from finding it difficult to get into work to having a job I really like – which is not something many people can I say. I’m very thankful for that,” he said. 

Employment is much harder to come by for disabled people in Croydon, with the community facing an unemployment rate six times higher than that of people without a disability.