Case Study

With the right support anyone can be anything they choose

3 Dec 2024

A playground accident when she was just seven years old shaped Neelma’s life. It caused a worsening hearing loss that eventually led to her becoming profoundly deaf.

The right support meant she was able to move seamlessly through college, sparking a passion for advocacy for people not just with hearing impairments but any disability that creates barriers to a fulfilling life.

Now aged 40, that passion still burns bright in her approach as a case worker with the Ingeus Central London Works team, which supports long-term unemployed jobseekers with health conditions into work or training.

At Ingeus she found a company that, from the moment of her job interview, has supported her to become a high-performing member of her team.

She was given a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter for the interview and continues to rely on that support. She says: “I need an interpreter as I can’t hear anything if I use the phone, even though I have hearing aids.

“It’s a bit easier face to face but in group sessions, training for instance, I need two interpreters as it’s an intensive task for one to perform for hours on end.”

While the cost of an interpreter is paid by the Government’s Access to Work scheme, Ingeus covers any shortfall and organises a second interpreter when necessary. On occasions the business has arranged for Neelma to have one-to-one training if a second interpreter can’t be found.

Neelma says: “When I joined Ingeus it was my first employment with a hearing-led organisation, having worked for deaf-led charities previously. Although I felt confident in my skills, I was apprehensive about whetherI would be catered for.

“However, my first manager asked me what I needed and didn’t make any assumptions, which is a big plus for me. It gave me an opportunity to explain everything.

“I was given the chance to then explain it to my colleagues. It was empowering to be able to take the lead like that and tell them things such as I might miss what they say sometimes, or I might ask them to tie their hair back or not stand in front of windows so I can’t see their faces properly.

“All my colleagues were fantastic; I felt catered for straight away.

“When I get a new client I call them through an interpreter and explain that sometimes they might hear different voices but that it is still me who’s speaking to them. Some find it a bit strange, especially if occasionally I have a male interpreter! Invariably they accept me as a hearing professional.

“I think I form a stronger bond with some participants who have a disability as they recognise we face the same barriers. We have a lot to offer them and it’s rewarding to see their progress.”

Her advice to others with a disability struggling in life is: “You must remember we are all equal. Your dreams and goals are just as equal and worthy as anybody else’s. There are external barriers you have to overcome, but that’s just how it is. 

“The word ‘can’t’ must be removed from your vocabulary. I believe in this day and age anyone can become anything.”

Ralitsa Babcheva, Senior Performance Improvement Manager for Ingeus Central London Works, says:

“Neelma joined Ingeus more than five years ago and has supported hundreds of people into employment, skills and training. She is an inspiration not only to participants who face complex barriers but colleagues too. She has proven that with the right support anyone with a disability can be successful in their career.”

Learn more about a career at Ingeus.