I am just recovering from a major illness, and as such I am finding it very hard to get back into full time employment. When I also tell prospective employers I have a hearing problem, I can see their faces change, as if to say 'don't waste any more of my time', then they talk to me like an idiot. I am a qualified and highly skilled cabinet maker, and also have professional management qualifications. I was told there would be financial help in the area. No such thing! I want to get back into full time work but as mentioned, as soon as any employer hears "disabled" in any way, shape or form, they suddenly change their attitude. When I discovered there was a large amount of disabled and disadvantaged people in the area I thought I would try and get something together to help them and myself back into full time employment. My plan is to start a small retail business with the sole purpose of providing work experience for this group of people, with the aim of providing them with a reference and possible job interview at the end of their six to eight week stint in the shop. I may also extend this, for the right person to six months teaching them high quality wood working, selling our products at country fairs and craft fairs. We could also support individuals to go to college to obtain qualifications to improve their chances of getting into full time employment. We need this money to fit out and stock up the shop to start. Let make a difference to the lives of disabled people. We can do it if we all work together and change the definition to "ALTERNATIVE ABILITIES"