July 10, 2024 • 31 mins
After more than 6 months I've finally been offered some support from Access to Work - Join me live as I'm going to be sharing my experience of the process and what happens next.
Hi, I'm Bev and as a late diagnosed ADHDer I finally plucked up the courage to tackle the minefield that is applying for help from the government!
I'm not great a asking for help and I'm even worse at asking for help from the Government - so many forms to fill in and hoops to jump through!
Anyway, I did it and I also recorded my first ever solo Youtube livestream - and this is the recording from that livestream.
I hope you enjoy it and if you have any advice for me about appealing my outcome or doing a better job on my application next time around, I'd be so grateful!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
So let me tell you what I want to talk about.
(00:02):
The theme is about my access to work application to get some help with my ADHD for my business.
And I just thought I'd share with you the experience that I've had, uh, by no means.
an expert on the Access to Work process.
In fact, if anything, I'm the exact opposite.
(00:23):
I, I found the whole process quite challenging. 7 00:00:27,459.999 --> 00:00:38,569.999 And, uh, if you've got any help or support to offer, do let me know in the comments, because actually I, I found this process quite difficult. 8 00:00:38,569.999 --> 00:00:44,399.999 So before I get going, I thought for anybody who doesn't know who I am, I'll give you a little bit of context.
(00:47):
It's not, well, I guess it is the Bev show.
.999I was going to say it's not the Bev show, but I guess it probably is, but just, it's not going to be a deep dive into my, you know, long life history, but just a bit of an overview really.
So I am now a business coach and a mentor, and I work specifically with, um, um, um, Women in wellness or wellbeing who have got a coaching business or want to have a coaching business or a training business around wellbeing, and they want to take it into the corporate market.
(01:18):
And I got into this about a year and a bit ago after spending the five and a bit years before that running my own business as a corporate trainer, training people about menopause in the workplace.
And the reason I got into that, which I didn't do until I was 52, so I didn't start my own business until I was 52, I'm now 58, going on 59, was because Having spent a very long time working for UK, the Ministry of Defence, predominantly working for the Royal Air Force as a civilian, 32 years I worked there, and I struggled so much with my own menopause for two years, really, really struggled.
(02:00):
And I ended up resigning from my job in 2018 and found myself unemployed, um, with some skills around teaching, training, obviously 32 years of experience just of working.
And long story short, I ended up starting to do some training initially for the Royal Air Force.
(02:22):
And since then with lots and lots of other companies, um, around menopause and the impact it can have on working people.
So I was going into corporate and basically delivering training and workshops and programs.
But I switched a year and a bit ago.
And where it's what the reason I'm telling you this is because I didn't find out I had ADHD until I had my formal diagnosis in January, 2023.
(02:51):
So what's that about 18 months ago coming up, maybe I had no idea I had ADHD.
I knew there was lots of things that I always struggled with like time management and planning and organization and staying tidy and start and stuff, but not finishing it.
I had all of the struggles, but didn't know, didn't have a name for them.
Didn't know it was ADHD.
(03:11):
Then I had my diagnosis as I say, 18 months ago, and I was told when I got my diagnosis that I could apply for some help from the UK government through a scheme called access to work, which I was familiar with because when I was working for the MOD, I had a couple of my team members, um, had asked if I could help them go through the access to work process.
(03:38):
So I was familiar with what it was, I kind of was familiar with Um, how you applied, but not as an individual with a business.
it was quite easy, the process, if I remember rightly, when we did it through the MOD, but to be honest, I'd never actually, I'm not, I'm not great at asking for help. 27 00:03:59,64.999 --> 00:04:00,224.999 I don't know about anybody else.
(04:00):
I find it really difficult to ask for help and asking for help from the government just feels, I don't know, it sounds really silly, but.
I know ADHD is classed as a disability, um, but I don't feel disabled I definitely find some things hard, but I don't feel disabled.
(04:23):
.999And it felt like I was taking it by applying for the support. 31 00:04:28,564.999 --> 00:04:30,964.999 It felt like I was taking stuff that I didn't.
.999Really have a right or an entitlement to, and it wasn't until probably a year and a, maybe a year ago that I was having a conversation with somebody else who had gone down the access to work route.
(04:45):
She was a middle aged woman, just like me, late diagnosis, uh, ADHD starting her own business.
She was actually quite at the early stages of starting her business.
And she said something that made.
made me think about it differently.
Um, she said, you know, what access to work does and the support that they give you is about leveling the playing field. 38 00:05:11,349.999 --> 00:05:18,780 So the things that I struggle with because of my ADHD, there's a, there's a cost.
(05:19):
cost to managing those things in my business because I have to bring in external support.
.998Uh, and I know everybody kind of, it's advisable if you've got your own business to bring on other people to help you with the tasks, but I kind of struggle with some of the basic stuff that most. 41 00:05:42,499.999 --> 00:05:45,519.999 people who are neurotypical probably wouldn't struggle with. 42 00:05:46,159.999 --> 00:06:05,499.999 Um, and it's really, I'm still finding it quite hard to express what those challenges are without feeling like they sound a bit pathetic because the whole thing with ADHD is we find some of the basic stuff that neurotypical people wouldn't even, you know, question. 43 00:06:05,709.999 --> 00:06:07,959.999 We can find it really quite challenging. 44 00:06:08,489.999 --> 00:06:12,479.999 Um, but the, the underlying message behind that is. 45 00:06:13,794.999 --> 00:06:33,519.899 God, I sound so pathetic by saying that I struggle to, um, plan my week, that I struggle to organize tasks that I have a problem with forward planning, that I, you know, will miss really important tasks. 46 00:06:33,809.999 --> 00:06:40,659.999 Um, appointments and deadlines and it's just, there's a lot of things that are really challenging. 47 00:06:40,969.999 --> 00:06:47,359.999 Even just things like getting my accounts done, bringing my accounts up to date. 48 00:06:48,544.999 --> 00:06:58,574.999 It's such a challenge to do that, even knowing that the consequences of not doing it are high from a financial point of view. 49 00:06:58,874.999 --> 00:07:02,764.999 So getting things ready for my tax return and that sort of thing is quite challenging. 50 00:07:03,964.999 --> 00:07:11,264.998 So long story short, this, this lady that I was chatting to said, you know, all it does is level the playing field. 51 00:07:11,264.998 --> 00:07:17,774.999 You're not getting something that is kind of, More than somebody else would get. 52 00:07:17,784.999 --> 00:07:32,554.999 It just means that you're, you're running your business from like a, a level, you know, you're on a level with other people at the start that haven't got ADHD. 53 00:07:32,554.999 --> 00:07:34,184.999 I'm not articulating this very well. 54 00:07:35,104.998 --> 00:07:35,604.998 So. 55 00:07:36,344.999 --> 00:07:46,854.999 I, I am denied and then realized that actually I, I do pay somebody quite a big chunk every month to keep me accountable. 56 00:07:47,194.998 --> 00:07:51,884.999 You know, really that's, that's her main role is just to manage me. 57 00:07:52,484.999 --> 00:07:55,24.999 And that on itself is a challenge. 58 00:07:55,84.998 --> 00:08:00,974.999 I pay an awful lot of money for, um, software and things to help me manage my time. 59 00:08:01,324.999 --> 00:08:05,414.999 What I really probably need are good strategies. 60 00:08:06,44.999 --> 00:08:09,184.999 From a coach that could help me anyway. 61 00:08:09,214.999 --> 00:08:15,834.999 So let, let's talk about the access to work process because that's what I wanted this live to be about. 62 00:08:15,894.999 --> 00:08:23,544.999 So let's accept that I've kind of got over myself and decided actually some help would make a big difference. 63 00:08:24,104.998 --> 00:08:27,404.999 I'm fairly certain my business would be further on. 64 00:08:27,524.999 --> 00:08:34,754.999 I've been relatively successful without any support, but I think I could be much more successful with support. 