Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- 1 The young deaf people and their families
- 2 Family life and communication
- 3 Experiences of education
- 4 The world of work
- 5 Deaf young people in a hearing world
- 6 Friendships, relationships and social life
- 7 Being deaf
- 8 The family and the young deaf person
- 9 Reflections
- References
- Appendices
- Index
4 - The world of work
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 26 March 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- 1 The young deaf people and their families
- 2 Family life and communication
- 3 Experiences of education
- 4 The world of work
- 5 Deaf young people in a hearing world
- 6 Friendships, relationships and social life
- 7 Being deaf
- 8 The family and the young deaf person
- 9 Reflections
- References
- Appendices
- Index
Summary
There is no progression in the job. Ideally I would have liked her to have had a job which she could have really enjoyed, where she could have progressed and earned a decent salary. It took a long time before we realised we were just dreaming. It just wasn't going to be reality. You start with such high hopes for your children. It took a long time to come down and accept that was all she was going to do.
Father of Fiona, 22 years, SSEThe period when the interviews were carried out, coming as it did when the young people were between 18 and 24, with most in the 20 to 22 age range, came at a time of transition, in terms of both working and social lives. This chapter is about the choices that were made around leaving school, entering work and/or training and deciding about future careers. Table 4.1 shows the status of the young people at the time of the interviews with both the parents and with the young people. These figures form the basis for much of the information in this chapter, therefore both sets are presented.
On first inspection, this would seem to paint an optimistic picture. Two-thirds of the sample were in employment and less than one in ten were unemployed. Figures such as these, showing as they do a picture of apparently high levels of employment, conceal a less encouraging picture of frustration and disappointment. Many parents felt their sons or daughters to be underemployed and not to have jobs that matched their capabilities.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Deaf Young People and their FamiliesDeveloping Understanding, pp. 90 - 121Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1995