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Started in 2010, UK Disability History Month (UKDHM) is an annual event creating a platform to focus on the history of the fight for equality and human rights for disabled people. Its aim is to celebrate the lives of disabled people, challenge ableism and achieve equality. This week marks the start of UKDHM 2024.

This year the theme is Disability, Livelihood and Employment. While the number of disabled people in employment continues to rise, the disability employment rate has yet to return to its pre-pandemic trend (source: Labour Force Survey). While protection from discrimination in hiring, promotion, training and dismissal and a duty of reasonable adjustment have improved, stereotypes, barriers and prejudices still impact on disabled people in the workplace.

David Ruebain, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Culture, Equality and Inclusion says “This year, the theme of Disability History Month - Disability, Livelihood and Employment - invites us to focus not only on employment of disabled people but more broadly on thriving at work.  I am very pleased that the University has recently attained Disability Confident Leader status, but the work doesn't stop there.  Our data shows material under-representation in senior positions together with a stubborn disability pay gap, as well as a need to maintain our focus on improving accessibility.  We will continue to work on these with important positive action and other plans.”

You can find more information about disability equality and inclusion at Sussex on the disability equality webpages, and the latest disability equality and inclusion update.

Resources and Support for Staff

• All staff are encouraged to complete the Disability Essentials elearning on LearnUpon. 

• Workplace adjustments remove or reduce barriers a staff member may be facing, enabling them to do their job. Effective workplace adjustments remove barriers and enable staff to fulfil their potential, and the University’s updated Workplace Adjustment Toolkit provides guidance for staff and managers.  

• All staff have access to the Business Disability Forum Knowledge Hub by registering with their Sussex email address. Managers and HR can contact BDF confidential Advice Service.

• The Staff Disability Network is for Sussex staff who self-identify as having a disability. The network hosts termly drop-ins, offers email support and a Teams channel for peer-to-peer connection. The network seeks to raise awareness across campus with events and advocacy within decision-making and policy change. If you would like to join the network or would like further information, you can contact the network by emailing staffdisabilitynetwork@sussex.ac.uk

Resources and Support for Students

• Find out about the help available for disabled students, and students with a learning difficulty or ongoing physical or mental health condition. Information for students is available on the Disability Advice page and the Student Hub for health, support and wellbeing services available at Sussex. 

• The Disability Advice team provide confidential information and advice to current and future students on disability-related study support and accessing disability-related funding. 

• Students can also find out more about reasonable adjustments for assessment, teaching and exceptional circumstances.   

Events on campus and online

To mark UKDHM the Disability flag will be flying from Sussex House over the coming weeks, and there are events on campus and online:

Business Disability Forum online information session 

• Thursday 21 November, 10:30 until 11:30 (Online)

Business Disability Forum (BDF) have a range of resources, including content on accessibility, workplace adjustments, and condition and disability specific information.  

Join this information session, led by Keith Harris, Disability Business Partner for BDF to find out more about the resources and how to utilise them to support you in your role. 

Register on this workshop through LearnUpon. Please log in to LearnUpon first for this link to take you there directly. 

Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) event: Living with motor neurone disease: a special talk for Disability History Month

• Wednesday 27 November, 12:30 until 13:30 (Online)

This one-hour online talk will provide an overview of motor neurone disease (MND), local MND services and research. We will explore what it means to live well with MND.

Join Rachel Thomson, Sussex MND Care & Research Network Coordinator, and Fiona Eldridge, MND Specialist practitioner, Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, for this online event, hosted by Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) for Disability History Month.

BDF webinar: Inclusive Enough? Navigating self-ID in the workplace

• Tuesday 26 November, 14:00 until 15:00 (Online)

Is it really necessary for employees to share information about their disabilities in a truly inclusive workplace? We will dive into this important debate and explore how organisations can support all employees, however they choose to identify.

This webinar will be hosted by Texthelp and introduced by Donna Thomson, Principal Marketing Specialist, Texthelp. Hear best practices and challenges from leading voices on how to support employees with sharing, and learn actionable steps to enhance EDI efforts and support diverse identities.

Introducing Down Syndrome Development Trust bagel van 

The University, in collaboration with Sussex Uni Food, has launched a new project supporting the Down Syndrome Development Trust (DSDT) – ‘Relish’ the Bagel Food Van Micro Business Project is a bagel van installed on campus, run by the DSDT along with young people aged 16-25.

This initiative aims to address inequalities that lead to the institutionalisation of people with learning disabilities as they age, and reflects the University’s commitment to kindness and inclusion, setting an example for other institutions to follow.

Head over to Bramber House lawns between 10am-2.30pm on a Thursday or Friday this term to support this initiative. Grab a large, fluffy bagel from Relish, with your preferred toppings, for a good cause. 

Further resources

• Please Let Me In? How digital accessibility opens doors to disabled users video – Adi Latif, from AbilityNet, speaks about accessibiity
• An Introduction to Digital Accessibility webinar
• What is accessibility? Information and guidance on creating accessible content

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