Researchers and clinicians from The Hopkins Centre, Metro South Health, and Spinal Life Australia explored the experiences of people who have sustained their job with the same employer for at least 12 months following an acquired brain injury (ABI) or spinal cord injury (SCI). 

As part of this Hopkins Centre Seed Grant project, personal employment stories and journey maps were co-created with people with lived experience of ABI or SCI and contributed to by people's employers, colleagues, service providers, or family members. These stories and journey maps highlight the varied and personalised experiences of people who have been able to sustain work after a neurological injury, with a focus on what has enabled or supported them to work over the long term.

Personal employment stories and journey maps

Knut

Knut is a member of the research team for this project. Knut acquired a traumatic brain injury about 3 years ago and has since been able to gradually return to full-time work as a chemical researcher. Knut credits a large part of his success after his brain injury to the rehabilitation clinicians who helped him and their specialist knowledge and hopes that others can access similar support.

You can watch Knut talk about what has most helped him be successful at work after his brain injury in the video below.

 

Zivan

Zivan suffered a stroke over a year and a half ago. One of the side effects of Zivan’s stroke was aphasia, which affects his ability to speak, read, and write. About 8 months after his stroke, Zivan was able to gradually return to his job as a Platform Engineer in Information Technology at a University. Zivan’s wife Michelle has played an important role in supporting him. Click here to download a visual map of Zivan’s employment journey.

You can watch Zivan talk about what has most helped him return to work after his stroke in the video below. Zivan believes it’s important to set goals to work towards after an injury. Zivan says: “You need to take a risk basically, take a try. Just try it and see. If you wash out, fine. But just try it.”

Michelle and other family, friends, and colleagues supported Zivan to rebuild his confidence after his stroke. Michelle says: “Social interactions were a big part of his journey because initially he didn't want to go out and meet people one-on-one or in big groups. Initially I was close by to help him out in certain conversations, but as time went on we reduced my input at the suggestion of the occupational therapist. By about 8 months he said he was ready to go back to work, and he did say that the work was the biggest therapy for him. We’re grateful to his employer and colleagues who just stepped up and helped him. They were always in touch with him, asking him: Is that too much? Are you tired? Do you need extra time? So having him communicate with his boss and manager and human resources, that was important and that that worked well. He has mostly good days now. It’s not quite the same as before, we're not there yet, but I can see he's pushing himself.”

 

Nina

Nina had worked in several industries, including the community sector, when she sustained a traumatic brain injury 3 years ago. Approximately 1 year after her injury, Nina started collaborating with researchers as someone with lived experience of disability. Over the last 2 years, she has worked to establish herself as an advocate for people with brain injuries and has contributed to several research projects. Click here to download a visual map of Nina’s employment journey.

For Nina, it was important to find meaningful activities that gave her purpose after her injury. Nina says: "I didn't know who I was anymore, what I could do, what I couldn't do. But I had spent my whole life working towards causes, and I realised that that's where I needed to be. I want people with acquired brain injuries to have better options than what’s available now. I don't think just having a quality of life is good enough, I want people to prosper and grow and have dreams. So I started off with being a participant in a research project, and they loved what I had to say and kept asking me to do more. It ended up being a very reciprocal relationship where I really felt on an even playing field. For the first time, I felt like I was contributing and receiving as much. Like I was part of the team.”

Nina wants more opportunities for people with disabilities. Nina says: “I want to affect change in policies so that the system better supports people with disabilities and so that there are more inclusive workplaces. I believe people with disabilities are more dedicated than your average worker and have more imagination. Like other people with disabilities, I'm constantly having to think outside the box of how I can do things, and we bring that to our workplaces, and it gives our workplaces new innovations. We have fantastic stuff to offer but workplaces need to change to allow that and adapt to us.”

Nelson is one of the researchers Nina has worked with to create rehabilitation resources for people who have had brain injuries. As a speech pathologist, Nelson believes simple communication strategies are beneficial for everyone in the workplace, not just people with brain injuries. Nelson says: “Everyone's so unique with what helps them.  But I think it just benefits everyone, really, if you're simplifying things. If you don’t overcomplicate things that shouldn’t be overcomplicated and you're presenting things in a simpler manner with less jargon, it just leaves room for more engagement. Creating supportive environments where distractions are minimised to help support concentration and manage cognitive fatigue are also beneficial.”

