Wanted: A Very Personal Assistant, Episode 1

9pm, BBC Three:

There are currently around 300,000 young disabled people in the UK who rely on carers for their daily needs. For many of these ambitious young people, finding the right carer is the difference between achieving their ambitions or a life unfulfilled. But as a young disabled person in Britain your options are limited, as the majority of people working in care are over 40 years old.

But with three quarters of a million young people under 24 currently looking for work, could the solution being staring us in the face?

This groundbreaking series explores what happens when four young ambitious disabled people put all their care needs in the hands of unemployed people their own age. But there’s a catch – to ensure applicants come with an open mind, the exact nature of the job and the employer’s disabilities aren’t revealed until the final job interview.

Will seeing the world from a different point of view help break down preconceptions of disability and unemployment? Could challenging shared experiences lead to lasting friendships and even a rewarding new career?

The first programme sees our young disabled people interviewing potential candidates, and the successful applicants getting to grips with the many challenges of personal care.

At university, 23-year-old Michael Cattermole’s hobbies were sport, partying and girls, but an accident on a night out two years ago has left him paralysed from the neck down. Having been through almost 50 carers in a year, Michael is hoping to find someone who he feels comfortable with.

24-year-old Rupy Kaur is a psychology student with cerebral palsy. She’s living with her extended family of 12 people in Manchester, but is looking for a switched-on carer who can help her find a house of her own, and help her become more independent.

21-year-old Josh Robertson is currently making waves on the London comedy scene. He suffered brain damage in a quad bike accident when he was 11, and is looking for a carer who can go out and party with him, and help him meet girls.

Jasmine Rankin is a 21-year-old receptionist from Taunton, Somerset with spinal muscular atrophy. She is looking for a carer who can tackle both boozy nights out and her intimate personal care.

Both the employers and their carers are pushed far out of their comfort zones, physically and emotionally. And after an intensive trial period, will it prove to be a match made in heaven, some people’s idea of hell, or the start of a beautiful new career?

In part one, Michael’s carer Denny Lee struggles with Michael’s care needs, especially bowel management, Josh’s carer Francesca battles with Josh’s crude humour and his love of boozing, and Jasmine’s carer Emily tackles the intimate personal care with aplomb – but fails dramatically on the domestic chores front.