65 00:08:35,934.999 --> 00:08:43,714.999 So I applied actually for access to work, uh, just before Christmas, literally about the 23rd of. 66 00:08:44,309.999 --> 00:08:59,799.998 December, and I'm not great at form filling anything that I think is going to need a lot of detail or a lot of coordination, lots of kind of bringing bits of information together, especially if part of that is numerical data. 67 00:09:00,249.999 --> 00:09:10,259.999 I really panic and I struggle, but I kind of forced myself to, to open up the access to work application form and work through it online. 68 00:09:10,259.999 --> 00:09:12,799.999 I gave myself a good couple of hours to do it. 69 00:09:13,479.998 --> 00:09:16,399.999 And I, basically went through the process. 70 00:09:16,399.999 --> 00:09:18,559.999 It was just an online form. 71 00:09:18,979.999 --> 00:09:23,79.999 Um, I can't even remember what sort of things I had to put in there. 72 00:09:23,519.999 --> 00:09:32,664.999 What I had been told was ask for the moon and you know, you might get You might reach the sky. 73 00:09:32,694.999 --> 00:09:34,634.999 So I did ask for an awful lot. 74 00:09:34,634.999 --> 00:09:36,914.999 I didn't expect to get any of it, to be honest. 75 00:09:37,144.999 --> 00:09:41,854.999 I think I asked for virtual assistant support to help with admin. 76 00:09:41,904.999 --> 00:09:47,184.998 I asked for coaching to help me with, um, my ADHD. 77 00:09:47,619.999 --> 00:09:52,19.999 Symptoms, I don't even like using the word symptoms, my ADHD traits. 78 00:09:52,29.999 --> 00:09:58,69.999 So things like helping to teach me strategies to, to manage my time better. 79 00:09:58,439.999 --> 00:10:09,449.999 Um, I asked for some hardware to speed up the process of things like editing, because I, part of the problem with something taking a long time is I can get. 80 00:10:09,669.999 --> 00:10:21,849.999 Very distracted, lose focus, think I've done something and then realise I haven't and then get incredibly stressed when I realise that I've got to catch up and play catch up last minute, so I ask for quite a lot of stuff if I'm honest. 81 00:10:22,804.999 --> 00:10:29,234.999 As I say, not expecting to get anywhere near that much, but everybody I spoke to said, look, ask for it. 82 00:10:29,604.999 --> 00:10:30,914.999 Don't expect to get it. 83 00:10:30,934.998 --> 00:10:35,134.999 But if you ask for hardly anything, you probably won't get that either. 84 00:10:35,144.998 --> 00:10:50,274.998 So I got the confirmation back from Access to Work that the application had gone through and that they'd received it and that somebody would be in touch to do a workplace assessment for me within 12 weeks. 85 00:10:52,39.999 --> 00:11:01,609.999 So, 12 weeks really took me into March, and March came and went, no assessment date, no contact whatsoever. 86 00:11:01,609.999 --> 00:11:05,239.999 I had a very initial email almost. 87 00:11:06,299.999 --> 00:11:09,249.999 minutes after I hit submit on the application. 88 00:11:09,419.999 --> 00:11:11,79.999 Bear with me, I need a slurp. 89 00:11:15,49.999 --> 00:11:17,109.999 So, March came and went, nothing. 90 00:11:17,539.999 --> 00:11:20,369.998 April came and went, nothing. 91 00:11:21,189.999 --> 00:11:24,579.999 May came and went, still nothing. 92 00:11:26,89.999 --> 00:11:35,284.999 June arrived, and I was at the point of should I give them a call? The problem is I wasn't sure quite who to call. 93 00:11:35,594.999 --> 00:11:41,694.998 It wasn't very clear who, who I needed to contact to sort of chase things up. 94 00:11:42,314.999 --> 00:11:53,434.999 And then again, I think, I don't know if it's an authority thing or just the fear that they're going to ask me things I don't know, but I find it really difficult to pick up the phone and have those sorts of conversations. 95 00:11:53,784.999 --> 00:11:54,624.999 I'm not shy. 96 00:11:54,634.999 --> 00:11:55,54.999 I don't have. 97 00:11:55,219.999 --> 00:11:57,59.999 any trouble talking to people. 98 00:11:57,309.999 --> 00:12:02,949.999 I don't have any trouble picking up the phone and having, you know, sales calls now. 99 00:12:02,959.999 --> 00:12:04,759.999 I haven't always been like that, but I don't now. 100 00:12:05,79.999 --> 00:12:13,169.999 But the idea of ringing up, um, I think it's the bureaucracy that, that Challenges me a bit. 101 00:12:13,169.999 --> 00:12:19,239.999 But anyway, I was at the point of trying to figure out who it is I needed to talk to. 102 00:12:19,269.999 --> 00:12:22,129.999 So in June, I was still waiting. 103 00:12:22,929.999 --> 00:12:28,419.999 to get some sort of, um, response from Access to Work. 104 00:12:28,489.999 --> 00:12:31,749.999 And I was at the point of trying to find out who to contact. 105 00:12:32,189.999 --> 00:12:41,939.998 And I got, just as I was going on holiday, about two days before I was due to go on holiday, I got an email from Access to Work, um, asking me to call them. 106 00:12:42,659.999 --> 00:12:43,469.999 With a telephone number. 107 00:12:43,469.999 --> 00:12:52,379.999 So I gave them a ring and, um, a very nice man said, yes, we've had your application, sorry for the delay. 108 00:12:52,379.999 --> 00:12:53,749.999 We're very, very busy. 109 00:12:54,99.999 --> 00:12:58,599.999 What I need to do now is arrange a workplace assessment. 110 00:12:58,639.998 --> 00:13:03,919.999 I think that's, um, like a third party organization that does the assessment. 111 00:13:04,809.999 --> 00:13:10,359.999 Um, but I needed to, they, they wanted quite a bit of information from me before they could do that. 112 00:13:10,359.999 --> 00:13:15,4.999 They wanted my corporation, um, Tax return. 113 00:13:15,4.999 --> 00:13:19,454.999 So my business tax return, they wanted my self assessment tax return. 114 00:13:19,834.999 --> 00:13:24,194.999 Uh, Chantelle, obviously you're across there in, uh, Australia. 115 00:13:24,574.999 --> 00:13:30,769.999 That basically means my business tax details and my personal tax details. 116 00:13:31,199.999 --> 00:13:35,889.999 So I had to gather all of that together, um, and send it through. 117 00:13:36,729.999 --> 00:13:41,529.999 And they, they arranged the assessment for just when I got back from holiday. 118 00:13:41,529.999 --> 00:13:49,704.999 So I had the assessment probably A week and a half ago, it was just on teams, Microsoft team. 119 00:13:49,704.999 --> 00:14:01,544.998 So nobody actually came and assessed my workstation, you know, in person, but we had about 45 minutes where I talked to the assessor and I kind of lost it a little bit. 120 00:14:01,584.999 --> 00:14:12,64.999 Um, I had a bit of a meltdown and I think it was because actually talking about the challenges that I have, I got really emotional about it. 121 00:14:12,474.999 --> 00:14:21,659.999 Um, But she was, she was very kind, she was very understanding, and we kind of talked about some of the challenges I had. 122 00:14:22,329.999 --> 00:14:35,359.999 Um, it did feel a little bit strange though at times, because she, she was asking me questions, and I get that they have to kind of look at the disability as a whole, or the condition as a whole. 123 00:14:36,69.999 --> 00:14:41,129.999 But she seemed to be fixated on the fact that I had dyslexia. 124 00:14:41,689.999 --> 00:14:43,389.999 And I don't have dyslexia. 125 00:14:43,439.999 --> 00:14:45,579.999 I was actually part of my job in the M. 126 00:14:45,659.999 --> 00:14:45,699.999 O. 127 00:14:45,739.999 --> 00:14:46,129.999 D. 128 00:14:46,439.999 --> 00:14:49,19.999 for a long time was as their dyslexia tester. 129 00:14:49,299.999 --> 00:14:56,984.999 So, I was their dyslexia specialist doing adult screening tests for, for military and civilian personnel. 130 00:14:57,334.999 --> 00:15:05,744.998 And I know very well that I don't have dyslexia, although ADHD and dyslexia are quite often comorbid, but I don't have dyslexia. 131 00:15:05,744.999 --> 00:15:24,969.999 And she was asking me, do I struggle when I'm reading? Do I struggle to comprehend what I'm reading? And most of the time I don't, but if it's particularly boring or particularly complex, then sometimes I have to read a paragraph maybe three or four times to kind of understand that paragraph. 132 00:15:25,779.999 --> 00:15:39,229.999 Um, but I, I don't know, isn't that just something that most people have an issue with? If something's really, really complicated or complex, then sometimes you have to read it a few times to, to fully understand it. 133 00:15:39,269.999 --> 00:15:43,959.999 So to me that, that's not in, in itself an indicator of dyslexia. 134 00:15:44,999.999 --> 00:15:57,239.998 She also asked me what my spelling was like, what my sentence structure was like, was I, did I find it difficult to write? But actually, I've written a book, self published and self edited a book. 135 00:15:57,569.998 --> 00:16:01,499.999 Um, I would say probably one of my strengths is the written word. 136 00:16:01,999.999 --> 00:16:17,61.29825 So, my spelling is very good and yeah, if it's complicated, you've got, you know, you're going to have to read it a few times, but she seemed to fixate on this because I'd said, yes, I had to reread things sometimes, uh, a number of times. 137 00:16:17,661.29825 --> 00:16:22,561.29725 But she seemed to disregard completely the fact that I said, but I know I don't have dyslexia. 