Free webinar: Tips and tools for supporting disabled people in training and work

Disabled people have to apply for 60% more jobs than non-disabled people to secure a role, according to research from disability charity Scope.*

And the unemployment rate for disabled people aged 16-64 is 8% compared with 3.3% for non-disabled people. **

Workplace diversity has tangible and direct benefits, including making organisations more desirable places to work. Are you looking for ways to help support disabled people and people with additional needs in your workplace? Perhaps you need advice about how to help get on the employment ladder as a disabled person yourself, or you’re a careers advisor looking for guidance?

We want to ensure disabled people are aware of all the tools and resources available to improve their experiences in education, the workplace, and when seeking employment. In this webinar we highlight the benefits of employing a diverse and inclusive workforce, advice for helping disabled people find paid employment and apprenticeships, and how you can make adjustments to better support people with additional needs.

We share tools, apps, techniques and in-built features that can help disabled people in work, training and education. We also provide suggestions to encourage people with additional needs to feel more confident about speaking to employers about the support they’re entitled to. A Clear Talents™ profile, for example, can help employers make sure employees are treated fairly and given the best opportunity to do well.

About the webinar:

Disability Rights UK logo Adam Tweed of AbilityNet and Rabia Lemahieu of Disability Rights UK presented this webinar, bringing their breadth and depth of experience working with disabled people in different settings.

Rabia runs a training and advice programme for careers practitioners and other professionals who work with disabled young people in education, training and careers contexts.

Adam shared valuable tips and resources, and advice about technical adjustments to help disabled people.

During the webinar Rabia and Adam:

Provide information on resources and approaches for helping disabled people of working age to enter the workplace
Suggest adjustments you need to consider to support those with additional needs in the workplace
Outline the tools, apps and in-built features that can make a difference

Who is this webinar for?:

HR professionals
Careers advisers
Professionals who work with disabled young adults and students
Diversity and inclusion professionals
Disabled jobseekers who are looking for advice about support in the workplace or in education.

The webinar lasts 1 hour and includes a question and answer session. My Clear Text provided live captions during the webinar.

References:

* Glassdoor.com
** House of Commons Briefing Paper 17 May 2019

More information

You may also be interested in our previous webinars on similar topics:

What every HR professional needs to know about reasonable adjustments

How computers can help reduce stress at work

Virtual Reality, Disability and Inclusive Design

Disability and employment factsheet

See our information for HE and FE Disability Advisers

Webinar recording, slide deck and transcript

This webinar has already taken place. A recording of the webinar is available on-demand below, along with a transcript and the slide deck used.

Important note about the webinar Q&A:

Rabia Lemahieu wishes to provide this amended response to the question posed within the Q&A section of the webinar:
Do those in voluntary positions have the same rights as those in paid positions?

Under the Equality Act 2010, disabled people should be treated equally and protection from discrimination such as education, employment, exercise of public functions, goods, services, facilities and transport. The Equality Act says there is a duty to make reasonable adjustments if you’re placed at a substantial disadvantage because of your disability compared with non-disabled people, or people who do not share your disability.

However, Gov.UK advises “You do not have a contract of employment as a volunteer, so you do not have the same rights as an employee or worker.” And, volunteers cannot apply for Access to Work support. The National Council for Voluntary Organisations has said “while volunteers may not be protected as employees under the Act, it is not acceptable to discriminate against them.” And some volunteers may be covered under the Equality Act 2010. For advice on discrimination you can contact the Equality Advisory Support Service (EASS). For more information on the legal status of volunteers you can contact the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).