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Libby Cross
...talks about working as a TV and Radio Producer.
I had a motorbike accident in 1981, when I was 17, and have worked pretty much full-time since leaving university in 1988. I´m self-employed and work as a radio producer, trainer and life skills coach. Being self-employed works for me because I can set my own schedule, and on the days when I feel low in energy or just need a break, I can decide not to go into the office or to work from home. Self-employment isn´t for everyone - there´s obviously less job security, and you have to be good at motivating yourself, but on the other hand, there´s a lot to be said for the satisfaction of being your own boss.
There´s a very apt phrase to describe how I got started in the media industry - being ‘thrown in at the deep end´. In 1988, I was a postgraduate student at Stirling University and was interviewed for a Channel 4 magazine series called ‘Same Difference´ about what university life was like for disabled students. Unbelievably (to me at any rate), this led to me being offered a job as a presenter on the series, and I did that for 3 years, before joining the BBC as a tv producer. A few years later, I moved into radio production.
That´s a pretty unusual way of getting started in the big wide world of work, especially in an industry as competitive as the media! And getting to where I am now wasn´t as easy as I´ve perhaps made it sound. Over the years, I´ve had to apply for jobs like anyone else, and then prove myself in them. The key thing for me was finding a job that I was good at, and that could just as easily be done from a seated position. When I do need extra help, such as going on recording trips, I apply for assistance from the Access to Work Scheme to pay for a facilitator to accompany me.
I´ve learned many positive things over the last 18 years; being able to say yes, I´m working, was a great boost to my self-esteem and self-confidence, knowing that I had something worthwhile to contribute to society (not to mention having more money to spend!). And also, although being disabled can be difficult and challenging, it also makes us incredibly resourceful at solving practical problems. One of my biggest achievements in the first few months after my accident was working out how to tie my shoelaces with one hand. The world isn´t designed with disabled people in mind, which means that we develop the kind of lateral thinking skills that employers really value in their workforce.
The trick is working out what you have to offer and then start to believe in it.
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