Group Work Activities and Medical Conditions/Unseen Disabilities

Joe, 17, has diabetes and takes insulin to control his condition. He started a catering course that involved spending 2 days a week in college and 3 days a week working in a bakery. Although there is a campus wide rule that forbids taking food or drink into the classrooms, an exception was made for Joe because of his condition. Although Joe tried to be discrete about his eating and drinking during taught sessions, some of his peers in his group teased him about it. Because of this, he tried to avoid eating during group work activities; sometimes the group work sessions overran and Joe nearly had a ‘hypo’ on a couple of occasions. After some discussion with his teacher who offered to intervene on his behalf, Joe decided that he preferred to disclose his condition to his peers.

Joe didn’t want anyone in the work placement (a restaurant from a well known chain) to know about his condition, however, because he was worried he might be discriminated against if any jobs were to come up later. Following a risk assessment by his course tutors, it was established that he did not pose a threat to his own or other’s safety and so they supported his decision not to inform the employer.

Remember, the experience of disability is highly individualised, and people with the same impairment may have very different needs when it comes to making adjustments to practice. It is really important to have a discussion with the disabled person themselves about what their particular needs – and solutions – might be.