‘Humour can open the door to conversations’: Exploring the Role of Comedy in Breaking Down Barriers to Employment for Young Disabled People

Abstract

Young disabled people encounter many barriers in their transition to adulthood, including having access to the world of work. According to recent data, only 4.8% of adults with a learning disability are in paid work. We wanted to explore how we might address one of the initial barriers, the employment recruitment process. Eleven young disabled people were invited to work with The Comedy Trust to make their own video Curriculum Vitae (CV). We hoped to explore how we could draw on the art form of comedy to not only produce video CVs but also to share the voices of young people with a learning disability. Young people with learning disabilities have a desire to work and have the skills necessary to succeed in the workplace with appropriate support. This paper highlights the importance of employers and those who support young disabled people, having the opportunity to hear the voices of young people so they can consider how to make their recruitment process more inclusive and to address the barriers that are experienced.