Transition to work for disabled students AGCAS Conference 2009 Marina Matosic (Employability and Careers Adviser, MMU) Dr Eddie Tunnah (Head of Employment and Careers Service, Roehampton University) Paul Barnes (Co Chair AGCAS Disability Task Group, University of Portsmouth Amy Bryant (Senior Policy Adviser, ECU)

Outline of session  Introductions (AGCAS Disability Task Group & Equality Challenge Unit)  AGCAS findings from What Happens Next Report, March 2009  ECU recommendations and findings from Transition to Work for Disabled Students, May 2008  Discussion and Action Points

AGCAS Disability Task Group 7 members 3 meetings per year “ What Happens Next?” report (annual)  Training for AGCAS members (annual)  Support for research (e.g. stammering)  Establishing links, sharing practice (JobCentre Plus, Employability)  Advocacy (Political parties)  Information sharing, support, advice (DDN)

Equality Challenge Unit  Established in 2001 to promote equality for staff in higher education in the UK  Remit extended in 2006 to include students  Funded by the 4 UK higher education funding Councils, Universities UK and GuildHE  15 staff, based in London

ECU Remit  Equality Challenge Unit supports the higher education sector to realise the potential of all staff and students whatever their race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief, or age, to the benefit of those individuals, higher education institutions and society.

AGCAS What Happens Next…  Annual report by AGCAS DTG  Based on Destinations of Leavers from HE survey  Compares outcomes of disabled and non- disabled graduates 6 months out  Used by AGCAS members, disability groups, researchers

Number of disabled first degree full-time graduates in 2007  16,435 disabled graduates (2006 figure 14,895)  173,070 non-disabled graduates (172,860)  8.7% of all graduates with known classification disabled (2006 figure 7.9%)  Number of disabled graduates increased by 1540 (10.3%) in just one year.

Numbers by specific disability  Dyslexia : 9515 (2006 figure 8490)  Blind/Partially Sighted: 330 (305)  Deaf / Hearing Impairment: 545 (505)  Wheelchair User / Mobility Difficulties: 435 (405)  Personal Care Support: 15 (15)  Mental Health Difficulties: 590 (455)  Autistic Spectrum Disorder: 90 (40)  An Unseen Disability: 2715 (2560)  Multiple Disabilities: 715 (580)  A Disability Not Listed Above: 1485 (1540)

Destinations of Disabled Graduates

Destinations of Non-Disabled Graduates

Destinations of Disabled Graduates by Occupation

Destinations of Non-Disabled Graduates by Occupation

Graduate Level Occupations % in Graduate Level Occupations (SOCS 1,2 & 3) Disabled Non disabled

Annual Salary of Employed Respondents

Destinations of Dyslexic Graduates

Destinations of Blind/ Partially Sighted Graduates

Destinations of Wheelchair User/Mobility Difficulties Graduates

Destinations of Graduates with Mental Health Difficulties

What Happens Next… Conclusions:  Overall disabled graduates are not performing as well in labour market as non-disabled  However gap has narrowed over last 5 years  Difference between disabled groups  Last report written pre-recession (2007 leavers)

ECU Transition to Work Report, May 2008  The report investigated: –HEI Careers Services support to disabled students making transition to work  The report provides: –Practical advice to careers advices giving support to disabled students  Note: there’s opportunity for group discussion at the end

Key findings:  Disclosure: –Lack of confidence to disclose to prospective employer –Potential for negative impact of disclosing an impairment  Careers Advice solutions: –Training in understanding of provision under DDA (for students and staff) –Initiatives to encourage disclosure

Key findings continued:  Maintaining Optimism and Encouraging Engagement from disabled students: –Disabled students approaching Careers Service at final hour –Perception that finding work will be difficult  Careers support: –Running careers fairs requiring all employers to bring statement/resources on how they support disabled staff

Key findings continued:  Work placements and volunteering: –Additional barriers for disabled students (dependant on impairment type?) –More pronounced given current economic climate?  Potential solutions: –Making links with employers and advising on employment initiatives

Legal context  Disability Equality Duty requires HEIs to update Disability Equality Schemes (DES) by 4 December 2009  Disabled people (including staff, students and visitors/other users of HEI) need to be involved in creation of new Scheme and action plan  Opportunity for Careers Services to help shape actions for disabled students in new DES?

Current policy context  Leitch Review (final report Dec 2006) –More than 20% of people economically inactive –2.7 million people either disabled or with health problems claim out of work benefits –Employment levels lowest amongst lone parents, ethnic minorities and disabled people –Recommends skills training to create a skilled workforce by 2020  Leitch followed by hefce/UUK/CBI report: Stepping Higher, October 2008

Discussion Three discussion groups: 1.Disclosure 2.Optimism 3.Work Experience What work is being undertaken at your HEI in the area? What additional work would you like to happen?

AGCAS DDN Discussion List E mail facility for the sharing of careers and disability information, the exchange of ideas and requesting of information Areas covered by the discussion list include:  alerting members to new resources and publications  seeking advice on client issues  research projects regarding disability and/or careers  disseminating events (such as DDN training events)  contacts of interest etc….

Working with disabled students – an Induction Pack for AGCAS members Find out about:  Disability Awareness  Making your careers service accessible  Specialist disability organisations  Relevant disability legislation  Support from Jobcentre Plus  Support students can access at university  Work Experience and Employment- useful contacts  Disclosure of Disability  Download your own copy from the AGCAS website

Resources:  AGCAS (DTG) Destination Reports: Happens-Next-A-Report-on-the-First-Destinations- of-Disabled-Graduates Happens-Next-A-Report-on-the-First-Destinations- of-Disabled-Graduates  ECU Transition to Work Report:  RADAR Doing Work Differently: getting and keeping a job while managing impairment: 8/default.aspx

 Writing Disability Equality Schemes:  Stepping Higher: Workforce development through employer- higher education partnership (2008): SteppingHigher.pdf SteppingHigher.pdf

Contacts Amy Bryant 7th Floor Queens House 55/56 Lincoln's Inn Fields London WC2A 3LJ Tel: Fax: Paul Barnes Co Chair AGCAS Disability Task Group Careers and Employability Service University of Portsmouth Tel: (02392)