Disability Inclusive Student Recruitment by Helen Cooke CBE

At MyPlus we believe that having a disability or long-term health condition should not prevent anyone from having the career they want.

As a result of having a disability, individuals develop certain skills and strengths, what we call their ‘plus’, which are directly transferable to the workplace. People are an organisation’s most valuable asset and business success is dependent on their ability to include and harness the unique talents of everyone, and this obviously includes people who have a disability.

Disability covers a broad spectrum of conditions including, but not limited to: visual and hearing impairments, autism, diabetes, dyslexia, dyspraxia, mental health conditions, speech impairments and major illnesses such as cancer and MS.

The MyPlus Students’ Club

The MyPlus Students’ Club connects the growing number of talented, ambitious disabled students with disability inclusive employers. In addition, the Students’ Club provides careers guidance and resources on how to apply with a disability providing the answers to questions such as how to disclose a disability and how to request adjustments during the recruitment process.

What does it mean to be a ‘Disability Inclusive’ organisation ?

A disability inclusive company is one that recognises the contribution that disabled people bring to the workplace as a result of their individual skills and talents.

They will encourage you to discuss what support you need to be able to access and participate in the recruitment process and demonstrate your suitability for a role. Disability inclusive organisations will also support you into the workplace, ensuring that the necessary adjustments are in place to enable you to flourish in your career and realise your potential.

In essence, you can be sure that your application will be treated fairly and that you can request adjustments to support you throughout the process and into the workplace.

Companies may or may not have a disability inclusive badge on their website, however by reading about the organisation, its values and its approach to disability you should be able to gain a good understanding of whether or not this would be a supportive place to work. To discover more about the employers that we work with please click here.

Disability confident careers advice

To find out more about the Students’ Club, including accessing our free Disability Careers’ Guides and events, visit: https://myplusstudentsclub.com/