Els on focusing on a person’s ability, not disability

Els has turned her personal experience with a neurological disability into a source of strength and inspiration for others.

Living with phonological dyslexia, a brain condition that affects her writing, reading, and spelling, Els, a dedicated business analyst at APM Employment Services, has faced several challenges.

Yet, she has never let her disability define her capabilities.

“I think it's a matter of getting to the point where you say to yourself, yes, I'm different, but I'm able,” Els shares.

This mindset has been crucial in her journey, allowing her to embrace her condition and use it to support others facing similar struggles.

Els's disability is not immediately visible, which often leads to misunderstandings.

“When people meet you, it's not clear they can't see it. But then when you start showing your disability, it's sometimes a bit confronting,” she explains.

Despite these challenges, Els has found a supportive and inclusive environment at APM.

“APM has been incredible by acknowledging my abilities instead of focusing on my disability,” she says with gratitude.

Joining the APM team was a transformative experience for Els.

“It's a sense of fulfilment because knowing that the work I was doing was changing people's lives, it just provided me with this sense of purpose that it wasn't just work anymore,” she recalls.

This sense of purpose has driven her to excel in her role, in a large team dedicated to helping others navigate their own disability with empathy and understanding.

Els's approach to her work is both practical and compassionate.

“You come in today and you can't spell ‘exercise’. You're just like, Oh well, it's just another day, thank goodness for spell check,” she says with a smile.

Her ability to relate to APM’s clients' experiences makes her an invaluable part of the APM team, where personal experiences are leveraged to provide genuine support.

Through her work, Els demonstrates that living with a disability can be a source of empowerment.

“I'm absolutely just loving what I'm doing and I'm doing it with a disability, and I don't feel that I need to hide it,” she says.

Ellie Cole’s Couch

In this incredible series, Ellie sat down with team members from across APM to discuss how their own experience with disability motivates and inspires them to support people with disability.