The Power of InclusionCreating a culture of inclusion

Presented by Shape

Tony Heaton Chief Executive Officer

Jenny Taylor Programme Manager – Employment, Leadership and Youth Services

Rachel Ho Programme Coordinator – Employment, Leadership and Youth Services

What is Shape?

• Shape is a disability-led arts organisation.

• We support disabled people to access arts and culture.

Today’s Session• Social Model vs Medical Model• Film – An Employer’s Perspective• Statistics• The Business Case• Debunking the Myths• Building Inclusion• Low Cost – High Impact Strategies• Group Exercise

Social Model vs Medical Model

Social Model vs Medical Model Social Model• Values social experience

of disability• Society disables people• Solutions/change as

social responsibility • Macro vs micro level

Medical Model• Disability viewed as

personal problem• Focus on disease and

diagnosis• Power in hands of

medical professionals• Ignores social experience

of disability

Film - An employer's perspective

• A film by Casual Films looking at the benefits of hiring a disabled person

What are the statistics?

What are the statistics?

How many disabled people are in the UK?

There are over eleven million people with a limiting

long term illness or impairment in Great Britain. 

Statistics from DWP - Office for Disability Issues 

What are the statistics?

How many wheelchair users are in the UK?

The majority of impairments are not visible.

Less than 8% of disabled people use wheelchairs - there are only 750,000 or

so wheelchair users in the UK.

Statistics from DWP - Office for Disability Issues 

What are the statistics?

What percentage of working age disabled people are

employed in the UK?

 In 2012, 46.3 % of working age disabled people are in employment compared to 76.4  & of working age

non-disabled people. 

Statistics from DWP - Office for Disability Issues 

What are the statistics?

Do disabled people want to work?

There are currently 1.3 million disabled people in the UK who are

available for and want work.

Statistics from DWP - Office for Disability Issues 

What are the statistics?

How many people are born with a disability in the UK?

Only 17% of disabled people were born with impairments, the majority

of disabled people acquire their impairment later in their lives.

Statistics from DWP - Office for Disability Issues 

What are the statistics?How does acquiring a disability

affect people in work?

One of the key reasons for the low employment rate of disabled people is that 1 in 6 of those who become disabled while in work, lose their employment during the first year

after becoming disabled.

Statistics from DWP - Office for Disability Issues 

Why recruit disabled people?

Why recruit disabled people?• The Equality Act 2010 protects people

from discrimination on the basis of certain characteristics:

Disability, Gender reassignment, Marriage or civil partnership, Pregnancy and maternity, Race, Religion or belief, Sexual orientation, Sex (gender), Age

• But it’s not just about legislation; an open and inclusive workplace culture creates positive & committed staff, happier at work, who stay longer & stay healthier

Inclusion = good business sense

Inclusion = good business sense

• Creates a diverse, creative & innovative workforce, which helps to increase staff performance and loyalty

• Builds staff morale, raises awareness of workplace practices & conditions

• Simple adjustments for a disabled person can have little or no cost - bringing benefits for other employees & customers

Inclusion = good business sense

• 2% of the workforce become disabled every year - good processes reduce disability related absence, injury caused at work and unnecessary ill health retirement

• If one million unemployed disabled people who want to work, were employed over the next decade, UK would save £7 billion in benefits

Debunking the myths

Debunking the myths• Myth #1 - Disabled people CAN’T work• 1 in 8 employees disabled people are in work in the UK• Over 90% of employers who hired a disabled person said they would

be happy to continue to employ disabled people

• Myth #2 - Disabled people are less productive than other employees

• 90% of disabled employees record productivity rates equal or greater than other workers

• Myth #3 - Disabled people are all the same• Individuals with different skills and capabilities – some people will be

right, others will not

• Myth #4 - Disabled people are a health and safety risk• Disabled employees averaged one sixth the recorded occupational

health and safety incidents of employees without disability

Debunking the myths• Myth #5 – It costs more to hire a disabled person• 65% of employers rated the financial effect of workplace

adjustments to be cost neutral

• Myth #6 – Changing policies and practices is about charity• It creates a workplace which is more flexible and inclusive of

people with diverse needs

• Myth #7 – People’s disability cause barriers to employment• Many barriers are problems with the employment system

• Myth #8 – You can tell if someone has a disability• Many are ‘hidden’ and are difficult to observe

Building inclusion

Building inclusion• Be clearly flexible about working

arrangements and make the time and space to discuss these

• Assume that there may be staff with less visible impairments or conditions

• Don’t be afraid to ask all staff what reasonable adjustments might be required

Building inclusion

Building inclusion• Give staff questionnaire with a new starter

pack, asking if any adjustments needed to fully participate - identify issues early

• Ask people how they are and whether they have what they need, especially when people start work in a new role or return to work after a leave of absence

• Be open to discussion and contact when someone is on a period of sick leave

Building inclusion• Adjust work roles on an individual, personalised

and flexible basis

• Tackle any performance issues on an informal basis first before escalating to formal disciplinary panels

• Adapt style of delegating tasks and setting expectations to the individual, and provide mentoring for employees

Low Cost - High Impact

Low Cost - High Impact

• Communication and mutual understanding

• Many reasonable adjustments are simple and cost little or no money

• Access to work – Government scheme to help with costs

• Training and induction

Shape Training Courses

• Disability Equality Training• Employing Disabled People• Accessible Marketing• Organising Accessible Events• Customer Care• …and more

Contact Shape

For further information contact Shape Training:

Telephone: 020 7424 7330Email: training@shapearts.org.ukWebsite: www.shapearts.org.uk

Sources of Information:

• Department for Work and Pensions, Employers' Forum on Disability, CIPD, RADAR,Equality and Humans Rights, Commission, Australian Network on Disability, Papworth Trust, Disability Rights UK

Cartoons courtesy of Crippen.

Copyright © 2012 Shape, Charity No. 279184

Any questions?

Group Discussions