3 December is the annual date of observance for International Day of Persons with Disabilities, first proclaimed by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in 1992. It aims to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development, and to increase awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.

The theme for this year is "amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future." This theme recognises the important role that disabled people play in creating a more inclusive and sustainable world for all and in decision-making processes that affect their lives.    

This date falls within UK Disability History Month, with activities on campus and online.

The University is a member of Business Disability Forum, a leading business membership organisation in disability inclusion. 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. Their resources open to all include:

• If you don’t mind me asking… webisode and podcast page exploring the lives of disabled people, how they see themselves and their experiences.

• A to Z of disability resource of key terms and topics including accessibility, common conditions and less visible disabilities.

We encourage you to explore the resources available, get involved and get in touch through support at Sussex:

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.  

Resources and support for staff

• All staff are encouraged to complete the Disability Essentials elearning on LearnUpon. The course aims to support all staff in their knowledge and engagement with disabled staff and students through content informed by legal expertise and those with lived experience of disability. 

• 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.  

• 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

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