Getting to know a person and their individual needs is important to finding and using the right communication strategies. Nelson says: “If someone has communication difficulties, it’s important to understand what their communication needs and preferences are. Not every strategy works for every person. Talking too slow or too loudly if you haven’t been asked to can be unhelpful and can negatively impact a person’s confidence in the workplace. Communication partner training is something that should be implemented in all workplaces – It’s not that complex and it’s effective for all types of interactions.”

 

Lindsay

Lindsay experienced a spinal cord injury 31 years ago. At the time, he had just finished high school. After his injury, Lindsay had to take time to re-establish himself and re-set his goals. Almost 7 years after his injury, Lindsay got in touch with Tania, a vocational rehabilitation counsellor who helped him to find work that matched his interests and needs. With Tania’s help, Lindsay found a traineeship with an assistive technology company. It’s been over 23 years since his traineeship, and Lindsay continues to work at the same company in a business administration role part-time. Click here to download a visual map of Lindsay’s employment journey.

Lindsay believes in the value of peer support or connecting with other people who have been able to continue to work after a spinal cord injury.

Lindsay says: “Don't give up. Set yourself a goal and work towards it. Talking to people or peers who have gone through similar journeys and have experience working post-injury can be really valuable. There are some programs where you go into the hospital and speak to people with newly acquired injuries, which is something I do. Just the other day, someone who I had spoken to while he was in hospital said that I had inspired him to essentially get out his laptop and start working again. There are also online groups and Facebook pages that you can join now if you’re looking to connect with other people.”

Tania adds: “It is important to encourage service providers to be aware of peer support options. The value of talking to people who've been there and done it or who are going through it at the same time, like just feeling like you're not alone, is huge.”

Both Lindsay and Tania agree that finding the right service provider is important for helping people who have had an injury find work that meets their interests and needs.

Lindsay says: “I remember talking to Tania, and she gave me all these ideas for different jobs. There was a fair bit of back-and-forth about what was and wasn’t right for me, but we were both determined to do it. I was determined to work, but Tania’s drive to help me find a career and not fail was also important.”

Tania says: “It is so important for that person to believe in themselves and to believe that they can and should be working. It’s about being able to really listen to what your client wants and to help them see the potential that they can bring to work. People might want you to give them job suggestions or ideas. But if they're saying that they really want to do something, then try everything you can to help support them. We've helped people with so many different jobs return to work. Like, you know, farmers and mechanics and engineers and aircraft maintenance workers.

I think we really owe it to people to give them our best every single time. You don't have to know everything or be able to do everything, but just give them your best. And you know, be honest about what you can and can't deliver and what you do and don't know. We can help people change their lives in such a profound way.”

Lindsay wants employers to understand the benefits of employing people with disability.

Lindsay says: “Employers need to be open minded because the rewards that you get long term outweigh any concerns they might have about employing someone with a disability at the start.  Accessibility and inclusion give people more of a sense of community and belonging. You are allowing someone who has a disability to work, earn an income, pay taxes, socialise with other staff – group lunches, going out after work, going for Friday drinks, Christmas parties – and things like that.  Other staff get to know someone else in a different situation and reflect on how they approach work. Employers benefit too. I read a statistic somewhere that people with a disability take less sick days and tend to be more reliable and loyal employees.”

 

Dan

Dan has over 30 years of experience in workplace health and safety. About 10 years ago, he acquired a brain injury (ABI) from a stroke. Just over a year after he acquired his injury, Dan gradually started returning to work. The first week back, Dan did just 4 hours of work. Over the following 16 months, he increased his hours until he was back to full-time. Although Dan couldn't go back to his original job, he was able to find a different role in the same team that better met his post-injury goals and abilities. Click here to download a visual map of Dan’s employment journey.