138 00:16:22,561.29825 --> 00:16:24,371.29825 I was a specialist in this area. 139 00:16:24,861.29825 --> 00:16:25,371.29825 tested. 140 00:16:25,516.29825 --> 00:16:29,536.29825 other people for a long time and then know that I don't have any other signs of dyslexia. 141 00:16:29,886.29825 --> 00:16:36,156.29825 The reason I'm hammering on about this will become apparent when I tell you about what they've actually offered me in terms of support. 142 00:16:36,896.29825 --> 00:16:41,666.29825 So we also talked about other things that would help, for example, an accountability partner. 143 00:16:42,391.29825 --> 00:16:53,591.29725 Because one of the biggest challenges that I have as an ADHD er is following through on tasks, uh, remembering to do the thing, um, and also planning it out. 144 00:16:53,601.29825 --> 00:17:00,821.29725 So, I currently have Claire, who works with me, and her sole role really is to keep me on track. 145 00:17:01,11.29825 --> 00:17:03,711.29825 I always joke that she has three tasks and that's it. 146 00:17:03,716.29825 --> 00:17:11,181.29825 On a Monday, I tell her what I'm gonna do on a Wednesday, she checks up to see if I've done it, and on a Friday she bollocks me if I haven't. 147 00:17:11,421.29825 --> 00:17:14,601.29825 And I sort of joke about the fact that, you know, that's her job. 148 00:17:14,991.29825 --> 00:17:17,781.29825 Uh, she does a hell of a lot more than that in the business, to be fair. 149 00:17:18,111.29825 --> 00:17:20,31.29825 But I need that accountability. 150 00:17:20,36.29825 --> 00:17:24,711.29825 I also have, um, a va, a beautiful lady of the Philippines who. 151 00:17:25,536.29825 --> 00:17:33,166.29825 does a lot of the routine stuff because one of the biggest problems with ADHD is we have very much an interest driven brain. 152 00:17:33,786.29825 --> 00:17:41,486.29825 So in order to really get things done, we have to have interest there or a very high, uh, tight deadline. 153 00:17:41,691.29825 --> 00:17:43,201.29825 and very high consequences. 154 00:17:43,701.29825 --> 00:17:49,301.29825 So she does an awful lot of the kind of the routine stuff that, that I would probably let slip. 155 00:17:49,301.29825 --> 00:18:00,611.29825 So I asked about the possibility of having either an accountability partner or somebody who I, who I could get funding for to do what Claire does. 156 00:18:00,621.29825 --> 00:18:02,721.29825 So it would free up Claire to do other things. 157 00:18:03,281.29825 --> 00:18:15,571.29825 Um, I think what I gathered from Access to Work is they won't give you any support for things that are normal, everyday routine business functions. 158 00:18:15,581.29825 --> 00:18:23,841.29725 So they won't pay for a VA to do your admin because admin is a normal business function and that's absolutely fine. 159 00:18:24,311.29725 --> 00:18:30,321.29825 Although I think as a one person business, it's probably, it is one of the areas that I struggle with. 160 00:18:30,321.29825 --> 00:18:34,151.29725 So without getting that support means I don't have a level playing field. 161 00:18:34,231.29825 --> 00:18:34,401.29825 I don't know. 162 00:18:36,196.29825 --> 00:19:03,311.29825 So, I asked about coaching, I asked about an accountability partner, I asked for some software and some hardware, um, I asked for a Remarkable, um, which, uh, if you're not aware, a Remarkable is a bit like a tablet, it's like a Kindle for writing, and apparently they're very, very good, because one of the benefits of a Remarkable for somebody with an ADHD brain is, um, All they do is note taking. 163 00:19:03,311.29825 --> 00:19:12,291.29825 It's not like a full blown iPad where you've got notifications and shiny objects going off all the time where you'd get distracted. 164 00:19:13,6.29825 --> 00:19:14,506.29825 It's purely a note taker. 165 00:19:15,236.29825 --> 00:19:22,976.29825 I, one area that I really do struggle with is I cannot listen to somebody and take notes at the same time. 166 00:19:23,236.29825 --> 00:19:29,376.29725 Can you be, be listening to somebody and making notes and be able to do both? I can't do it. 167 00:19:29,386.29825 --> 00:19:31,246.29825 My colleague Claire is brilliant. 168 00:19:31,306.29825 --> 00:19:36,506.29825 She, she'll be listening and she'll be writing loads of notes and they'll be dead clear and easy to understand. 169 00:19:36,796.29825 --> 00:19:37,796.29725 I just can't do it. 170 00:19:38,296.29825 --> 00:19:38,926.29825 Um. 171 00:19:39,186.29825 --> 00:19:44,346.29825 So with the idea with the Remarkable, um, is that, well there's a number of reasons really. 172 00:19:44,396.29825 --> 00:19:46,436.29825 I have about 48 different notebooks. 173 00:19:46,456.29725 --> 00:19:50,236.29825 Most of them I've only got half a dozen pages or so written on. 174 00:19:50,616.29825 --> 00:19:53,896.29825 And I have them all over the place and I never know what's in any of them. 175 00:19:54,366.29825 --> 00:19:59,216.29825 So the idea with the Remarkable was that maybe I could just, um, have this one place. 176 00:19:59,356.29825 --> 00:20:05,166.29825 where I keep all of my notes, and it wouldn't have the distractions that my iPad has, because I have got an iPad. 177 00:20:05,166.29825 --> 00:20:11,476.29825 I don't find it particularly nice to write on with the, the Apple Pen, uh, so I tend not to use it for notes. 178 00:20:12,716.29825 --> 00:20:27,636.29825 So that's what I asked for, and About a week after I had my assessment, I got notification from my case worker, who was the guy who originally, uh, called me. 179 00:20:28,276.29825 --> 00:20:39,116.29825 And he said, um, well, in, in the email, he said, we've had your assessment back and we're happy to fund some, um, support for you. 180 00:20:40,156.29825 --> 00:20:41,626.29825 So I thought, well, that's great. 181 00:20:41,626.29825 --> 00:20:45,666.29825 So I had to look at the, the support that they were agreeing to. 182 00:20:46,916.29825 --> 00:20:49,166.29825 And they've, it's just bizarre. 183 00:20:49,166.29825 --> 00:20:55,986.29825 They've, they've agreed to fund some software that's like an auto captioning software. 184 00:20:55,996.29825 --> 00:21:10,741.29825 So if you're on a meeting on teams or on zoom or anything like that, it automatically, like, Captions the meeting and takes notes for you and it, this bit of software, I can't remember what it's called. 185 00:21:10,741.29825 --> 00:21:12,321.29725 I should probably have it in front of me. 186 00:21:12,601.29825 --> 00:21:14,761.29825 It's something like 2, 400 pounds. 187 00:21:14,831.29825 --> 00:21:27,621.29825 I don't know what that is in Australian dollars, but to just under two and a half grand for this software for note taking, but actually most software does that anyway. 188 00:21:27,641.29825 --> 00:21:32,841.29725 If you go on to zoom, you've got note taking apps that will, you know, transcribe the note meetings. 189 00:21:34,676.29825 --> 00:22:00,256.29725 Whilst I kind of did say I struggle to take notes, I certainly don't need two and a half thousand pounds worth of software, um, there are other things out there that are a hell of a lot cheaper that I can use and I do use, So, I think it would be a brilliant bit of software if you were a student and you were in lectures and you were wanting to, you know, have that, those notes taken. 190 00:22:00,256.29725 --> 00:22:02,266.29725 But it's, it just doesn't seem to. 191 00:22:02,841.29725 --> 00:22:07,631.29725 fit in any way with the challenges that I was, um, sharing. 192 00:22:08,131.29725 --> 00:22:12,1.29625 They've also offered to pay for Grammarly for me. 193 00:22:12,431.29725 --> 00:22:17,861.29725 Um, Grammarly, you know, it's a great tool. 194 00:22:17,911.29725 --> 00:22:28,331.29725 Um, I don't use it because actually, as I said earlier, I don't feel I have a need really with, with my written work to need Grammarly running in the background. 195 00:22:28,771.29725 --> 00:22:29,731.29725 Nice to have. 196 00:22:29,906.29725 --> 00:22:31,586.29725 but I don't need it funding. 197 00:22:32,6.29725 --> 00:22:41,166.29725 Um, they also offered text to speech software for me, so that I could, didn't have to read things that were complicated. 198 00:22:41,446.29725 --> 00:23:00,21.29625 Now, I get that these are all helpful, um, but it's almost like she picked up on this, it's like she didn't, it's almost like she had a, Um, a list of, um, support that she was able to give and she was fitting that into me as opposed to listening to what I needed. 199 00:23:00,551.29625 --> 00:23:07,191.29625 So the very thing that I really did need was the accountability and the coaching. 200 00:23:08,381.29525 --> 00:23:19,211.29625 So they've given me, they won't pay for an accountability partner, even though the amount that they gave or that they sort of set aside for an accountability partner is. 201 00:23:20,26.29625 --> 00:23:22,306.29625 With four hundred and eighty pounds. 