Hard of hearing, looking for a job, and feeling lost....

GotNoRhythm

I don't know if I've put this in the right place really - apologies if not...

I am in my late 30s, and I have hearing loss which started around 10-12 years ago. I wear a pair of digital aids.
I qualified as a primary teacher 4 years ago, after a huge struggle to pass the course. I am not a naturally confident person, and my self-belief was completely knocked for six on this course. I worked as a supply teacher until July 2010, but as a newly qualified teacher I am now barred from further supply work (their rule is that you can only do supply for 16 months, then you have to do your induction year. It's to stop people from putting off their induction year indefinitely.)
Since I couldn't do supply any more, I got a job working in an office. I found this especially difficult as it mainly involved telephone work, and dealing with some very sensitive issues - I completely lost my confidence as I find it increasingly difficult to hear on the phone. I didn't have any set hours there, and haven't worked at all since February. (I had an operation in January and was signed off work for 3 weeks, only to find that when I was fit for work, there was no work for me. They didn't have the decency to tell me that - they just stopped phoning me and asking me to cover. I'm still on their payroll even though I haven't spoken to anyone there since February).

I've had a couple of interviews for teaching jobs but I just go pieces in interviews - clearly another area that I need to address. Also, it's probably too late for me to get a job as a teacher, as it's now so long since I last worked in a classroom. I've looked at teaching assistant jobs, but the hours/pay/travelling expenses just don't work out
I haven't been claiming any benefits or JSA in all this time. Silly, I know - but I've managed to scrape by until now. I've claimed JSA before, about 5 years ago. I hated it, it made me feel so worthless.
I suspect I'm probably suffering from depression too. I feel like I'm scared of my own shadow right now - hardly the sort of person anyone would want to employ! I live in a rural area, where there are very few jobs of any description. In the past I've had to change jobs because of travelling expenses, so I feel stuck in a black, jobless hole.

What should I do for the best? Do I sign on again and explain that I can't hear on the phone? Would they accept that, or do I need some sort of official document to say I have a hearing disability? Or should I go to see my GP - do I need counseling? I am in a pretty dire financial mess (I'm paying off debts through CCCS but I'm quickly running out of money) and I know I need to work - and I WANT to work - but I don't know where to turn. I feel that my biggest obstacle is my lack of confidence and self-belief and worthlessness.

I hope you don't mind me posting - sorry it's such a long-winded waffle of a post. I think I just need to hear some objective advice on how to get myself out of this rut! I need proper kick up the whatsit, don't I??!

Anubis_2

Just wanted to say congrats for passing your teaching, you obviously have the determination there

If I was in your position, I would make an appointment with my doc and explain how I am feeling.

Check out confidence building courses (they do work if they are done correctly)

Claim for benefits as you are running out of money.

Other than that I can't give you any further advice except to say good luck and well done!

moneypenny2k

Ive just come back from the NUT disabled teachers conference. I now feel much more confident and positive. One of the things I'm doing is starting a hearing impaired teachers group. Facebook is my starting point. Please contact me and I'll pass details on once I've got it going

Lady_K

If there is any chance of you getting help with your confidence issues and getting around the fact that you have not worked in a classroom for a while to anable you to complete the induction year please do it. You have worked so hard to get this far and you have been successful as a supply teacher in the past so you can do the job. It would be such a shame to lose what you have worked so hard for now.

Its probably a good idea to speak to your gp about the way you are feeling, everything combined is getting you down. You also have to get something sorted out financially. I'm not sure how jsa combines with completing the teaching induction course but even so you might need to be signed off sick because of the way you are feeling at the moment and that would mean claiming esa rather than jsa.

You need specialist advice really and if there is disabled teachers support they hopefully will be able to give you some support, help and guidance on how to go about all this.
Moneypenny's post sheds some hope and help for you, fingers crossed.

All the best.

salsarla

Can you tell me what level of hearing loss you have? I have a moderate loss and it is not enough to be considered "deaf" but only hard of hearing.

It seems as though people with a hearing loss just struggle more socially or have anxiety or confidence problems, maybe because we are missing out on what everyone else hears normally and it is so hard for us to be as good socially, it just requires too much effort in certain situations.

I did a teaching assistant job a few years ago and found it really hard, i seem to struggle in noisy situations the most. At the moment i have a work from home job but i am also thinking about maybe doing deliveries as well.

Regarding the phone issue, if you have Phonak aids you can maybe get an icom and there are other bluetooth devices for other manufacturers. Im not sure how this would work in a job, but if it is a requirement then maybe the employer can pay for this?

It is tough, the amount of times i have given people a blank expression is countless but i guess the only thing you can do is keep trying.

Hear-Hear

GotNoRhthym

That's great advice from salsarla. You do indeed have Phonak aids, I seem to remember, so if the models you have are fairly recent, then something like the iCom could prove really useful for you. And to cap it all, whilst Access To Work no longer fund hearing aids, they will fund other types of assistive devices, such as iCom, if you can PROVE a need.

Your local JobCentrePlus will have an Access To Work advisor (although sometimes only on certain days each week). Fix up an appointment with that person asap. You might be quite surprised how helpful these individuals can be when it comes to seeking work, for those using hearing aids.

GotNoRhythm

Thank you all for taking the time to read my post, and for your kind words and helpful replies. I've just re-read my original post (oh deary me!) and I'm sorry for such a long whinge!

