INclusive Worcestershire
What is Inclusive Worcestershire?
Inclusive Worcestershire is a programme designed to help businesses embrace the diversity and inclusion agenda to better support their staff and grow their workforce.
Inclusive Worcestershire is a pledge to improve and promote inclusivity in Worcestershire’s workforce. We will work with local businesses, education providers, and the Local Enterprise Partnership to increase awareness on how businesses can be more inclusive and employ from a wider candidate pool. This will include those with a learning or physical disability.
Inclusive employment brings numerous benefits which includes increased reputation, productivity, morale, and a sustainable and competent workforce to support your business build and maintain its competitive advantage.
Further benefits and information on how to employ more inclusively can be found in our Worcestershire Inclusive Employment Magazine, available below.
Businesses are invited to pledge to become an inclusive employer enabling young people within Worcestershire with disabilities to access meaningful employment and promoting economic growth.
You can download the full magazine on the link here. – Careers Worcestershire CC – Inclusion Guide
Please see below some more options on how you can get involved and promote your inclusive business.
Businesses can get involved via attending some of our seminars and events. The series of seminars will be hosted by inclusivity experts who will share their best practice with businesses.
The topics will support businesses through a journey to become an inclusive employer, supporting both recruitment and retention in the process.
The seminars will be hosted at Worcestershire County Cricket Club throughout the rest of this year and into 2024. Spaces are limited so we encourage businesses to sign-up early to avoid missing out on becoming disability confident.
These seminars will also provide opportunities for businesses to support the Inclusive Worcestershire agenda through career development, advice, and guidance.
If you have any questions regarding Inclusive employment please email: inclusiveemployment@worcestershire.gov.uk
Disability Confident
Become a Disability Confident employer and inspire a movement of change; recruiting, retaining and supporting disabled people to reach their full potential.
Get involved by:
• Signing up to the Disability Confident Employer Scheme.
Supported Internships
Supported Internships are a structured work-based study programme for 16-24 year olds with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
The aim of Supported Internships is to provide a substantial work placement which is facilitated by the support of an expert job coach to support transition into employment.
The success of our Inclusive Worcestershire agenda, which includes increasing Supported Internship placements, is reliant on our local businesses. All community members deserve a purposeful life and having a job plays a key part in this, please support our community by offering your support either through a work placement or participating in school engagement activities.
Get involved by:
- Providing a work placement for Supported Internship students.
- Joining our Employment Forum to support us develop the Supported Internship offer across the County.
Accessible Apprenticeships
An Accessible Apprenticeship is a flexible, bespoke programme designed for those with additional learning needs and disabilities
Get involved by:
- Providing tailored Accessible Apprenticeships which include reasonable adjustments.
Care Leavers Covenant
Support Care Leavers aged 16-25 into the world of work by becoming a care leaver friendly employer
Get involved by:
- Becoming a signatory, offering support such as work experience placements, shadowing placements, internships, traineeships, and apprenticeships.
Worcestershire is having a launch event for the Care Leavers Covenant to help prospective businesses pledge their support and help make a difference, to find out more about the launch event and register a FREE place, follow the link below.
https://worcestershires-care-leavers-covenant-event.eventbrite.co.uk
Inclusive Seminars and Events
Inclusive Leadership
We want to help businesses raise awareness of the 6 key principles of inclusive leadership supporting reflection on business practices and processes and highlighting areas for improvement.
This will allow all employees, including those with additional needs, to feel supported and valued as a key member of the business.
Inclusive Leadership is the focus of one our upcoming seminar events, book a free place to find out more about how your business can incorporate inclusive leadership.
Book a place here – https://inclusive-worcestershire-leadership.eventbrite.co.uk
Neurodiversity
We want to help businesses with understanding Neurodiversity and the value it brings to the workplace. Employers can learn how to adapt and create an inclusive workplace which best supports their workforce, thus allowing them to be a more effective business and cater to their staff needs.
Neurodiversity is the focus of one our upcoming seminar events, book a free place to find out more about how your business can be more understanding of neurodiversity.
Book a place here – https://inclusive-worcestershire-neurodiversity.eventbrite.co.uk
Diverse Talent
We want to help businesses on the meaning of diverse talent and the benefits of diversity within the workforce. This involves looking at advertising your vacancy, through to the interview process, and retention providing additional support for colleagues to navigate life’s challenges and the evolution of the workplace.
Diverse Talent is the focus of one our upcoming seimnar events, book a free place to find out more about how your business can embrace diverse talent.
Book a place here – https://inclusive-worcestershire-talent.eventbrite.co.uk
Workplace Wellbeing
We want to help employers with promoting and supporting the wellbeing of the workforce in light of new challenges such as the cost of living crisis. Having a motivated and supported workforce will improve productivity and also improve the lives of your staff.
Workplace wellbeing is the focus of one of our upcoming seminar events, book a free place to find out more about how your business can nuture workplace wellbeing.
Book a place here – https://inclusive-worcestershire-wellbeing.eventbrite.co.uk
Here you can find a breakdown of all the Inclusive Worcestershire events that we have coming up.
Click on the link to register or find out more about an event.
- Launch of Worcestershire’s Care Leaver Covenant Event
25 September, 9am to 12pm - Inclusive Worcestershire: Inclusive Leadership Support
16 October, 1pm to 5pm - Inclusive Worcestershire: Supporting Neurodiversity in the Workplace
7 December, 9am to 1pm - Inclusive Worcestershire: Inspire and Grow Diverse Talent
17 January, 9am to 1pm - Inclusive Worcestershire: Workplace Wellbeing
13 March, 9am to 1pm
There are a variety of ways you can support us to create your future workforce, have a look at the employer pledge card below to see how you can support.
Find out more
If you would like to find out more about INclusive Worcestershire and how your business could join others in supporting Inclusive employment, contact the Worcestershire Growth Hub team who can help connect you into the team.
Simply fill out the form below and let us know which area you could support with and one of our team will get back to you.