202 00:23:22,926.29625 --> 00:23:33,206.29625 They'll pay for software for two and a half thousand that I don't need, and then add on, I think Grammarly is something like 180 or something, and then this text to speech is about another 400 a year. 203 00:23:33,586.29625 --> 00:23:38,586.29525 But they won't give me an accountability partner for 480 pounds. 204 00:23:38,616.29625 --> 00:23:40,256.29525 It just doesn't make sense to me. 205 00:23:40,306.29525 --> 00:23:43,696.29425 Um, and they, they've offered me. 206 00:23:44,251.29525 --> 00:23:53,221.29525 18 hours of ADHD coaching, but they will only give me 1, 400 pounds for those 18 hours. 207 00:23:54,411.29425 --> 00:24:00,921.29425 And I think I worked out that that's something like 70 pounds, 70, 75 pounds an hour for a coach. 208 00:24:01,291.29425 --> 00:24:06,951.29525 Now, I am a coach and I've paid for coaching before. 209 00:24:07,431.29525 --> 00:24:16,996.29525 And I have to be honest, 75 pounds an hour doesn't buy you a particularly Great coach in my experience. 210 00:24:17,566.29525 --> 00:24:19,936.19625 So 75 an hour is quite low. 211 00:24:20,526.19625 --> 00:24:23,756.19625 Um, And they gave three quotes. 212 00:24:23,766.19625 --> 00:24:26,326.19625 So they gave a low, a medium and a higher one. 213 00:24:26,326.19625 --> 00:24:36,66.19625 And even the high one was only about 2, 400 for these 18 sessions, but they've given me the lowest amount of money for coaching. 214 00:24:36,566.19525 --> 00:24:40,486.19625 So I feel maybe I'm wrong, um, but I feel that. 215 00:24:42,76.19625 --> 00:24:46,806.19625 I'm going to have to go with a coach who doesn't value their own worth. 216 00:24:47,176.19625 --> 00:24:58,46.19525 Um, maybe that's, maybe that's me being a bit disingenuous, but my experience of coaching and working with coaches is that if you don't value yourself, you don't tend to charge much for what you do. 217 00:24:58,566.19525 --> 00:25:04,776.19625 And if you don't value yourself, is it because you have a lack of confidence in your ability to just help and support. 218 00:25:04,786.19625 --> 00:25:19,106.19625 So I don't know, maybe I, what I need to do now is go back to my caseworker and say to him, look, I don't feel like the support being offered fully meets the needs that I have. 219 00:25:19,576.19525 --> 00:25:21,666.19625 I feel like I'm being offered. 220 00:25:22,486.19625 --> 00:25:35,386.19525 quite high value support that I don't need and the support I do need either hasn't been approved or it's, they've given me such a small amount that actually it's probably not going to help that much. 221 00:25:35,866.19625 --> 00:25:51,996.19625 Whether I'm able to, instead of having 18 one hour sessions, at 75 pounds, I have nine sessions at 150 pounds with a, with a coach that is, you know, charging what coaching should be charged at. 222 00:25:51,996.29625 --> 00:25:55,186.19625 I don't know that maybe that sounds a bit churlish. 223 00:25:55,646.19525 --> 00:25:57,626.19625 So that was it really. 224 00:25:57,676.19625 --> 00:25:58,846.19625 I would really love. 225 00:25:59,501.19625 --> 00:26:12,521.19625 Some, um, some support and some help on this really, because if you've gone through the access to work process and you have ADHD, I'd love to know how you found the process. 226 00:26:12,521.19625 --> 00:26:42,806.19625 Did you find it frustrating? I found it Very frustrating, most of which because it took so long to get any support, uh, or even to just get any confirmation and, and kind of anything happening, but I definitely found the whole sort of assessment and feedback from that really frustrating because I feel like I wasn't listened to, and now I feel like I've got to, you know, justify myself or challenge that assessment. 227 00:26:42,826.19625 --> 00:26:50,26.19625 And it doesn't help that the lady was really lovely and I don't want her to get into trouble. 228 00:26:50,426.19625 --> 00:27:12,641.19625 Um, but I do feel like I don't feel much like I'm very much further forward coupled with the fact that in order to claim for any of the, the, um, support that they've given me, they did offer to fund a remarkable, I'm very happy to say, and three years of the software that goes with the remarkable. 229 00:27:12,891.19625 --> 00:27:14,301.19625 So I'm very pleased with that. 230 00:27:14,641.19625 --> 00:27:18,121.19625 But actually the process like any government process. 231 00:27:18,181.19625 --> 00:27:20,11.19625 I know because I worked for the civil service. 232 00:27:20,91.19625 --> 00:27:22,981.19625 I worked for the government for a very long time. 233 00:27:23,261.19625 --> 00:27:33,191.19625 So I know that there's always hoops to jump through, but the process for claiming looks really complicated. 234 00:27:33,211.19625 --> 00:27:43,936.19625 Again, a whole load of forms and My ADHD does mean that I find it really difficult to, to, to do those forms. 235 00:27:43,936.19625 --> 00:27:49,976.19625 I have to get, I have to almost like, Oh, I don't know, like build myself up to it. 236 00:27:50,646.19625 --> 00:28:03,676.19625 So I'm going to get Claire, the lady that I was talking about before, my accountability buddy, my business guru that works with me, um, I'm going to get her to go through the forms with me and, and get the support. 237 00:28:04,636.19625 --> 00:28:06,556.19625 It's the weirdest thing because. 238 00:28:07,671.19625 --> 00:28:23,251.19625 You'd think having the challenges that I've had, that I have, you'd think, how the hell does that woman run a business? The flip side of all the challenges that come with ADHD are actually some real strengths. 239 00:28:23,571.19625 --> 00:28:34,381.19625 Um, and, I feel as if with the right support in place, um, to, to manage the weak areas, the strengths that I have in my business will flourish. 240 00:28:34,431.19525 --> 00:28:37,331.19625 So fingers crossed, we'll watch this space. 241 00:28:37,981.19625 --> 00:28:40,661.19625 Um, so I'm going to leave it there. 242 00:28:40,781.19625 --> 00:28:42,941.19525 there are some superpowers that go with it. 243 00:28:42,961.19625 --> 00:28:51,151.19625 I always worry about calling them superpowers to be honest, know that some people with ADHD struggle way, way, way, way more than I do. 244 00:28:51,571.19625 --> 00:28:57,606.19625 And, um, they'd probably, you know, they, they wouldn't recognize them as super powers. 245 00:28:58,76.19625 --> 00:29:11,106.19625 Um, and it's easy really to focus on all of the bits that we find challenging and not, not really recognize the bits that make life, you know, yeah, just make business and life easier. 246 00:29:11,106.19625 --> 00:29:18,166.19525 Like for example, some of the strengths are I'm very good at, um, managing lots of things. 247 00:29:18,776.19525 --> 00:29:20,506.19525 I have a chaotic brain. 248 00:29:20,716.19525 --> 00:29:24,266.19525 So when ever there's chaos, I'm quite comfortable in chaos. 249 00:29:25,181.19625 --> 00:29:26,231.19625 Love change. 250 00:29:26,231.19625 --> 00:29:28,241.19625 You know, some people really don't like change. 251 00:29:28,471.19625 --> 00:29:30,691.19625 I'm very comfortable with change. 252 00:29:31,31.19625 --> 00:29:37,891.19525 I'm very comfortable with learning new stuff because I find that novelty is really helpful. 253 00:29:38,51.19625 --> 00:29:39,721.19625 It kind of triggers my interest. 254 00:29:39,721.19625 --> 00:29:48,281.19625 I have to manage it a little bit, but, um, I'm very happy to go and try things that, Um, other people might be afraid to try. 255 00:29:48,331.19625 --> 00:29:52,141.19625 I'm not particularly risk averse in that, in that respect. 256 00:29:52,141.19625 --> 00:29:59,781.19625 And so we have this impulsive, um, we, we, we, we have, we're happy with risk. 257 00:29:59,981.19625 --> 00:30:00,921.19525 I shouldn't say weak. 258 00:30:00,931.19625 --> 00:30:09,321.19625 It's like, we're all the same, but the way my ADHD shows up, it means that that impulsivity means I get stuff started and done. 259 00:30:09,321.19625 --> 00:30:10,621.19625 I take an idea. 260 00:30:10,906.19625 --> 00:30:14,546.19625 From idea to actual action very, very quickly. 261 00:30:14,546.19625 --> 00:30:16,476.19625 So there are lots and lots of benefits. 262 00:30:16,486.19625 --> 00:30:21,866.19575 It's just some of the, the stress that comes with the weaker areas. 263 00:30:21,866.19575 --> 00:30:38,176.19625 And that was what I was hoping access to work might, might have been able to help me with, um, we'll say I will maybe come back on and do another live when I've gone through the process of actually, um, applying for some of the support that they've given me. 264 00:30:38,436.19625 --> 00:30:46,736.19625 And it could be, to be honest, that I haven't read it well enough and detail isn't one of my strong points. 265 00:30:46,766.19525 --> 00:30:54,276.19525 Maybe I need to go back with Claire with me, go through the detail and maybe it isn't quite as off the mark as I think it is. 266 00:30:55,86.19625 --> 00:30:56,176.19625 We will have to see. 267 00:30:56,676.19625 --> 00:30:58,206.19625 So, there you go guys. 268 00:30:58,246.19625 --> 00:30:59,536.19625 I'm gonna love you and leave you. 269 00:30:59,586.19625 --> 00:31:00,196.19625 Take care. 270 00:31:00,486.19625 --> 00:31:01,36.19625 Bye.
