Young brain injury survivors ‘should be allowed to prove themselves in the workplace’

Many young brain injury survivors have a strong desire to return to work or education after their injury.

But according to case manager Martin Gascoigne of Neuro Case Management, they are rarely given the opportunity to do so.

The NR Times award-winning case manager has spent more than two decades supporting people with acquired brain injuries to rebuild their lives.

During that time, Gascoigne has seen first hand how motivated many young people are to move forward after their injury.

The problem, he says, is not always a lack of ambition but a lack of opportunity.

“Many of the young people I work with desperately want to get back into society,” he explains.

“They want to study, they want to work and they want to feel they have a future.

“The difficulty is that the systems around them are often not set up to make that possible.”

The impact of a brain injury can vary widely. Some people recover a significant level of independence, while others face lasting cognitive, emotional or physical difficulties.

But even those who are capable of returning to education or employment often encounter barriers long before they reach a classroom or workplace.

Gascoigne says the first challenge often arises when a young person tries to return to education.

Universities and colleges may be open to supporting disabled students, but the process of gaining access can be complex and demanding, Gascoigne explains.

“There are usually a lot of assessments before a university will accept someone with a significant disability,” he says.

“They want to know whether that person can cope with the course and whether they are likely to complete it.”

Even if the student is capable academically, practical issues can quickly arise.

Many campuses operate in historic buildings that were never designed with accessibility in mind. Adapting them for one student can require major investment.

“You might be asking an institution that has functioned in the same way for well over a century to suddenly make significant structural changes,” Gascoigne explains.

“Those adaptations can cost tens of thousands of pounds, and not every university is willing or able to do that.”

As a result, some students are forced to compromise.

Gascoigne recalls supporting a young woman who had planned to study at university before sustaining a serious brain injury in a road traffic collision.

She remained determined to complete her degree, but the way she did so had to change.

“In the end a lot of her studying was done remotely,” Gascoigne says.

“Working from home meant she could use the equipment and support she needed.

“It was not the university experience she had originally planned, but it allowed her to achieve her goal.”

If education presents obstacles, employment can be even harder to access.

Gascoigne believes the biggest challenge is the structure of the modern workplace, which often leaves little room for people with fluctuating health needs.

“Most workplaces in the UK are simply not designed to support people with complex disabilities,” he says.

“Large organisations sometimes have the resources to adapt roles, but many employers do not.”

Fatigue is one of the most common long term consequences of brain injury. It can make full time work unrealistic, even for individuals who are otherwise capable.

Gascoigne says: “Someone may be able to concentrate for a few hours, but they might then need to rest. In a traditional job, that can be very difficult to manage.”

This creates a situation in which young people who want to work struggle to find employers willing to offer flexibility.

“In the 16 years I have been running my company, I could probably count on one hand the number of people I have helped return to full employment,” Gascoigne says.

“That is not because they lack motivation. It is because the opportunities simply are not there.”

The challenge is often compounded by the familiar problem of experience.

Young people leaving education are frequently told they need work experience before they can be hired, yet they cannot gain that experience without first being offered a role.

“One client of mine went for an interview and was asked how much experience he had,” Gascoigne recalls.

“He had just finished university. His response was simple. How can I gain experience if nobody is prepared to give me the chance?”

Despite these difficulties, there have been moments of progress.

Gascoigne believes the shift towards remote working during the COVID pandemic briefly opened new possibilities for disabled people.

“For many people with disabilities, that period was actually quite empowering,” he says.

“Working from home meant they could use their own adapted equipment and manage their health more easily.”

However, he believes that momentum has not been fully maintained as workplaces return to traditional patterns.

For those who cannot secure paid employment, vocational roles can still provide an important sense of purpose.

Gascoigne describes one client who now works on a hospital reception desk, welcoming visitors and helping people find their way around the building.

“He is very sociable and loves interacting with people,” Gascoigne says.

“The environment is accessible and he is not under pressure to meet strict targets. He contributes in a way that works for him.”

Ultimately, Gascoigne believes the key issue is not whether young people with brain injuries want to work.

In his experience, many do.

The real challenge is whether society is willing to make space for them.

“These young people often have the determination to rebuild their lives,” Gascoigne says.

“What they need is the opportunity to show what they can do.”