For Dan, working after a brain injury is about being flexible and open to change. Dan also values the flexibility of his employer, who has supported him in different ways since returning to work. You can read about Dan’s story or listen to it in his own voice.

Dan says: “Brain injury is unusual in that there's not a defined recovery period. Recovery might slow down, but it doesn’t stop. Recovery goes on forever and change is the only constant. One size does not fit all, everyone’s experiences post-injury will be different, and people’s capabilities will continue changing over time.

For people with ABI, it's about maintaining that flexibility in the way you do things, accepting that things will change and working towards your goals. How you’re doing now will be different to how you will be doing in 12 months’ time. It's a long process of constant self-review or constant review of what your goals and capacities are after a brain injury. You have to ask yourself… What are my goals? Do I want to go back to work? How am I going to do that?

Being at work was a high priority for me. And in my mind, at early times, I thought, well, I've got fewer tools to make that possible. So, I had to work to find other tools or strategies that made me valuable in my organisation.

But it’s not just the person with ABI that needs to be flexible, it’s the employer too. It’s important for the employer to consider the individual and their unique goals and capacities. Employers have got to have a belief in you, the same way you have to have a belief in yourself. They have to be flexible in how they support you, because the support that each individual person needs is different.

I can only say that my employer has been great. Although, they haven’t always known what to do with me or how to support me. ABI is really poorly understood. So, it’s also about understanding what brain injury is and the changes or challenges a person with ABI might experience. And then it’s figuring out how to make the best of my strengths or abilities now and in an ongoing way.

It's important to challenge perceptions of people with ABI at work and in the community. Employers need to expand their horizons in terms of how they think about and treat people who have had a brain injury – it’s not just a physical injury. People with ABI can work and be involved in their communities.”

Emily* has worked with Dan for the last 4 years in different ways, including as his manager. As a manager, Emily believes it’s important to challenge perceptions of what someone can do after an injury. Emily says: “Just because someone has had a brain injury doesn’t mean they're not capable of work. It might just mean that they need different support. I think it's important that employers have that open mindset when thinking about what returning to work looks for someone after an injury, particularly if it’s someone who's already been your employee. It’s important to be open and to explore what the options might be for someone to return to work rather than write them off.

Policies around inclusion and reasonable adjustments are important. If you don't have good strong policies that encourage inclusive thinking, then people aren't going to necessarily go out of their way to make reasonable adjustments to reduce barriers to work for people.”

*Emily is a pseudonym.

 

Tim

Tim has been employed as an Engineering Surveyor since 2004 and works in the Engineering Design Consulting Space. He started working with his current employer in April 2013 and sustained his spinal cord injury (SCI) a few months later in July of 2013. Richard was one of Tim’s managers at the time of his SCI and supported him to return to work. Tim has been working with his employer in the Engineering Consulting space for the last 10 years. Click here to download a visual map of Tim’s employment journey. 
 
Before his SCI, Tim was a field-based worker, with most of his work being outside of the office. Following his SCI, Tim has become office-based. He has considered himself lucky to have transferable skills, which have allowed him to become more involved in the processing and modelling side of his employer’s work. Whilst in hospital, he was given a laptop so he could undertake training in software that he would be using moving forward. He has since become proficient in 3D modelling and has been involved in industry award-winning projects.  
For other people with SCI, Tim says: “My main piece of advice is to keep an open mind and not be put off at the initial stages of rehab. With all spinal injuries, there are changes over time which may only seem minor but can have vast functional implications. It's also important to consider how existing skills can be utilised in different ways. The vocational consultants will be especially helpful in this regard and can assist with advice here. The process initially can seem quite daunting, but is well worth it in the end.” 
 
Tim started receiving vocational rehabilitation at around 2 months after his SCI while he was still in hospital. This support continued throughout his inpatient treatment as part of his overall rehabilitation plan. While he was in hospital, Tim commenced returning to his workplace for half a day a week. Starting the process early worked in with other areas of Tim’s rehabilitation, including community access and transport, including using taxis, buses and trains. Once he was discharged from hospital Tim increased to 2 days per week at work and then eventually to 9 days per fortnight.  
For health professionals, Tim says: “It’s important to engage with the participant early and begin the process of considering a way forward. This also includes engaging with employers who may or may not be open to a return to work. Starting the process early can open the conversations as to what changes can be made, which will ultimately assist in easing the concerns of all involved.” 
 
