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Hello everyone my name is Alice I have worked at IHC for over two years. Getting this job has been one of the best things that has ever happened in my life.

I had prior work experience at the library of my local polytechnic after I had finished school but after Covid that stopped and I was looking for work, I came across Choices NZ which is how I heard about the reception job at IHC that was advertised.

I was looking for work for about four years; it felt like I would never get a job because every time I would hand in my CV to someone about a job I would never hear back from them.

I think what would have helped me find a job after I left school is if I was given some resources for my family and I to look over about different organisations that could help me find work.

At IHC, I have regular half hour meetings with both of my managers and in that time I am able to talk about anything I need help with and they go through new tasks with me before they give them to me.

My job involves greeting people at reception, getting meeting rooms set up, I deal with a lot of admin requests and queries, and I stand up for the rights of people with an intellectual disability like – myself.

The things I love most about working are I can earn my own money, I have made a lot of friends, and I have become more independent with catching public transport because I catch the train to work every day.

I feel like I have learned a lot more about customer service and how an office space works.

I would like to say to people who are currently looking for jobs that I know from personal experience that it probably feels like you are not getting jobs and you probably feel let down about it but I am sure that like me you will find someone to give you a chance.

And finally, what I would like to say to businesses that have not considered hiring someone with a disability yet is people with a disability have so much more potential than you realise, and when I got my job it not only changed my life it also changed the lives of my whole family. So, if you can just overlook the disability and see the same potential in someone else that people have seen in me, it will change their lives and their families lives too.

Thank you.

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Alice Matthews is a receptionist, administrator and advocate for IHC. Alice gave this speech at the launch of IHC's employment research report: Untapped Potential: The Employment Reality for People with Intellectual Disability. Find the report and supporting information here.