Sometimes it’s the journey that teaches you about your destination. Drake

Hello

This week we have been giving quote a lot of attention to disability. We are currently pulling together information to evidence achievement of Level 2 of becoming a Disability Confident Employer. We hadn’t previously been a Two Tick holder, so were required to start at Level 1. The Two Ticks scheme was recognition given by Jobcentre Plus to employers who demonstrated a positive attitude to applications from disabled people. In 2013, it was replaced by the Disability Confident campaign.

The Disability Confident Campaign comprises three levels:

Disability Confident, Committed – Level 1

Disability Confident Employer – Level 2

Disability Confident Leader – Level 3

With the agreement of Executive, we made our commitment to the Campaign in February 2017. We then had twelve months to progress to Level 2, measured via self-assessment. The Campaign has enabled us to identify physical and cultural barriers, and provided another perspective to an inclusive environment: In September 2017, we also made our first submission to Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index. This has a particular focus on sexual orientation and gender identity.

So what have we been doing towards achieving Level 2?

We’re taking steps to ensure our recruitment and selection processes are without bias.

• Positive statements are included in our job adverts and on our own web recruitment page;
• It is clear that we accept applications in alternative formats from disabled applicants;
• Managers are receiving recruitment and selection training, increasing their understanding and confidence of reasonable adjustments and the role of Access to Work, and
• We’ve begun to deliver unconscious bias training, exploring how bias can affect individual behaviours and our ability to create a fair and inclusive culture.

We already offered an Employee Assistance Programme with Validium and a member of the chaplaincy team on each of our three campuses and our new student village. Building on this, we signed up to The Workplace Wellbeing Charter and were awarded the first level – Commitment – at the end of 2017.

We are also developing relationships with local disability organisations. Placing our job adverts with them and investigating opportunities for work experience. This includes a partnership with National Star College and their Steps into Work Programme. There will be more about this particular relationship in a future blog, so keep a look out.

As an employer we work hard to attract and recruit high quality candidates. The Equality Challenge Unit Statistical Report, 2017 indicated that more than 1 in 10 students, or 11.3%, disclosed a disability. Almost 19% of our student population disclosed a disability in 2015/16. If we are serious about recruiting the best, we need to make our recruitment processes and work environments inclusive.

The deadline for our self – assessment is 28th February. We’re not too sure when we will hear whether we have achieved Level 2, but keep following if you are interested in finding out.