The challenge, to sign up 30 businesses in April, is part of a national campaign which encourages employers to increase the diversity of their workforce and offer opportunities to disabled jobseekers, including work experience, apprenticeships, work trials and employment.
In her update of Tuesday March 21, Amber said: “Disabled people make up a fifth of the working age population, and can offer local employers a fantastic range of talent and skills. Recently, I committed my Parliamentary Office to the Disability Confident scheme as having a disability should not be a hindrance to your ability to work.
I am also collaborating with the local Jobcentre in St Leonards to host a Disability Confident event later this year. This will encourage even more businesses to sign up to this invaluable scheme.
I hope this will be the start of more local employers becoming Disability Confident, and improved opportunities for local disabled people to realise their potential in the workplace.”
The Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work Penny Mordaunt said: “The scheme not only supports employers who want to know how they can make their organisation more inclusive, but the Disability Confident kite mark sends a powerful signal to disabled candidates that if they apply to that firm they can have confidence their needs and concerns will be understood and supported.”
The new Disability Confident sign-up scheme was launched at the end of last year and builds on the success of the previous ‘Two Ticks’ scheme, and so far more than 3,800 businesses have signed up to become Disability Confident. Source: Amber Rudd
Photo: Amber Rudd’s office