Disability Resource Centre Employer Academy Workshop Recruiting and Retaining Disabled People Rob Mayhew Partnership Manager Central Bedfordshire

2 Department for Work & Pensions Recruiting and Retaining Disabled People  Why Recruit Disabled People  Two Ticks Symbol  Access to Work  Disability Confident

3 Department for Work & Pensions Recruiting and Retaining Disabled People Why Recruit Disabled People? Research shows that:  Widen your potential pool of people to recruit from  Loyalty and Commitment  Retain experience and knowledge  Part of Corporate Social Responsibility

4 Department for Work & Pensions Recruiting and Retaining Disabled People What can you do to encourage applications from Disabled People ?  Different Formats and Fonts  Do you need an application form  Consider the criteria  Be inclusive  Two Ticks Symbol

5 Department for Work & Pensions Recruiting and Retaining Disabled People Retaining  Job Design  Alternative Jobs  Retraining  Involve other people  Access to Work  Work Choice  Occupational Psychologist

6 Department for Work & Pensions Two Ticks Symbol 5 Commitments  to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for a job vacancy and consider them on their abilities  to ensure there is a mechanism in place to discuss at any time, but at least once a year, with disabled employees what can be done to make sure they can develop and use their abilities  to take action to ensure that all employees develop the appropriate level of disability awareness needed to make these commitments work Recruiting and Retaining Disabled People

7 Department for Work & Pensions Recruiting and Retaining Disabled People  to make every effort when employees become disabled to make sure they stay in employment.  to take action to ensure that all employees develop the appropriate level of disability awareness needed to make these commitments work  to review each year the five commitments and what has been achieved, to plan ways to improve on them and to let employees and Jobcentre Plus know about progress and future plans

8 Department for Work & Pensions Recruiting and Retaining Disabled People Access to Work  communication support for interviews  travel within work  special aids and equipment  support worker, including interpreters  travel to work  miscellaneous

9 Department for Work & Pensions Recruiting and Retaining Disabled People Disability Confident  Government Campaign to encourage employers and change thinking about employing disabled people  Running for the last 12 months, all MPs contacted  District considering how to promote Disability Confident locally

10 Department for Work & Pensions Recruiting and Retaining Disabled People Useful Contacts Equality & Human Rights Commission Business Disability Forum Base Disability Action Alliance Mental Health Foundation Do It Profiler Hidden Impairment Group Disability Resource Centre

11 Department for Work & Pensions Recruiting and Retaining Disabled People QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION