We are working towards building an Inclusive Sussex, where all members of our community have equal access to opportunities, are enabled to fully meet their potential, and are supported to contribute.
The Inclusive Sussex strategy outlines our priorities around disability equality and inclusion work. It focuses on improving ways of working and campus accessibility to improve experiences for disabled staff, students and visitors.
Our goal is to provide equal access to excellent learning, research, and employment opportunities for all, with particular regard to disability and recognising the accessibility needs of those with other protected characteristics.
Disability Equality and Inclusion Steering Group
The Disability Equality and Inclusion Steering Group strategically steers and works collaboratively with teams across the University to address barriers and disadvantages experienced by disabled staff, students and visitors at Sussex.
The steering group, which restarted in 2023, supports and progresses key Inclusive Sussex activities. It includes representation from key stakeholders in Human Resources, Division for the Student Experience and Estates and Facilities to drive forward improvements in these areas. Membership also includes Disabled Students' Officers, Staff Disability Network and Neurodiversity Staff Network to ensure there is opportunity for feedback and to influence this work.
The steering group meets termly and its work is reviewed and monitored through the group Action Plan.
Disability Confident submission
The steering group and key stakeholders in Human Resources have been working to gather evidence to prepare for the University Disability Confident Leader submission.
Disability Confident is a voluntary Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) scheme, seeking to encourage best practice procedures and experiences in the recruitment and retention of disabled staff. There are three levels to the scheme. The University attained Level 2 ‘Employer’ through self-assessment in 2021.
There is a focus on our approach to recruitment and reasonable adjustments in the workplace. This includes our approach to the recruitment process, opt-in interview scheme, offering and implementing reasonable adjustments, and flexibility in assessment. This also includes our approach to disability equality awareness training, and in procurement of services.
There are also requirements relating to our wider approach to developing a culture of disability equality and inclusion. This includes support we offer to employees, our approach to development and progression, and how we value and listen to feedback from disabled staff.
Workplace Adjustments Toolkit
The Workplace Adjustment Toolkit provides updated guidance on workplace adjustments (or reasonable adjustments) for staff and managers. The toolkit includes information about manager responsibilities for how to arrange, implement, change and review adjustments, and signposts to sources of information and guidance for all staff.
Effective workplace adjustments remove barriers to enable staff to fulfil their potential. All managers should work proactively and collaboratively with staff to put in place workplace adjustments where needed.
This guidance has recently been updated, following the establishment of a Reasonable Adjustments Working Group by Human Resources to review and improve the current guidance and processes. The working group includes representation from the Staff Disability Network.
Disability Essentials e-learning
The Disability Essentials e-learning course by AccessAble was introduced in consultation with the steering group in Autumn 2023.
The content supports improving understanding and knowledge for those in staff and student facing roles across the University and is designed to ensure that people are confident and comfortable talking about disability and the social model of disability. Content combines legal expertise with the lived experience of disabled people to support staff in their knowledge and engagement with disabled staff and students.
It is highly recommended for all staff to complete this introductory course to support understanding and knowledge for staff and student facing roles across the University.
You can find the Disability Essentials course by searching in the catalogue on the LearnUpon webpage or going straight to the Disability Essentials training webpage when logged in.
Further resources:
- Technology Enhance Learning Digital Accessibility resources
- An Introduction to Digital Accessibility webinar video
- Business Disability Forum - all staff have access to their Knowledge Hub by registering with their Sussex email address.