3.5 Realising disability inclusion in civil society workplace
Leadership is not something that happens suddenly overnight. It is something that is developed over time and through experience, so when we are looking at how to support disability inclusive leadership it is essential to consider people’s journey to leadership positions and how that may support or hinder future disabled leaders.
Evidence found in the literature review accompanying this report shows that civil society is making progress by having positive statements about employing disabled and diverse candidates. However, the literature review also found that there was limited information about the retention and progression of disabled staff.
If we want to see more disabled leaders in the voluntary sector, we need to support non-disabled leaders to support the development and progression of disabled staff.
An area of inquiry in our interviews was where our interviewees got support around disability inclusion and inclusive practice. Many of the disabled leaders turned to peer support in order to negotiate this. However, many identified having to learn on-the-job rather than having access to learning and support on the topic. For the non-disabled interviewees it was apparent that it was very challenging to find support and guidance around how to be disability inclusive. Several interviewees spoke about the fear of doing the ‘wrong thing’, with the awareness of not wanting to do things that could lead disabled employees to leave. This is challenging because not doing anything out of fear when there are considerable barriers and underrepresentation has the potential to perpetuate issues rather than solve them.
All staff in organisations should be given training and support to understand and become actors in creating more inclusive and nurturing working environments.
Championing disability leadership is not about a strapline on a website, but how leaders talk about disability.
In fact, a number of interviewees identified concern about instances in their career where they felt out of their depth with regards to supporting disabled staff, and they were reflective on how this affected both themselves and the staff members. In some instances, not having access to explicit support and tools around disability inclusion had led to organisations losing disabled talent.
A number of interviewees identified uncertainty about what reasonable adjustments and being supportive of disabled colleagues meant in practice, and didn’t feel like there were independent spaces to get information or advice.
It would be great if the [ACEVO] helpline staff were specifically trained in disability inclusion and particularly managing disabled staff.
A number of interviewees identified using ACEVO’s helpline to get support around management issues but feeling uncertain as to whether ACEVO’s helpline staff would have the knowledge or expertise to deal with a case with a disability dimension.
Current civil society leaders have a key role to play in realising disability inclusion in the sector; the behaviour and approach of current leaders has reverberations for decades. Many of the disabled leaders that we spoke to identified the impact of early career experiences in shaping how they understood their identity and career options. This includes seeing role models that people identify with, as well as whether disabled people find themselves offered the same opportunities as their non-disabled colleagues. Some research from other sectors, identified in the accompanying literature review, suggested this did not always happen.
There is an absence of Black disabled leaders – as a result I never saw myself in the leadership role.
Finding your way to leadership can be particularly intimidating if you do not see people like yourself or with your experience in leadership positions. Many of our interviewees spoke of feeling impostor syndrome, expectations of failure and taking longer to understand their own leadership value because there weren’t mentors or leaders like themselves in the space. This feeling was particularly pronounced for Black and brown disabled leaders where they were dealing with multiple and intersectional oppressions.
When I started as the CEO most of the spaces, I went into were full of white privileged males.
Creating a culture of openness and understanding around disability takes conscious effort and tangible actions which are consistent and upheld. The publication of something like an organisational manifesto, or commitment to action, on inclusion may help in communicating both the actual and aspirational desires of organisations to include disabled leaders. A manifesto should be given to all staff, regardless of known disability status, and might cover:
- Principles which guide the organisation’s work.
- How to request an adaption or adjustment.
- Transparency about how and when that will be made.
- Relevant information about organisational targets around disability inclusion.
- What disabled people can expect if interacting with the organisation or disclosing needs, including the availability of alternative communication methods and formats.
The introduction of wellness action plans in the workplace, to help actively support employees mental wellbeing, can also help staff understand what is available and understand how to support one another positively in the workplace.
Due to the limited number of disabled people working in civil society, especially outside of disability orientated organisations, disabled staff can find themselves having to assimilate, often compromising access needs, or having to lead organisational change, in addition to their employment, in order to be able to do their job. Both options often leave disabled employees with limited time capacity to engage in standard continuing professional development (CPD). It is important that the additional energy that disabled staff use in order to remain within civil society is acknowledged and that disabled staff are given the opportunity to grow and develop skill sets outside of basic survival. All of the interviewees highlighted the challenges that are inherent to being a civil society CEO; aspiring disabled leaders will not be oblivious to these challenges. However, unless more is done within the sector to build ethos and cultures that are inclusive and supportive, many potential disabled leaders may not feel that they have the capacity or energy to deal with both these, and the additional challenges of working while disabled.
There can be internalised oppression compounded by external perception that leaves you [as a disabled CEO] to wonder am I worthy of this role.
Thanks to the few trailblazing disabled leaders we do have in civil society, we are hopefully at the point where we do not have to repeat the experiences of many of the interviewees. However, for that to happen we need to have a concerted effort by the sector to acknowledge, celebrate and platform disabled leaders in all areas, not just in relation to diversity.
Disability Justice – what is it?
Disability Justice is an approach to understanding disability which emerged from the United States in the late 2010s, developed by predominantly queer disabled people of colour at Sins Invalid.
It was developed in recognition that disability theories to date were still failing to include and acknowledge those who experienced multiple oppressions. Therefore a model centred solely around disability perpetuates inequalities within the disability community.
Disability Justice has 10 underlying principles which if followed aim to liberate people’s whole selves and celebrate diversity and disability whilst embedding accessibility. While the movement is growing, it is relatively unknown in the UK currently.