I'm not sure how to describe my hearing loss - so here's a few examples:
I can't hear much without them - just muffled sound mostly. I can follow a conversation in a quiet room without my hearing aids if I can see the speaker (and if I'm familiar with their voice) - I rely on lip-reading, and if I turned away I wouldn't be able to tell what was being said. I also have tinnitus
I can't hear things like birdsong, an alarm clock or the telephone ringing without my hearing aids. I have a vibrating alarm clock.
I have the TV turned up quite loud, even when I'm wearing my hearing aids. I often struggle to hear the TV at friends' houses.
Social Services have provided me with various items - e.g. a flashing doorbell, a ringer extension for the phone, my alarm clock and they arranged for the fire brigade to fit special smoke detectors.

My hearing aids are Phonak Savia Art, which are a couple of years old. I've just had a look through the user guide and there is some kind of blutooth device (that might teach me to actually read the user guides in future!!), so I'll definitely look into that and the iCom - thank you for that!

Does it make a difference as to who I visit first - my GP or the job centre? Am I better off going to the jobcentre armed with whatever my GP might be able to say? I'm worried that I'll gel 'bullied' into taking a job that I'm not suited to if they don't take my hearing problem seriously. I'm also worried that my GP might suggest tablets for depression - I've encountered that before, they seem to hand them out like sweets :eek:

Moneypenny2k, I will be in touch! And thank you all once again for your kind and helpful replies.

Hear-Hear

GotNoRhthym

Your description of hearing loss is not at all uncommon. In a nutshell, you need some volume for low frequency sounds, and lots of enhanced clarity for high frequency sounds. You are relying on lots of types of hearing aids - lip-reading is one of them.

If you have Savia Art hearing aids, I suspect you bought them privately. They were top-of-the-range at the time. If private, you should be seeing your audiologist as often and as regularly as you wish, at no extra charge. Being top-of-range, the Savia Art is really flexible in how it can be adjusted - personalised more closely to your needs, if you like. Why not start with arranging an up-to-date hearing test with your audiologist, and have the Savia aids re-programmed for you. Do it this week. While you're doing that, you can ask your audio for details and costs of the iCom, and whether he/she feels it would be helpful to your personal situation. You could also grab a copy of your audiogram - it may help you to show this to your Access To Work advisor.

Then go straight to Job Centre Plus, and request an appointment with the ATW advisor. You do not need to involve your GP unless you or your audio have any medical concerns or issues that require medical referral. Some ATW advisors are good, some not so good, but on the whole, you should find they have stacks of valuable information and pointers for you. Benefiting from such 'positive discrimination', you may find that the ATW folks really can go beyond the scope of service offered by the more regular Job Centre staff to their clients.

Hard of hearing people are indeed more prone to depression than the population as a whole, but you should only refer to your GP for depression if appropriate for your own personal circumstances.

GotNoRhythm

Thank you, Hear-Hear,
Yes I bought them from Boots (when they were BOGOF!), The problem I have found with Boots (and I suspect other chain stores) is that I seem to see a different person each time. One of my hearing aids broke recently and by chance I went to another branch of Boots as it was the only place I could get an appointment. The lady I saw was WONDERFUL - so helpful and genuinely concerned that I was getting the best from my hearing aids. So now I know to ask for an appointment with her. She did a 'beep' test directly through my hearing aids and adjusted them to suit. (She also told me that I have scarring on my ear-drum on my right side, which could explain why I get odd 'pressure' sensations in that ear). I probably would benefit from having a proper, thorough hearing test though, so I'll definitely book that with her and ask about the iCom too.

adz595

Hi! I am a teacher of the deaf and to be honest, we need more primary teachers who know how to be positive role models for deaf/HI students. Have you considered working in an HI School? Either as a TA or Teacher of the Deaf? There is a course where half of my peers were hearing impaired (2 being profound and one using only BSL).
Dont let it knock you down and you are a rare gem amount a load of teachers.
I am not sure how the induction year works in England but to be honest, there must be a way that you can prove you have completed a year of teaching. Dont let bossy office people with NO CLUE put you off.

I have a few HI friends who are a Primary Teacher their classes are modified to suit their needs.

A way to get around the supply is to accept a supply post for a year. I would contact a good supply agency. Where in the UK are you?

GotNoRhythm

Hi ADZ595,
Thank you for your reply, sorry it has taken me a while - I've had a few problems accessing my MSE account (and gave up for a while!)

Since I last posted I've found out that the rules for supply for NQTs has changed, I now have another year to do supply work (until July next year) so I am looking at signing up with some agencies. I'm based in North Yorkshire, which is in a bit of a funny place for some agencies - the bigger agencies seem to have offices in Leeds and/or Newcastle and I seem to be in a bit of a no-man's land between the two!

I help out at a local primary school (school trips, art days, that kind of thing) and they've asked if I'd be interested in doing 15 hours voluntary TA work in their Reception/KS1 class until half term. I've just signed up for Jobseeker's allowance, but I've checked with them and I'm allowed to do it, which is great!! I've also recently found out that a lady I do AmDrams with is a retired special needs/BSL teacher so I'm planning on having a good long chat with her next time I see her! I'm feeling much more positive about things, thanks again to you all for replying.

Sarah