Tim’s employer supported him in an early return to work after his injury. Tim’s senior managers, including Richard, had contact with his family while he was in a coma after his SCI. They then kept in contact with Tim while he was in hospital and were open to engaging with his vocational rehabilitation counsellor to support him to gradually return to work.  
For employers, Tim says: “Keeping in contact with my employer and the supportive attitude of management really helped with my peace of mind early on in terms of knowing that life would proceed after my inpatient care. Please remember why you employed someone in the first place. In the end people can be your strongest asset and the faith you place in someone will be rewarded with a dedicated and faithful employee.” 
For other employers, Richard says: “I think it sends a really good message to other staff members that the business cares about its people when you see people at work and they've got a disability, but they're still coming to work and they're still adding value. I just think it makes the rest of the workforce feel as though they are working for a business that cares about its people.” 

 

Steve

Steve was working as a Sales Manager in animal health at the time of his spinal cord injury. Steve initially returned to work with the same employer but in a different role. He has since remained with his employer and has been able to join a sales team who works remotely. Steve has had help from Anthea who is Occupational Therapist that works with the National Panel of Assessors through JobAccess to assess and secure funding for workplace modifications and assistive technology.  Click here to download a visual map of Steve’s employment journey. 
 
For Steve, early conversations about going back to work were important. Receiving support from rehabilitation specialists early on was also key to linking him to longer-term services and support, which he’s been able to access as his needs have changed over time.  
Steve says: “I feel that thinking about work and your career sooner rather than later is key and always suggest this to people who have gone through a spinal cord injury. Personally, I feel that if you prolong thinking about it, it may become harder as time goes on to reconsider going back into the workplace.”  

Anthea says: “Working with vocational rehabilitation specialists and employers early on, even during inpatient rehabilitation, is really valuable. Then, together, they can help link people to services like JobAccess to support the return-to-work process. Services like JobAccess can be utilised ongoing as a person’s needs change in the workplace, that might be as their functional capacity changes or their work roles or physical workspaces. It’s not a closed book, people can always be referred back to the service.” 
 
Being open to different job opportunities and ways of working has also been beneficial to Steve. He and Anthea both agree that it’s important to think outside the box in terms of solutions to work-related needs.  

Steve says: “It’s helpful to be a bit flexible with how you approach jobs and what career you might choose and how that may look. I feel that helped me in terms of finding a job that I was happy with and not necessarily being disappointed that it wasn’t exactly the same as before. With spinal cord injury, you have to adapt with a lot of change. Work is not any exception. I would encourage people to enter this conversation with an open mind as to what your work or career may look like.” 
Anthea says: “The workplace modifications and equipment that can get funded in terms of variety is limitless. There’s more than just simple technology that can get funded. Through JobAccess we’ve been able to support people like Steve to work in office environments, but also others to practice as doctors, dentists and farmers after spinal cord injury.” 

 

Kevin

Kevin owned and operated a fashion wholesale business for over 15 years before his stroke. About 6 months after his stroke, Kevin slowly returned to work overseeing day-to-day tasks in his business. Kevin has been back at work for over 4 years now, operating his business with the help of his son Brendan. Click here to download a visual map of Kevin's employment journey. 
 
For Kevin, receiving support from rehabilitation specialists early on and having a return-to-work plan were important first steps in his journey. 
Kevin says: “Have a plan. Before I could do everything, but then all of a sudden, I couldn’t do everything. I worked with rehabilitation clinicians when I left hospital who really taught me that the basics were what you needed. There was one therapist who was helping me prepare to go back to work. He sent me an email, he said, ‘Just reply to me how you would usually reply to this email at work.’  I sent him back the email, and then I went to his office the next week and he had me read the email.  I started to read it, and realized I’d just sent him an email that was mumbo jumbo. So, he said, ‘When you go back to work, I don’t want you just sending emails. Someone’s got to proofread your emails.’  So they are some of the different things that I broke down.”    

