National Inclusion Week - our role as a Disability Confident Employer
Learn more about our commitments as a Disability Confident Employer.
As part of National Inclusion Week this is a really good opportunity to talk about some of the ways in which we try to be an inclusive employer and that includes being attractive to people who may want to come and work for an employer who is open to inclusivity and equipped to support individual needs.
Disability Confident is about creating a movement of change, encouraging employers to think differently about disability and take action to improve how they recruit, retain and develop disabled people.
Being Disability Confident is a unique opportunity to lead the way and demonstrate commitment. The Disability Confident scheme aims to help employers make the most of the opportunities provided by employing disabled people. It is voluntary and has been developed by employers and disabled people’s representatives. It provides a list of criteria or best practice for what an employer would do to attract, recruit, retain and support disabled people in the workplace.
The Wrekin Housing Group recently renewed its level 2 status meaning it can say it is a Disability Confident Employer. We hope by 2026 to be achieving towards level 3.
Our commitments
- Actively attract and recruit disabled people to help fill job opportunities
- Providing an accessible and inclusive recruitment process
- Proactively offer and make reasonable adjustments as required
- Ensure employees have EDI awareness training
- Promote a culture of being disability confident
- Remove barriers to the development and progression of disabled staff
- Value and listen to feedback
The latest estimate from the DWP Family Resources Survey indicates that up to 16 million people in the UK [2021/22] had a disability representing 24% of the population. 2019 ONS surveys show that there are clear inequalities between disabled and non-disabled people in terms of employment rates, home ownership, loneliness and access to education.
As an organisation it is important to recognise the valuable role we play in leading the way on recognising the barriers people face and to continually strive to question, challenge and improve them for the better.
The government Disability Action Plan 2023 / 2024 states that its aims to make this country the most accessible place in the world for disabled people to live, work and thrive and as a result change disabled people’s lives for the better.
Which links into Our Wrekin values to Make a Difference to Peoples Lives.
27th September 2023