Episode 228 - Disability inclusion in the workplace

Yeah, I think it's phenomenally important and it's a really great programme of people.

One of the things that, if I'm honest, when I first started working at government level, which is a good 10 years ago plus now, the gap was always about employer engagement.

So I think in having a programme of work with people who are employed in their sectors and can engage with employers in their sectors was a really clever step because actually, as we're going to talk about the Charlie Maynard review and the Keep Britain Working, employers hold all the cards in this space.

So actually, I think what the ambassadors do is link employers with government policy.

We're able to influence up, possibly not as much as we would like to, but I think I've seen a change over the last four years in terms of our influence and level of trust and access.

But also that we can bring things back to the employers.

So we're going to talk about dispelling myths.

And I think one of the things that the Disability and Access Ambassadors all do is create positivity around disability.

So go out there and talk about the opportunities, the positive change that we can make to people's lives.

the positive impact disabled people can have in our organisations and in our different sectors.

And I think the ambassadorial role allows us to champion that collectively.

So like Eddie, what I've really benefited from is learning how to do that in different sectors.

I mean, as a culture consultant, I'm working across many sectors anyway.

But, you know, I had this day, I actually videoed it, which was very unlike me.

But I was in the DWP.

I went straight from there to the Globe Theatre for a lovely dinner with my DAA colleagues.

disability and access ambassador colleagues.

And then the next day I was at HS2 championing the disability confident module that we're doing as part of my DAA role with the recruitment sector.

And then the next day you're at Lloyds of London and so on and so forth.

And that's all made possible by the disability and access ambassador's role to an extent.

But I think what the individuals appointed to the DAA roles do is make that possible for government because we are chosen because of our opportunity and our ability to influence our own sector and across broader sectors because it's an influence role.

So we want to make change happen.

We all want to write new policies, but actually that's not what this is about.

What this role is about is influencing systemic change.

And I think that's what is one of the greatest benefits of the programme.

Yeah, I think it's phenomenally important and it's a really great programme of people.

One of the things that, if I'm honest, when I first started working at government level, which is a good 10 years ago plus now, the gap was always about employer engagement.

So I think in having a programme of work with people who are employed in their sectors and can engage with employers in their sectors was a really clever step because actually, as we're going to talk about the Charlie Maynard review and the Keep Britain Working, employers hold all the cards in this space.

So actually, I think what the ambassadors do is link employers with government policy.

We're able to influence up, possibly not as much as we would like to, but I think I've seen a change over the last four years in terms of our influence and level of trust and access.

But also that we can bring things back to the employers.

So we're going to talk about dispelling myths.

And I think one of the things that the Disability and Access Ambassadors all do is create positivity around disability.

So go out there and talk about the opportunities, the positive change that we can make to people's lives.

the positive impact disabled people can have in our organisations and in our different sectors.

And I think the ambassadorial role allows us to champion that collectively.

So like Eddie, what I've really benefited from is learning how to do that in different sectors.

I mean, as a culture consultant, I'm working across many sectors anyway.

But, you know, I had this day, I actually videoed it, which was very unlike me.

But I was in the DWP.

I went straight from there to the Globe Theatre for a lovely dinner with my DAA colleagues.

disability and access ambassador colleagues.

And then the next day I was at HS2 championing the disability confident module that we're doing as part of my DAA role with the recruitment sector.

And then the next day you're at Lloyds of London and so on and so forth.

And that's all made possible by the disability and access ambassador's role to an extent.

But I think what the individuals appointed to the DAA roles do is make that possible for government because we are chosen because of our opportunity and our ability to influence our own sector and across broader sectors because it's an influence role.

So we want to make change happen.

We all want to write new policies, but actually that's not what this is about.

What this role is about is influencing systemic change.

And I think that's what is one of the greatest benefits of the programme.