As he’s slowly increased his work hours and responsibility, trialing different strategies to support him at work with the help of his rehabilitation providers has been helpful. 
Kevin says: “My therapists and NDIS plan managers have been fantastic because they’ve suggested as much as they can along the way – ‘We’ve had this experience.  Would that help you?  No, not really.  We’ve had this experience.  Would that help you?  Yeah, actually, I’ll give that a go.  I’ll have a look at that.’  They’re assisting multiple people at multiple different levels, and so are able to suggest different strategies.” 
 
Creating an inclusive workplace where people feel supported has been important to both Kevin and Brendan. 
Brendan says: “My biggest suggestion to help someone return to work would be exactly what we've done here - to create a supportive environment. If you’re going to hire someone who has an injury or disability, it’s worthwhile talking to everyone in the workplace. It's worthwhile not just singling that person out for their brain injury or whatever it is. It's actually talking to everyone and creating an environment where they feel supported. As a result, our workplace culture is shifting. We’ve all gone, let’s just take a breather sometimes before we hit the high note and be annoyed at someone. It is actually really nice that that’s the way that it is.” 

 

Josh

Josh is an Electrician who has owned and run an electrical company for the past 20 years. Josh sustained a traumatic brain injury approximately 4 years ago. Not long afterwards, Josh slowly returned to running his business with support from his family, friends, and colleagues. Andrew is a close mate of Josh’s who is also a business owner and has been able to support him in both his work and personal life.  Click here to download a visual map of Josh's employment journey. 
 
Over time, Josh has slowly figured out strategies to manage the effects of his injury in his day-to-day life while running a business. A big part of this has been finding the right work-life balance that lets him continue to run his business and do work that he loves, while also spending time with his children and taking care of his own wellbeing. 
Josh says: “It's like a factory reset, the accident. I don't know how much longer I could have sustained working as much as I was before.  Now I feel like I've got such an awesome work-life balance. Whilst I'd like to work more, I definitely structure everything quite well to manage. There’s been some times I've tried to do a bit more, and I still see my fatigue is present. It's not as present as it was, but it's still there. So, then the next day I won't go out early or won't go do anything for a while or go and do just small things, just to have that rest, break in between.” 
Andrew says: “His awareness has helped him manage the effects of his injury. He knows that if he's had a big day, he has to take himself out and almost make himself unavailable to rest.  He's definitely got better with that.  I feel like, from a mental point of view, the mindfulness stuff he does – at the gym and with the OT, and really putting that extra work in, has allowed him to keep doing what he loves doing.  Because he really does love what he does. But he's done it in a smart way. It was like, ‘well I need to get better so I can go do this again. I've created this business, I've done well out of it, I need to re-establish it.’”  

 

Glenn

Glenn sustained a spinal cord injury 24 years ago. Before his injury, Glen worked several jobs to support himself as a triathlete, including as a sports coach. After his injury, Glenn explored different work opportunities before he enrolled in university and completed a Bachelor of International Business followed by a Diploma of Education. For the last 17 years Glenn has worked as a High School Teacher.  Click here to download a visual map of Glenn's employment journey. 

After his injury, Glenn wasn’t sure what kind of work he might be able to do or how much he might be able to work. Meeting other people with similar disabilities and encouragement from family and friends helped him to explore different work opportunities. Being able to work has given Glenn a sense of worth and belonging. 
For people with disability, Glenn says: “I think working is good for your mental health.  It’s so you’ve got a sense of worth and belonging. I've got friends that are in a situation where if they do work, they lose payment support.  So, it's a disincentive to work, and I think that's really sad because I do think it's good to be part of a community and feel like you're contributing. You'd be surprised how much you can do. I didn't think I'd ever be able to work full-time. I thought two or three days a week was my max. But then a friend at work was like, ‘Come on, we need you to work full-time, you can do it.’  So I tried it out and then managed it.” 
For employers, Glenn says: “It's not actually that hard to make an inclusive workplace.  Just think outside the square, listen to the people that have the disability.  And you'll probably find that they'll be one of your most loyal employees, because they know how hard it is to get a job.  They're most likely to stay there for a long time.” 