So let me tell you what I want to talk about.
(00:02):
The theme is about my access to work application to get some help with my ADHD for my business.
And I just thought I'd share with you the experience that I've had, uh, by no means.
an expert on the Access to Work process.
In fact, if anything, I'm the exact opposite.
(00:23):
I, I found the whole process quite challenging. 7 00:00:27,459.999 --> 00:00:38,569.999 And, uh, if you've got any help or support to offer, do let me know in the comments, because actually I, I found this process quite difficult. 8 00:00:38,569.999 --> 00:00:44,399.999 So before I get going, I thought for anybody who doesn't know who I am, I'll give you a little bit of context.
(00:47):
It's not, well, I guess it is the Bev show.
.999I was going to say it's not the Bev show, but I guess it probably is, but just, it's not going to be a deep dive into my, you know, long life history, but just a bit of an overview really.
So I am now a business coach and a mentor, and I work specifically with, um, um, um, Women in wellness or wellbeing who have got a coaching business or want to have a coaching business or a training business around wellbeing, and they want to take it into the corporate market.
(01:18):
And I got into this about a year and a bit ago after spending the five and a bit years before that running my own business as a corporate trainer, training people about menopause in the workplace.
And the reason I got into that, which I didn't do until I was 52, so I didn't start my own business until I was 52, I'm now 58, going on 59, was because Having spent a very long time working for UK, the Ministry of Defence, predominantly working for the Royal Air Force as a civilian, 32 years I worked there, and I struggled so much with my own menopause for two years, really, really struggled.
(02:00):
And I ended up resigning from my job in 2018 and found myself unemployed, um, with some skills around teaching, training, obviously 32 years of experience just of working.
And long story short, I ended up starting to do some training initially for the Royal Air Force.
(02:22):
And since then with lots and lots of other companies, um, around menopause and the impact it can have on working people.
So I was going into corporate and basically delivering training and workshops and programs.
But I switched a year and a bit ago.
And where it's what the reason I'm telling you this is because I didn't find out I had ADHD until I had my formal diagnosis in January, 2023.
(02:51):
So what's that about 18 months ago coming up, maybe I had no idea I had ADHD.
I knew there was lots of things that I always struggled with like time management and planning and organization and staying tidy and start and stuff, but not finishing it.
I had all of the struggles, but didn't know, didn't have a name for them.
Didn't know it was ADHD.
(03:11):
Then I had my diagnosis as I say, 18 months ago, and I was told when I got my diagnosis that I could apply for some help from the UK government through a scheme called access to work, which I was familiar with because when I was working for the MOD, I had a couple of my team members, um, had asked if I could help them go through the access to work process.
(03:38):
So I was familiar with what it was, I kind of was familiar with Um, how you applied, but not as an individual with a business.
it was quite easy, the process, if I remember rightly, when we did it through the MOD, but to be honest, I'd never actually, I'm not, I'm not great at asking for help. 27 00:03:59,64.999 --> 00:04:00,224.999 I don't know about anybody else.
(04:00):
I find it really difficult to ask for help and asking for help from the government just feels, I don't know, it sounds really silly, but.
I know ADHD is classed as a disability, um, but I don't feel disabled I definitely find some things hard, but I don't feel disabled.
(04:23):
.999And it felt like I was taking it by applying for the support. 31 00:04:28,564.999 --> 00:04:30,964.999 It felt like I was taking stuff that I didn't.
.999Really have a right or an entitlement to, and it wasn't until probably a year and a, maybe a year ago that I was having a conversation with somebody else who had gone down the access to work route.
(04:45):
She was a middle aged woman, just like me, late diagnosis, uh, ADHD starting her own business.
She was actually quite at the early stages of starting her business.
And she said something that made.
made me think about it differently.
Um, she said, you know, what access to work does and the support that they give you is about leveling the playing field. 38 00:05:11,349.999 --> 00:05:18,780 So the things that I struggle with because of my ADHD, there's a, there's a cost.
(05:19):
cost to managing those things in my business because I have to bring in external support.
.998Uh, and I know everybody kind of, it's advisable if you've got your own business to bring on other people to help you with the tasks, but I kind of struggle with some of the basic stuff that most. 41 00:05:42,499.999 --> 00:05:45,519.999 people who are neurotypical probably wouldn't struggle with. 42 00:05:46,159.999 --> 00:06:05,499.999 Um, and it's really, I'm still finding it quite hard to express what those challenges are without feeling like they sound a bit pathetic because the whole thing with ADHD is we find some of the basic stuff that neurotypical people wouldn't even, you know, question. 43 00:06:05,709.999 --> 00:06:07,959.999 We can find it really quite challenging. 44 00:06:08,489.999 --> 00:06:12,479.999 Um, but the, the underlying message behind that is. 45 00:06:13,794.999 --> 00:06:33,519.899 God, I sound so pathetic by saying that I struggle to, um, plan my week, that I struggle to organize tasks that I have a problem with forward planning, that I, you know, will miss really important tasks. 46 00:06:33,809.999 --> 00:06:40,659.999 Um, appointments and deadlines and it's just, there's a lot of things that are really challenging. 47 00:06:40,969.999 --> 00:06:47,359.999 Even just things like getting my accounts done, bringing my accounts up to date. 48 00:06:48,544.999 --> 00:06:58,574.999 It's such a challenge to do that, even knowing that the consequences of not doing it are high from a financial point of view. 49 00:06:58,874.999 --> 00:07:02,764.999 So getting things ready for my tax return and that sort of thing is quite challenging. 50 00:07:03,964.999 --> 00:07:11,264.998 So long story short, this, this lady that I was chatting to said, you know, all it does is level the playing field. 51 00:07:11,264.998 --> 00:07:17,774.999 You're not getting something that is kind of, More than somebody else would get. 52 00:07:17,784.999 --> 00:07:32,554.999 It just means that you're, you're running your business from like a, a level, you know, you're on a level with other people at the start that haven't got ADHD. 53 00:07:32,554.999 --> 00:07:34,184.999 I'm not articulating this very well. 54 00:07:35,104.998 --> 00:07:35,604.998 So. 55 00:07:36,344.999 --> 00:07:46,854.999 I, I am denied and then realized that actually I, I do pay somebody quite a big chunk every month to keep me accountable. 56 00:07:47,194.998 --> 00:07:51,884.999 You know, really that's, that's her main role is just to manage me. 57 00:07:52,484.999 --> 00:07:55,24.999 And that on itself is a challenge. 58 00:07:55,84.998 --> 00:08:00,974.999 I pay an awful lot of money for, um, software and things to help me manage my time. 59 00:08:01,324.999 --> 00:08:05,414.999 What I really probably need are good strategies. 60 00:08:06,44.999 --> 00:08:09,184.999 From a coach that could help me anyway. 61 00:08:09,214.999 --> 00:08:15,834.999 So let, let's talk about the access to work process because that's what I wanted this live to be about. 62 00:08:15,894.999 --> 00:08:23,544.999 So let's accept that I've kind of got over myself and decided actually some help would make a big difference. 63 00:08:24,104.998 --> 00:08:27,404.999 I'm fairly certain my business would be further on. 64 00:08:27,524.999 --> 00:08:34,754.999 I've been relatively successful without any support, but I think I could be much more successful with support. 65 00:08:35,934.999 --> 00:08:43,714.999 So I applied actually for access to work, uh, just before Christmas, literally about the 23rd of. 66 00:08:44,309.999 --> 00:08:59,799.998 December, and I'm not great at form filling anything that I think is going to need a lot of detail or a lot of coordination, lots of kind of bringing bits of information together, especially if part of that is numerical data. 67 00:09:00,249.999 --> 00:09:10,259.999 I really panic and I struggle, but I kind of forced myself to, to open up the access to work application form and work through it online. 68 00:09:10,259.999 --> 00:09:12,799.999 I gave myself a good couple of hours to do it. 69 00:09:13,479.998 --> 00:09:16,399.999 And I, basically went through the process. 