Former teaching assistant Kyrun is turning a lifelong passion for motorsport photography into a growing self-employment venture with support from Seetec’s Connect to Work programme, funded by Hampshire County Council.
Living with Still’s disease, a form of arthritis diagnosed when he was just six years old, Kyrun has faced significant challenges throughout his life, including worsening mobility, paralysis, and multiple joint replacements.
Kyrun previously worked as a teaching assistant on a rolling contract, but after he became seriously unwell and spent an extended period in hospital, the new leadership team chose not to renew his contract.
Suddenly unemployed and facing ongoing hospital appointments, Kyrun found himself reconsidering what work could realistically look like alongside his health needs.
Passion for Photography Leads to Connect to Work
Despite these setbacks, he remained determined to build a future around his creativity and passion for motorsport and aviation photography.
While eager to return to work, Kyrun knew he needed a career path that offered both flexibility and sustainability around his conditions.
After spending six months considering his options, Kyrun heard about Connect to Work through family members and made a self-referral to the programme.
Working closely with his Employment Specialist, Annie, he completed a detailed vocational profile exploring his strengths, ambitions, and long-term goals.
Together, they identified self-employment as a realistic way to turn his dream of becoming a freelance motorsport photographer into a sustainable career.
Tailored Support Uncovers Self-employment Pathway
Working on a freelance basis offered the flexibility Kyrun needed to manage his health while pursuing a career built around his passions.
With the right support in place, everything aligned – he just needed help getting into the right gear.
Connect to Work provided tailored support to help Kyrun take practical steps towards self-employment, including guidance around licensing, marketing his work, selling photography, and building confidence within the industry.
The ongoing encouragement and personalised support helped him move from simply considering the idea to actively building his own business.
Connect to Work supports people living with disabilities, health conditions and other complex barriers to find the right employment opportunities, including through self-employment or traditional employment.
“Annie motivated, guided and encouraged me to take the right steps and helped me make the decision I’d been pondering for so long – to become self-employed. It’s not just filling in forms, it’s real support to improve my life.
Kyrun
Major Milestone Achieved
Recently, Kyrun achieved two major milestones as the photographer for the Bognor Regis Motor Club at Goodwood Motor Circuit and the Honda NSX Owners Club at Curborough Sprint Course).
These assignments were his first as official media contributor, photographing high-performance and historic racing vehicles trackside.
Connect to Work continues to support Kyrun as he develops his photography business, builds industry relationships, and explores additional paid employment opportunities.
His journey highlights the impact personalised employment support can have in helping people overcome barriers, build confidence, and turn passion into sustainable career opportunities.
Curious about Kyrun’s photography business? Visit kjsnaps95.com to learn more.
Find the route to sustainable work with personalised support – learn more here.