 

Belinda

Belinda is a member of the research team for this project. Belinda has lived experience of spinal cord damage and is a vocational rehabilitation counsellor with the Back2Work Program. As a vocational rehabilitation counsellor, Belinda supports people with spinal cord injury and damage to gain and sustain work. She strongly believes in the value of being able to work and in finding creative ways to help people reach their employment goals. You can watch Belinda talk about finding a new career path after spinal cord damage in the video below. 

 

Matt

Matt is a C5/C6 quadriplegic who sustained his spinal cord injury 12 years ago while racing a motorbike. Prior to his injury, Matt had worked as a farmer and agricultural contractor. However, he has very minimal function in his triceps and no movement below his injury level and found he could no longer continue his previous work due to his physical disability. Instead, he has spent the past 4 years working for a company as a Support Coordinator for National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants. Matt has been working 4 days (30 hrs) per week for some time and will be moving to 4.5 days per week soon. By returning to work, Matt and his family were able to realise their life goal of purchasing 25 acres of land that he maintains with a modified tractor, side by side, and zero turn mower. Sustaining work and owning 25 acres has been difficult, but working from home helps him manage a full life. Click here to download a visual map of Matt’s employment journey. 

Matt found returning to work initially very daunting. However, being open to new opportunities, taking it step by step, and forward planning has been helpful.  
Matt says: “The most important advice in looking for work is to not be scared. Seek further assistance and information on how you might be able to work. Try and try again, you will fail but that is OK, keep trying. Returning to work is like learning to dress or push a wheelchair or drive after a spinal cord injury, it's not easy but can be done. Due to my physical disability my previous work as a farmer and agricultural contractor was no longer an option. Initially, I thought about retraining into IT or the accountancy industry, however I found studying remotely difficult. I also looked into working in an agricultural sales role, however thought my physical disability would hinder getting out into rural communities. In the end, my lived experience with disability and the NDIS most helped me to return to work.” 

Open and honest conversations with his employer and colleagues have been rewarding and made Matt’s employment journey successful. 
Matt says: “I am very fortunate to have a supportive team of colleagues and management to assist me in attending work. Asking questions and discussing options has been of benefit. For example, saying ‘I want to try increasing my work days and hours but I'm not sure how I will go. I’ve also explained reasons for my processes, ideas, issues and boundaries. For example, why I need specific about equipment, as well as personal care time frames, issues or potential issues. Sharing my real-life knowledge of disability has also helped my colleagues better understand support requirements as well as provide information on returning to drive, car modifications, assistive technology, wheelchairs and cushions, etc.” 
Donna says: “It’s really important to ensure staff can feel as safe as possible at work. Being able to discuss what is and isn’t working for someone, even if it might be a bit personal or tricky, should be a focus for employers and managers. So, I'm proud that Matt can feel comfortable to tell me what is and isn't working for him and how he's going, whether it's good, bad or ugly. When Matt is really open and honest with how things are going, I know where the boundaries are and I know what he needs from me to be successful in the job. I might not always get it right, but I’m quite a straightforward person and Matt allows me to be frank with him. I’m able to be clear about what I can get done, and if I can’t get it done, we’ll at least come to some kind of compromise.” 

Both Matt and Donna want employers to understand the value of people with a spinal cord injury or disability in the workforce. 
Matt says: “Employers should understand that people with a disability are by nature very hard working and consistent people. They also have the ability to ‘think outside the box’ and find solutions to difficult problems. All these things are required to live with a spinal cord injury – to get into a wheelchair and access the community every day. Someone with a disability can educate and improve your workforce, their mental health, compassionate nature and broaden their horizons. Giving someone the opportunity to work might change in someone’s life, with or without a disability.” 
Donna says: “I think we have a long way to go to move past stigma for people with disability. We need to be able to see that that everybody is different and can bring something useful. The best place to start is employing someone with a disability. Our company is moving towards expanding their workforce to have more people living with disabilities. It's important for us to see and hear different perspectives in a team setting because otherwise we can get stuck in our own way of viewing things. Matt’s been able to build a rapport with our clients as a wheelchair user in a way that neither I nor any of our other staff can. It’s a point of difference for him and is really impactful for our clients.” 