70 00:09:16,399.999 --> 00:09:18,559.999 It was just an online form. 71 00:09:18,979.999 --> 00:09:23,79.999 Um, I can't even remember what sort of things I had to put in there. 72 00:09:23,519.999 --> 00:09:32,664.999 What I had been told was ask for the moon and you know, you might get You might reach the sky. 73 00:09:32,694.999 --> 00:09:34,634.999 So I did ask for an awful lot. 74 00:09:34,634.999 --> 00:09:36,914.999 I didn't expect to get any of it, to be honest. 75 00:09:37,144.999 --> 00:09:41,854.999 I think I asked for virtual assistant support to help with admin. 76 00:09:41,904.999 --> 00:09:47,184.998 I asked for coaching to help me with, um, my ADHD. 77 00:09:47,619.999 --> 00:09:52,19.999 Symptoms, I don't even like using the word symptoms, my ADHD traits. 78 00:09:52,29.999 --> 00:09:58,69.999 So things like helping to teach me strategies to, to manage my time better. 79 00:09:58,439.999 --> 00:10:09,449.999 Um, I asked for some hardware to speed up the process of things like editing, because I, part of the problem with something taking a long time is I can get. 80 00:10:09,669.999 --> 00:10:21,849.999 Very distracted, lose focus, think I've done something and then realise I haven't and then get incredibly stressed when I realise that I've got to catch up and play catch up last minute, so I ask for quite a lot of stuff if I'm honest. 81 00:10:22,804.999 --> 00:10:29,234.999 As I say, not expecting to get anywhere near that much, but everybody I spoke to said, look, ask for it. 82 00:10:29,604.999 --> 00:10:30,914.999 Don't expect to get it. 83 00:10:30,934.998 --> 00:10:35,134.999 But if you ask for hardly anything, you probably won't get that either. 84 00:10:35,144.998 --> 00:10:50,274.998 So I got the confirmation back from Access to Work that the application had gone through and that they'd received it and that somebody would be in touch to do a workplace assessment for me within 12 weeks. 85 00:10:52,39.999 --> 00:11:01,609.999 So, 12 weeks really took me into March, and March came and went, no assessment date, no contact whatsoever. 86 00:11:01,609.999 --> 00:11:05,239.999 I had a very initial email almost. 87 00:11:06,299.999 --> 00:11:09,249.999 minutes after I hit submit on the application. 88 00:11:09,419.999 --> 00:11:11,79.999 Bear with me, I need a slurp. 89 00:11:15,49.999 --> 00:11:17,109.999 So, March came and went, nothing. 90 00:11:17,539.999 --> 00:11:20,369.998 April came and went, nothing. 91 00:11:21,189.999 --> 00:11:24,579.999 May came and went, still nothing. 92 00:11:26,89.999 --> 00:11:35,284.999 June arrived, and I was at the point of should I give them a call? The problem is I wasn't sure quite who to call. 93 00:11:35,594.999 --> 00:11:41,694.998 It wasn't very clear who, who I needed to contact to sort of chase things up. 94 00:11:42,314.999 --> 00:11:53,434.999 And then again, I think, I don't know if it's an authority thing or just the fear that they're going to ask me things I don't know, but I find it really difficult to pick up the phone and have those sorts of conversations. 95 00:11:53,784.999 --> 00:11:54,624.999 I'm not shy. 96 00:11:54,634.999 --> 00:11:55,54.999 I don't have. 97 00:11:55,219.999 --> 00:11:57,59.999 any trouble talking to people. 98 00:11:57,309.999 --> 00:12:02,949.999 I don't have any trouble picking up the phone and having, you know, sales calls now. 99 00:12:02,959.999 --> 00:12:04,759.999 I haven't always been like that, but I don't now. 100 00:12:05,79.999 --> 00:12:13,169.999 But the idea of ringing up, um, I think it's the bureaucracy that, that Challenges me a bit. 101 00:12:13,169.999 --> 00:12:19,239.999 But anyway, I was at the point of trying to figure out who it is I needed to talk to. 102 00:12:19,269.999 --> 00:12:22,129.999 So in June, I was still waiting. 103 00:12:22,929.999 --> 00:12:28,419.999 to get some sort of, um, response from Access to Work. 104 00:12:28,489.999 --> 00:12:31,749.999 And I was at the point of trying to find out who to contact. 105 00:12:32,189.999 --> 00:12:41,939.998 And I got, just as I was going on holiday, about two days before I was due to go on holiday, I got an email from Access to Work, um, asking me to call them. 106 00:12:42,659.999 --> 00:12:43,469.999 With a telephone number. 107 00:12:43,469.999 --> 00:12:52,379.999 So I gave them a ring and, um, a very nice man said, yes, we've had your application, sorry for the delay. 108 00:12:52,379.999 --> 00:12:53,749.999 We're very, very busy. 109 00:12:54,99.999 --> 00:12:58,599.999 What I need to do now is arrange a workplace assessment. 110 00:12:58,639.998 --> 00:13:03,919.999 I think that's, um, like a third party organization that does the assessment. 111 00:13:04,809.999 --> 00:13:10,359.999 Um, but I needed to, they, they wanted quite a bit of information from me before they could do that. 112 00:13:10,359.999 --> 00:13:15,4.999 They wanted my corporation, um, Tax return. 113 00:13:15,4.999 --> 00:13:19,454.999 So my business tax return, they wanted my self assessment tax return. 114 00:13:19,834.999 --> 00:13:24,194.999 Uh, Chantelle, obviously you're across there in, uh, Australia. 115 00:13:24,574.999 --> 00:13:30,769.999 That basically means my business tax details and my personal tax details. 116 00:13:31,199.999 --> 00:13:35,889.999 So I had to gather all of that together, um, and send it through. 117 00:13:36,729.999 --> 00:13:41,529.999 And they, they arranged the assessment for just when I got back from holiday. 118 00:13:41,529.999 --> 00:13:49,704.999 So I had the assessment probably A week and a half ago, it was just on teams, Microsoft team. 119 00:13:49,704.999 --> 00:14:01,544.998 So nobody actually came and assessed my workstation, you know, in person, but we had about 45 minutes where I talked to the assessor and I kind of lost it a little bit. 120 00:14:01,584.999 --> 00:14:12,64.999 Um, I had a bit of a meltdown and I think it was because actually talking about the challenges that I have, I got really emotional about it. 121 00:14:12,474.999 --> 00:14:21,659.999 Um, But she was, she was very kind, she was very understanding, and we kind of talked about some of the challenges I had. 122 00:14:22,329.999 --> 00:14:35,359.999 Um, it did feel a little bit strange though at times, because she, she was asking me questions, and I get that they have to kind of look at the disability as a whole, or the condition as a whole. 123 00:14:36,69.999 --> 00:14:41,129.999 But she seemed to be fixated on the fact that I had dyslexia. 124 00:14:41,689.999 --> 00:14:43,389.999 And I don't have dyslexia. 125 00:14:43,439.999 --> 00:14:45,579.999 I was actually part of my job in the M. 126 00:14:45,659.999 --> 00:14:45,699.999 O. 127 00:14:45,739.999 --> 00:14:46,129.999 D. 128 00:14:46,439.999 --> 00:14:49,19.999 for a long time was as their dyslexia tester. 129 00:14:49,299.999 --> 00:14:56,984.999 So, I was their dyslexia specialist doing adult screening tests for, for military and civilian personnel. 130 00:14:57,334.999 --> 00:15:05,744.998 And I know very well that I don't have dyslexia, although ADHD and dyslexia are quite often comorbid, but I don't have dyslexia. 131 00:15:05,744.999 --> 00:15:24,969.999 And she was asking me, do I struggle when I'm reading? Do I struggle to comprehend what I'm reading? And most of the time I don't, but if it's particularly boring or particularly complex, then sometimes I have to read a paragraph maybe three or four times to kind of understand that paragraph. 132 00:15:25,779.999 --> 00:15:39,229.999 Um, but I, I don't know, isn't that just something that most people have an issue with? If something's really, really complicated or complex, then sometimes you have to read it a few times to, to fully understand it. 133 00:15:39,269.999 --> 00:15:43,959.999 So to me that, that's not in, in itself an indicator of dyslexia. 134 00:15:44,999.999 --> 00:15:57,239.998 She also asked me what my spelling was like, what my sentence structure was like, was I, did I find it difficult to write? But actually, I've written a book, self published and self edited a book. 135 00:15:57,569.998 --> 00:16:01,499.999 Um, I would say probably one of my strengths is the written word. 136 00:16:01,999.999 --> 00:16:17,61.29825 So, my spelling is very good and yeah, if it's complicated, you've got, you know, you're going to have to read it a few times, but she seemed to fixate on this because I'd said, yes, I had to reread things sometimes, uh, a number of times. 137 00:16:17,661.29825 --> 00:16:22,561.29725 But she seemed to disregard completely the fact that I said, but I know I don't have dyslexia. 138 00:16:22,561.29825 --> 00:16:24,371.29825 I was a specialist in this area. 139 00:16:24,861.29825 --> 00:16:25,371.29825 tested. 140 00:16:25,516.29825 --> 00:16:29,536.29825 other people for a long time and then know that I don't have any other signs of dyslexia. 141 00:16:29,886.29825 --> 00:16:36,156.29825 The reason I'm hammering on about this will become apparent when I tell you about what they've actually offered me in terms of support. 