Disability
Disability
A wide variety of employers display the Disability Confident logo on their recruitment literature and is worth looking out for. This means that the employer will guarantee an interview to a disabled applicant provided that they meet the minimum entry requirements.
The Guild, Wellbeing and Career Zone hosted the "Student Life and Beyond: Studying with Disabilities" Forum in November 2018. The event included students and alumni sharing their experiences of studying and pursuing their careers whilst living with a disability. To view a recording of the event see:
If you may be interested in exploring where disabled graduates have gone on to in the past take a look at the ‘What Happens Next’ report by the AGCAS Disability Task Group (A few years old now but still a useful source of information).
If you have not accessed it already there is support available at the University of Exeter to help you throughout your degree from our Accessibility and Wellbeing teams. Further details can be found below:
Exeter Campus:
Cornwall Campus:
- Access to Work - Government Scheme designed to provide help to disabled people who are about to start a job or who are already in work
- The Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Advice and Support Services - support services available up until the age of 25. However, they are a great source of knowledge on everything from benefits, legal advice eg applications for PIP etc.
- Breakthrough UK - Manchester based organisation offering employment support and training to disabled people.
- British Association for Supported Employment (BASE) - the national voice for providers of specialist employment support.
- Directgov - offers practical information on rights for people with disabilities.
- Disability Rights UK - Support and advice on a range of work issues including benefits and careers, education and leadership.
- Disabled Students Allowance
- Employment Opportunities - a national charity helping people with disabilities to find and retain work and providing graduate recruitment advice.
- Equality and Human Rights Commission - Information and advice site on disability related legislation.
- Equality Challenge Unit
- Lawyers with Disabilities - assistance and advice for would-be solicitors.
- Leonard Cheshire Disability - provides skills training and supports disabled people in finding work or starting their own businesses.
- MyPlus Students' Club - lots of good advice on applying for jobs and preparing for interviews.
- Skill - The National Bureau for Students with Disabilities. Information and opportunities for post 16 year olds. FAQs including discussion on whether (and how) to declare a disability.
- The Papworth Trust – An organisation covering a variety of work schemes.
- Use My Ability - helps students with disabilities to develop their employability skills.
- Young Disabled People's Employment Portal - Government site with advice and ideas to help young disabled people successfully navigate the transition to work.
- Youreable.com - an information and news service for people with disabilities and those who are interested in disability issues.
- Civil Service Fast Stream has a diversity internship programme which they recruit for in the autumn. It can lead to a place on the Fast Stream graduate programme.
- Association of Disabled Professionals - Provides employment advice and information plus peer support for disabled professionals.
- Bar Council - the equal opportunities office offers an introductory scheme for disabled applicants to be linked with practising barristers with a similar disability.
- Change 100 - 3 month paid work experience opportunity for disabled students or graduates.
- City Disabilities - support professionals and students who either work in professions in London or want to, and who have disabilities and/or long term health conditions.
- Disability Jobsite - All companies on the site hire those with disabilities.
- Disabled Workers Cooperative - Disabled individuals and organisations employing disabled people can register their details for free.
- EmployAbility - an organisation dedicated to assisting people with disabilities into jobs. Organise internships and placements as well as 1:1 advice.
- Even Break - Matches employers who value diversity with disabled candidates.
- Guardian Positive Action Scheme - Two week summer placement for people with disabilities.
- Leverhulme Trust - makes awards for the support of research and education.
- Remploy - a leading provider of jobs for people with disabilities, focusing on finding jobs in mainstream employment through its specialist recruitment service.
- Scope Leadership Recruitment - works with graduate recruiters to help students and graduates with disabilities to find placements or places on graduate schemes.
- Snowden Trust - charity that assists physically and sensory disabled people to access vocational and academic courses in the UK by awarding grants.
- The Shaw Trust - The umbrella organisation for a variety of schemes to get disabled applicants into work.
- Vercida - supports companies and job seekers with diversity and equality issues.
Specific Support for certain Disabilities
- AADD-UK - Raising awareness, help and support for adults with ADHD. Includes list of regional support groups.
- Exceptional Individuals - helps graduates with disabilities (mainly dyslexia and dyspraxia) get a fair opportunity finding employment.
- Read this blog to hear about Rebecca who has ADHD and her experience of the workplace.
- Aspierations - Aim is to build a bridge between business and talented people within the Asperger community to create employment opportunities that have a lasting benefit for all.
- Auticon - an award-winning IT and compliance consulting business. All Auticon consultants are on the autism spectrum. We pride ourselves in creating autism-friendly work environments as well as delivering outstanding quality to our clients.
- Autism Initiatives - Offer a range of support to people with Autism including work placement opportunities and training.
- Autism Forward - offer Mentoring opportunities.
- CareTrade - supports adults with autism to gain employment through various projects.
- Exceptional Individuals - helps graduates with disabilities (mainly dyslexia and dyspraxia) get a fair opportunity finding employment.
- National Autistic Society - NAS offers an employment service for people with autism and Aspergers syndrome.
- Deaf Legal Advocacy Worldwide | (deaf-law.org) - provide scholarships to train to be a lawyer to advocate for the rights of deaf people.
- DeafUnity - If you are deaf and looking for work, or are hearing and want to work with the deaf community, the jobs page lists paid, voluntary and work placement opportunities.
- MIND - (National Association for Mental Health) support and advice includes employment and training scheme, details of local help centres.
- Mindful Employer - Includes a Charter of Employers who are positive about mental health and working towards a set of principles.
- Workways - supporting people in Exeter with mental health issues who wish to enter (or remain in) employment.
- Blind in Business - offers an advice service for interviews and applications.
- RNIB - Provides a range of opportunities for training and employment for those with visual impairment.
- The Society of Visually Impaired Lawyers (SoVIL)