 

Sarah

Sarah works as a Front-End Web Developer. Sarah sustained a spinal cord injury 13 years ago. Approximately 1 year after her injury, Sarah was able to return to studying at university. When she graduated, Sarah worked in several different jobs with a spinal cord injury organisation, including as a graphic designer and customer support officer. From there, Sarah did a front-end web development course and found work with a start-up company. Mia has been Sarah’s manager for the last 1.5 years and has supported her in building skills and applying for her current job. Click here to download a visual map of Sarah’s employment journey. 

For Sarah, working has given her financial independence, the freedom to explore different interests, and the opportunity to meet new people. Sarah says: “There was a point of time where I had to make the decision whether I want to work or not work.  And I think my advice would be that, don't stay on the disability support pension. I was afraid of going off the disability support pension because I didn't know if I could continue working full-time and I didn’t know if I’d lose my healthcare or transport benefits. But it's the best thing that I ever did. Working has meant being able to do what I want and get out there and meet people and do things.” 

Being open to exploring different opportunities has been important for Sarah to continue to work and find roles that she enjoys after her injury. Sarah says: “You definitely have to be flexible and you have to explore different options. Don't get stuck in thinking, ‘that's what I was going to do before my accident and I can't do that anymore, so I can't do other things as well.’  Maybe what you were doing before wasn't what you really wanted to be doing.  Because I didn't study web development at uni - I grew into that.  It was a very slow progress of trying a whole bunch of different things.” 
As an employer, Mia says: that finding training material and resources on disability inclusive communication and recruitment is important. Mia says: “I really think it’s just really treating the people as people, not any different as any other people.  I think that’s what it should be.”

 
*Sarah and Mia are pseudonyms. 

 

Dave

Dave is an electrician who lives in a remote town where he works as a technical officer for a mining company. Dave had been working with his employer for 3 years when he sustained a traumatic brain injury. Approximately 6 months after his injury, Dave returned to work with his employer. Over 3.5 years after his injury, Dave continues to work for the same employer. Click here to download a visual map of Dave’s employment journey. 

Dave initially struggled returning to work in the same role with his employer, due to the cognitive and emotional changes he experienced after his injury. But he was proactive in searching for different opportunities until he was able to find a role that suited his strengths and where he felt supported by his co-workers. 
Dave says: “Don't give up on what you've already done because it's difficult. You don't need to completely retrain, you just need to adapt. After my injury the specialists were telling me that I was never going to be an electrician again. But I stuck with it. I was very lucky that I was already a tradesman, and that I'd already worked as a tradesman for a while, so I had that sort of muscle memory. I had to make some changes and explore different avenues before I was able to find a role that suited me. I also asked for feedback on how I was handling different situations at work, which was confronting but it’s how you learn and get better.” 
 
Dave worked with Daniel during a secondment that was important in his journey to finding the right role and team. As a manager, Daniel believes in treating everyone with respect in the workplace and valuing their unique contributions. 
Daniel says: “Treat everyone with respect every day and everyone can contribute. Not everyone will contribute in the same way, whether they've had an injury or not.  So, we value different opinions and different ways of looking at things. I think you just have to talk to people first and get a bit of an idea of their capabilities and then you've got to say your expectations as the employer. You don't want to expect something someone’s not going to be capable of, so you task-assign appropriately. I’ve heard that you want to stretch people about 4% above what they're capable of, so that they’re not going to be bored but it’s not too challenging.” 
 
More recently, Dave has started thinking about his future and what he wants to do next. For other people who have experienced an injury, Dave says: “Take a moment, reflect and acknowledge your recent journey, the struggles, the wins, and everything in-between. Adapting to life's challenges can be your greatest accomplishment.”