142 00:16:36,896.29825 --> 00:16:41,666.29825 So we also talked about other things that would help, for example, an accountability partner. 143 00:16:42,391.29825 --> 00:16:53,591.29725 Because one of the biggest challenges that I have as an ADHD er is following through on tasks, uh, remembering to do the thing, um, and also planning it out. 144 00:16:53,601.29825 --> 00:17:00,821.29725 So, I currently have Claire, who works with me, and her sole role really is to keep me on track. 145 00:17:01,11.29825 --> 00:17:03,711.29825 I always joke that she has three tasks and that's it. 146 00:17:03,716.29825 --> 00:17:11,181.29825 On a Monday, I tell her what I'm gonna do on a Wednesday, she checks up to see if I've done it, and on a Friday she bollocks me if I haven't. 147 00:17:11,421.29825 --> 00:17:14,601.29825 And I sort of joke about the fact that, you know, that's her job. 148 00:17:14,991.29825 --> 00:17:17,781.29825 Uh, she does a hell of a lot more than that in the business, to be fair. 149 00:17:18,111.29825 --> 00:17:20,31.29825 But I need that accountability. 150 00:17:20,36.29825 --> 00:17:24,711.29825 I also have, um, a va, a beautiful lady of the Philippines who. 151 00:17:25,536.29825 --> 00:17:33,166.29825 does a lot of the routine stuff because one of the biggest problems with ADHD is we have very much an interest driven brain. 152 00:17:33,786.29825 --> 00:17:41,486.29825 So in order to really get things done, we have to have interest there or a very high, uh, tight deadline. 153 00:17:41,691.29825 --> 00:17:43,201.29825 and very high consequences. 154 00:17:43,701.29825 --> 00:17:49,301.29825 So she does an awful lot of the kind of the routine stuff that, that I would probably let slip. 155 00:17:49,301.29825 --> 00:18:00,611.29825 So I asked about the possibility of having either an accountability partner or somebody who I, who I could get funding for to do what Claire does. 156 00:18:00,621.29825 --> 00:18:02,721.29825 So it would free up Claire to do other things. 157 00:18:03,281.29825 --> 00:18:15,571.29825 Um, I think what I gathered from Access to Work is they won't give you any support for things that are normal, everyday routine business functions. 158 00:18:15,581.29825 --> 00:18:23,841.29725 So they won't pay for a VA to do your admin because admin is a normal business function and that's absolutely fine. 159 00:18:24,311.29725 --> 00:18:30,321.29825 Although I think as a one person business, it's probably, it is one of the areas that I struggle with. 160 00:18:30,321.29825 --> 00:18:34,151.29725 So without getting that support means I don't have a level playing field. 161 00:18:34,231.29825 --> 00:18:34,401.29825 I don't know. 162 00:18:36,196.29825 --> 00:19:03,311.29825 So, I asked about coaching, I asked about an accountability partner, I asked for some software and some hardware, um, I asked for a Remarkable, um, which, uh, if you're not aware, a Remarkable is a bit like a tablet, it's like a Kindle for writing, and apparently they're very, very good, because one of the benefits of a Remarkable for somebody with an ADHD brain is, um, All they do is note taking. 163 00:19:03,311.29825 --> 00:19:12,291.29825 It's not like a full blown iPad where you've got notifications and shiny objects going off all the time where you'd get distracted. 164 00:19:13,6.29825 --> 00:19:14,506.29825 It's purely a note taker. 165 00:19:15,236.29825 --> 00:19:22,976.29825 I, one area that I really do struggle with is I cannot listen to somebody and take notes at the same time. 166 00:19:23,236.29825 --> 00:19:29,376.29725 Can you be, be listening to somebody and making notes and be able to do both? I can't do it. 167 00:19:29,386.29825 --> 00:19:31,246.29825 My colleague Claire is brilliant. 168 00:19:31,306.29825 --> 00:19:36,506.29825 She, she'll be listening and she'll be writing loads of notes and they'll be dead clear and easy to understand. 169 00:19:36,796.29825 --> 00:19:37,796.29725 I just can't do it. 170 00:19:38,296.29825 --> 00:19:38,926.29825 Um. 171 00:19:39,186.29825 --> 00:19:44,346.29825 So with the idea with the Remarkable, um, is that, well there's a number of reasons really. 172 00:19:44,396.29825 --> 00:19:46,436.29825 I have about 48 different notebooks. 173 00:19:46,456.29725 --> 00:19:50,236.29825 Most of them I've only got half a dozen pages or so written on. 174 00:19:50,616.29825 --> 00:19:53,896.29825 And I have them all over the place and I never know what's in any of them. 175 00:19:54,366.29825 --> 00:19:59,216.29825 So the idea with the Remarkable was that maybe I could just, um, have this one place. 176 00:19:59,356.29825 --> 00:20:05,166.29825 where I keep all of my notes, and it wouldn't have the distractions that my iPad has, because I have got an iPad. 177 00:20:05,166.29825 --> 00:20:11,476.29825 I don't find it particularly nice to write on with the, the Apple Pen, uh, so I tend not to use it for notes. 178 00:20:12,716.29825 --> 00:20:27,636.29825 So that's what I asked for, and About a week after I had my assessment, I got notification from my case worker, who was the guy who originally, uh, called me. 179 00:20:28,276.29825 --> 00:20:39,116.29825 And he said, um, well, in, in the email, he said, we've had your assessment back and we're happy to fund some, um, support for you. 180 00:20:40,156.29825 --> 00:20:41,626.29825 So I thought, well, that's great. 181 00:20:41,626.29825 --> 00:20:45,666.29825 So I had to look at the, the support that they were agreeing to. 182 00:20:46,916.29825 --> 00:20:49,166.29825 And they've, it's just bizarre. 183 00:20:49,166.29825 --> 00:20:55,986.29825 They've, they've agreed to fund some software that's like an auto captioning software. 184 00:20:55,996.29825 --> 00:21:10,741.29825 So if you're on a meeting on teams or on zoom or anything like that, it automatically, like, Captions the meeting and takes notes for you and it, this bit of software, I can't remember what it's called. 185 00:21:10,741.29825 --> 00:21:12,321.29725 I should probably have it in front of me. 186 00:21:12,601.29825 --> 00:21:14,761.29825 It's something like 2, 400 pounds. 187 00:21:14,831.29825 --> 00:21:27,621.29825 I don't know what that is in Australian dollars, but to just under two and a half grand for this software for note taking, but actually most software does that anyway. 188 00:21:27,641.29825 --> 00:21:32,841.29725 If you go on to zoom, you've got note taking apps that will, you know, transcribe the note meetings. 189 00:21:34,676.29825 --> 00:22:00,256.29725 Whilst I kind of did say I struggle to take notes, I certainly don't need two and a half thousand pounds worth of software, um, there are other things out there that are a hell of a lot cheaper that I can use and I do use, So, I think it would be a brilliant bit of software if you were a student and you were in lectures and you were wanting to, you know, have that, those notes taken. 190 00:22:00,256.29725 --> 00:22:02,266.29725 But it's, it just doesn't seem to. 191 00:22:02,841.29725 --> 00:22:07,631.29725 fit in any way with the challenges that I was, um, sharing. 192 00:22:08,131.29725 --> 00:22:12,1.29625 They've also offered to pay for Grammarly for me. 193 00:22:12,431.29725 --> 00:22:17,861.29725 Um, Grammarly, you know, it's a great tool. 194 00:22:17,911.29725 --> 00:22:28,331.29725 Um, I don't use it because actually, as I said earlier, I don't feel I have a need really with, with my written work to need Grammarly running in the background. 195 00:22:28,771.29725 --> 00:22:29,731.29725 Nice to have. 196 00:22:29,906.29725 --> 00:22:31,586.29725 but I don't need it funding. 197 00:22:32,6.29725 --> 00:22:41,166.29725 Um, they also offered text to speech software for me, so that I could, didn't have to read things that were complicated. 198 00:22:41,446.29725 --> 00:23:00,21.29625 Now, I get that these are all helpful, um, but it's almost like she picked up on this, it's like she didn't, it's almost like she had a, Um, a list of, um, support that she was able to give and she was fitting that into me as opposed to listening to what I needed. 199 00:23:00,551.29625 --> 00:23:07,191.29625 So the very thing that I really did need was the accountability and the coaching. 200 00:23:08,381.29525 --> 00:23:19,211.29625 So they've given me, they won't pay for an accountability partner, even though the amount that they gave or that they sort of set aside for an accountability partner is. 201 00:23:20,26.29625 --> 00:23:22,306.29625 With four hundred and eighty pounds. 202 00:23:22,926.29625 --> 00:23:33,206.29625 They'll pay for software for two and a half thousand that I don't need, and then add on, I think Grammarly is something like 180 or something, and then this text to speech is about another 400 a year. 203 00:23:33,586.29625 --> 00:23:38,586.29525 But they won't give me an accountability partner for 480 pounds. 