The Sheffield College achieves Disability Confident award

The Sheffield College has achieved the highest level of a national award scheme, demonstrating its commitment to supporting staff with a disability.

The College has been awarded the Disability Confident Leader Level 3 status by the Department of Work and Pensions.

This is the highest level of the government’s Disability Confident Leader scheme and the College is believed to be the third employer in Sheffield to have achieved this level.

Paul Simpson, Executive Director of Human Resources and Organisation Development, The Sheffield College, said: “We are extremely proud to be recognised as a Disability Confident Leader, which demonstrates our commitment to equality and diversity in everything that we do.”

He added: “We know that as a learning provider and an employer we can only be successful by providing equal opportunities for all. As an inclusive College, we understand that we work to our best when all staff feel valued and can contribute to help us achieve our collective vision of transforming lives through learning.”

The College has taken a range of actions to meet the award criteria which include:

• Ensuring that each campus is accessible for all.
• Introducing a health and wellbeing strategy committing to creating a safe, happy and healthy working environment for all.
• Creating a staff led focus group that supports wellbeing activities and disability related issues across the College.
• Launching wellbeing action plans to further support staff with recognised disabilities and long term health conditions.
• Removing barriers within the recruitment process and ensuring that reasonable adjustments are put in place for those who require it.
• Reviewing how the College works with third party suppliers and contractors, ensuring they are disability confident or willing to work towards it.