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All-staff briefing on ‘Disability and Neurodiversity Review’ – video available

13 July 2021

The University’s ‘Disability and Neurodiversity Review’ was the focus of the all-staff briefing on Monday 12 July. 

University Executive Board Disability Champion Elizabeth McCrum and Dean for Diversity and Inclusion Allán Laville are leading the review, and they joined Vice-Chancellor Robert Van de Noort for this session. 

Introducing the session, Robert Van de Noort said he requested the review in April 2021 after attending a Staff Disability Network meeting – where he met and listened to colleagues with disabilities, those who are neurodiverse and those with long-term health conditions by the Staff Disability Network. “It became clear that the pandemic had a disproportionate impact on these colleagues, and that we had not been giving enough attention to them, and a review was called for.”   

Elizabeth McCrum explained how the review aims to create a working environment where all colleagues with disabilities, those who are neurodiverse and those with chronic health issues can flourish and contribute fully to the University.  Work has started by listening and learning from colleagues with disabilities right across the University, and that the review is committed to their voices being heard and feeding into changes. 

She said, “it will take all of us to create a workplace inclusive of everyone.” Colleagues can do this by committing to learning more; this could be by joining the Staff Disability Network, taking part in events and training – including Invisible Disability training on UoRLearn, or following disabled voices on social media. But colleagues can also act; through conversations about disability and neurodiversity at a local level, making emails and presentations accessible, using inclusive language, but most importantly “by being an empathetic colleague, manager or leader.” 

In his presentation Allan Laville explained the purpose, approach and themes of the review. This would be through four key areas:

 

  • Explore – listening to the lived experience of disabled and neurodiverse colleagues
  • Raise – awareness of disability and neurodiversity through events and talks
  • Create – recommendations to improve lived experience of disabled and neurodiverse colleagues
  • Support - the Disability and Neurodiversity Action Plan Group with their strategic priorities

 

On Thursday 22 July, 13:00-14:00, there will be a University-wide event to further explore many of the areas of the review, including sharing a diverse range of experiences of disability, neurodiversity and long-term health conditions among colleagues.

A video recording of the event is available below:

You can also access the recording on Microsoft Stream.

This is the final all-staff session of the 2020-21 academic year. There will be a new series of fortnightly all-staff briefings for the new academic year in September.

Videos of recent all-staff sessions 

Here are links to some of our other recent all-staff briefing sessions:

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