204 00:23:38,616.29625 --> 00:23:40,256.29525 It just doesn't make sense to me. 205 00:23:40,306.29525 --> 00:23:43,696.29425 Um, and they, they've offered me. 206 00:23:44,251.29525 --> 00:23:53,221.29525 18 hours of ADHD coaching, but they will only give me 1, 400 pounds for those 18 hours. 207 00:23:54,411.29425 --> 00:24:00,921.29425 And I think I worked out that that's something like 70 pounds, 70, 75 pounds an hour for a coach. 208 00:24:01,291.29425 --> 00:24:06,951.29525 Now, I am a coach and I've paid for coaching before. 209 00:24:07,431.29525 --> 00:24:16,996.29525 And I have to be honest, 75 pounds an hour doesn't buy you a particularly Great coach in my experience. 210 00:24:17,566.29525 --> 00:24:19,936.19625 So 75 an hour is quite low. 211 00:24:20,526.19625 --> 00:24:23,756.19625 Um, And they gave three quotes. 212 00:24:23,766.19625 --> 00:24:26,326.19625 So they gave a low, a medium and a higher one. 213 00:24:26,326.19625 --> 00:24:36,66.19625 And even the high one was only about 2, 400 for these 18 sessions, but they've given me the lowest amount of money for coaching. 214 00:24:36,566.19525 --> 00:24:40,486.19625 So I feel maybe I'm wrong, um, but I feel that. 215 00:24:42,76.19625 --> 00:24:46,806.19625 I'm going to have to go with a coach who doesn't value their own worth. 216 00:24:47,176.19625 --> 00:24:58,46.19525 Um, maybe that's, maybe that's me being a bit disingenuous, but my experience of coaching and working with coaches is that if you don't value yourself, you don't tend to charge much for what you do. 217 00:24:58,566.19525 --> 00:25:04,776.19625 And if you don't value yourself, is it because you have a lack of confidence in your ability to just help and support. 218 00:25:04,786.19625 --> 00:25:19,106.19625 So I don't know, maybe I, what I need to do now is go back to my caseworker and say to him, look, I don't feel like the support being offered fully meets the needs that I have. 219 00:25:19,576.19525 --> 00:25:21,666.19625 I feel like I'm being offered. 220 00:25:22,486.19625 --> 00:25:35,386.19525 quite high value support that I don't need and the support I do need either hasn't been approved or it's, they've given me such a small amount that actually it's probably not going to help that much. 221 00:25:35,866.19625 --> 00:25:51,996.19625 Whether I'm able to, instead of having 18 one hour sessions, at 75 pounds, I have nine sessions at 150 pounds with a, with a coach that is, you know, charging what coaching should be charged at. 222 00:25:51,996.29625 --> 00:25:55,186.19625 I don't know that maybe that sounds a bit churlish. 223 00:25:55,646.19525 --> 00:25:57,626.19625 So that was it really. 224 00:25:57,676.19625 --> 00:25:58,846.19625 I would really love. 225 00:25:59,501.19625 --> 00:26:12,521.19625 Some, um, some support and some help on this really, because if you've gone through the access to work process and you have ADHD, I'd love to know how you found the process. 226 00:26:12,521.19625 --> 00:26:42,806.19625 Did you find it frustrating? I found it Very frustrating, most of which because it took so long to get any support, uh, or even to just get any confirmation and, and kind of anything happening, but I definitely found the whole sort of assessment and feedback from that really frustrating because I feel like I wasn't listened to, and now I feel like I've got to, you know, justify myself or challenge that assessment. 227 00:26:42,826.19625 --> 00:26:50,26.19625 And it doesn't help that the lady was really lovely and I don't want her to get into trouble. 228 00:26:50,426.19625 --> 00:27:12,641.19625 Um, but I do feel like I don't feel much like I'm very much further forward coupled with the fact that in order to claim for any of the, the, um, support that they've given me, they did offer to fund a remarkable, I'm very happy to say, and three years of the software that goes with the remarkable. 229 00:27:12,891.19625 --> 00:27:14,301.19625 So I'm very pleased with that. 230 00:27:14,641.19625 --> 00:27:18,121.19625 But actually the process like any government process. 231 00:27:18,181.19625 --> 00:27:20,11.19625 I know because I worked for the civil service. 232 00:27:20,91.19625 --> 00:27:22,981.19625 I worked for the government for a very long time. 233 00:27:23,261.19625 --> 00:27:33,191.19625 So I know that there's always hoops to jump through, but the process for claiming looks really complicated. 234 00:27:33,211.19625 --> 00:27:43,936.19625 Again, a whole load of forms and My ADHD does mean that I find it really difficult to, to, to do those forms. 235 00:27:43,936.19625 --> 00:27:49,976.19625 I have to get, I have to almost like, Oh, I don't know, like build myself up to it. 236 00:27:50,646.19625 --> 00:28:03,676.19625 So I'm going to get Claire, the lady that I was talking about before, my accountability buddy, my business guru that works with me, um, I'm going to get her to go through the forms with me and, and get the support. 237 00:28:04,636.19625 --> 00:28:06,556.19625 It's the weirdest thing because. 238 00:28:07,671.19625 --> 00:28:23,251.19625 You'd think having the challenges that I've had, that I have, you'd think, how the hell does that woman run a business? The flip side of all the challenges that come with ADHD are actually some real strengths. 239 00:28:23,571.19625 --> 00:28:34,381.19625 Um, and, I feel as if with the right support in place, um, to, to manage the weak areas, the strengths that I have in my business will flourish. 240 00:28:34,431.19525 --> 00:28:37,331.19625 So fingers crossed, we'll watch this space. 241 00:28:37,981.19625 --> 00:28:40,661.19625 Um, so I'm going to leave it there. 242 00:28:40,781.19625 --> 00:28:42,941.19525 there are some superpowers that go with it. 243 00:28:42,961.19625 --> 00:28:51,151.19625 I always worry about calling them superpowers to be honest, know that some people with ADHD struggle way, way, way, way more than I do. 244 00:28:51,571.19625 --> 00:28:57,606.19625 And, um, they'd probably, you know, they, they wouldn't recognize them as super powers. 245 00:28:58,76.19625 --> 00:29:11,106.19625 Um, and it's easy really to focus on all of the bits that we find challenging and not, not really recognize the bits that make life, you know, yeah, just make business and life easier. 246 00:29:11,106.19625 --> 00:29:18,166.19525 Like for example, some of the strengths are I'm very good at, um, managing lots of things. 247 00:29:18,776.19525 --> 00:29:20,506.19525 I have a chaotic brain. 248 00:29:20,716.19525 --> 00:29:24,266.19525 So when ever there's chaos, I'm quite comfortable in chaos. 249 00:29:25,181.19625 --> 00:29:26,231.19625 Love change. 250 00:29:26,231.19625 --> 00:29:28,241.19625 You know, some people really don't like change. 251 00:29:28,471.19625 --> 00:29:30,691.19625 I'm very comfortable with change. 252 00:29:31,31.19625 --> 00:29:37,891.19525 I'm very comfortable with learning new stuff because I find that novelty is really helpful. 253 00:29:38,51.19625 --> 00:29:39,721.19625 It kind of triggers my interest. 254 00:29:39,721.19625 --> 00:29:48,281.19625 I have to manage it a little bit, but, um, I'm very happy to go and try things that, Um, other people might be afraid to try. 255 00:29:48,331.19625 --> 00:29:52,141.19625 I'm not particularly risk averse in that, in that respect. 256 00:29:52,141.19625 --> 00:29:59,781.19625 And so we have this impulsive, um, we, we, we, we have, we're happy with risk. 257 00:29:59,981.19625 --> 00:30:00,921.19525 I shouldn't say weak. 258 00:30:00,931.19625 --> 00:30:09,321.19625 It's like, we're all the same, but the way my ADHD shows up, it means that that impulsivity means I get stuff started and done. 259 00:30:09,321.19625 --> 00:30:10,621.19625 I take an idea. 260 00:30:10,906.19625 --> 00:30:14,546.19625 From idea to actual action very, very quickly. 261 00:30:14,546.19625 --> 00:30:16,476.19625 So there are lots and lots of benefits. 262 00:30:16,486.19625 --> 00:30:21,866.19575 It's just some of the, the stress that comes with the weaker areas. 263 00:30:21,866.19575 --> 00:30:38,176.19625 And that was what I was hoping access to work might, might have been able to help me with, um, we'll say I will maybe come back on and do another live when I've gone through the process of actually, um, applying for some of the support that they've given me. 264 00:30:38,436.19625 --> 00:30:46,736.19625 And it could be, to be honest, that I haven't read it well enough and detail isn't one of my strong points. 265 00:30:46,766.19525 --> 00:30:54,276.19525 Maybe I need to go back with Claire with me, go through the detail and maybe it isn't quite as off the mark as I think it is. 266 00:30:55,86.19625 --> 00:30:56,176.19625 We will have to see. 267 00:30:56,676.19625 --> 00:30:58,206.19625 So, there you go guys. 268 00:30:58,246.19625 --> 00:30:59,536.19625 I'm gonna love you and leave you. 269 00:30:59,586.19625 --> 00:31:00,196.19625 Take care. 270 00:31:00,486.19625 --> 00:31:01,36.19625 Bye.
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