Andy Sahota, founder of ShowFighter productions, has partnered with Shani Dhanda, a disability activist, to launch a new internship to help those with disabilities enter the events industry.
The internship is a result of Sahota’s and Dhanda’s concern that the events industry “under represents disabled people” and therefore, overlooks talented professionals. The launch also stems from Dhanda’s own personal experiences.
Dhanda was rejected from over 100 jobs after disclosing her disability (brittle bone disease) to potential employers.
The latest research by disability charity Scope, where Dhanda is an ambassador, found three out of four people with disabilities have experienced negative attitudes or behaviours in the last five years.
Dhanda said: “I was born with a rare genetic condition and I really struggled to get a job at the age of 16. I went to the University of Wolverhampton and started a degree in event management – I felt I had no other choice, because I struggled to even get a part-time job that required no qualifications.”
Breaking the stigma
Despite this, with Sahota’s support, she entered the events industry and became an event manager.
“Shani has been the best events professional I’ve ever worked with, and I’ve learnt so much from her too. It’s because she lives in a world that isn’t designed for her, that makes her so creative, which is the skill you need in this industry,” said Sahota.
“She’s broadened my awareness of the lives of disabled people, and as soon as she shared the internship idea with me, I wanted to get behind it straight away.”
“There’s still a massive stigma around employing disabled people, especially in the events industry. Our story just goes to show how one person or one decision can change the course of somebody else’s life,” added Dhanda.
