Inclusion Means

Down Write Brilliant

By Andrew Oswin (STRIVE Member)

Inclusion to me means having a paid job just like everyone else. One can be seen as a dumb person having no skills for the job and even if you demonstrate what you can do, for example having computer skills and preparing your own CV, some people believe that someone else must have done it for you. It is only in the last 40 years that babies with Down syndrome have received support in early childhood and school. Before that they lived in institutions so older people had never seen the abilities of people with Down syndrome. In the future I want to be in the mainstream workforce. I enjoy the routine, the pay, and the people I work with. People with Down syndrome need to be seen for their abilities. Public speaking and TV parts help this. Government paying for the first year and providing support when learning the job will make it easier for employers to see what we can do.