smallbusiness.co.uk: Helping your business think big

A new book entitled User Driven has been published aimed at employers in the hope of improving prospects for disabled workers.

Mark Harris, who has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, edited the book and managed the 80 disabled volunteers who contributed to it, reports The Herts Advertiser

Harris told the paper he wants the book to show able-bodied employers what it is like to be disabled and convince them that despite physical problems, disabled people make good employees.

The book explains how he set up the WorkABILITY project, which provides work experience opportunities for young disabled people, with his colleague Andrew Bird who has Spastic Quadraplegia Cerebral Palsy.

According to figures from the Department of Work and Pensions, 44 per cent of all disabled people are economically active as opposed to 79 per cent of non-disabled people.

Despite their under-representation in the labour market, seven in ten disabled people who are in work say their disability does not affect the number or pattern of hours they are able to work.

For more informatiopn contact Hertfordshire Personal Assistant Support Service (http://www.hertspass.com/)