2.4 What is still needed
The lack of sector specific data around disability and employment is stark, both across the sector and within individual organisations. The literature review accompanying this report found that, from the 25 largest civil society organisations in England, publicly available information or reference to disability within the workforce was scant at best. Even organisations who had signed up to the government’s Disability Confident scheme did not always publish comprehensive disability workforce data.
This clear data gap makes it extremely hard to tell even the basic size of the disabled civil society workforce, let alone issues of retention, career progression and effective programmes for staff development. Organisations should be encouraged to report on disability disclosure rates within their workforce, in the same way that they are compelled to report on gender-based statistics, and many are beginning to report on proportions and experiences of staff from Black, Asian and other minoritised ethnic groups. There is also a need for sector-wide data; the National Council for Voluntary Organisation’s (NCVO) annual Civil Society Almanac reports on some protected characteristics of the sector’s workforce, but disability is not one of them.
Official statistics may be able to help fill this national data gap, to some extent. However, a wider, anonymous workforce survey will be essential for developing a full understanding of how many and where disabled people are within the sector.
The anecdotal evidence gathered through the interviews suggests that disabled staff at all levels are hidden by the stigma and limited perceived benefit of disclosure. It is important that any data that begins to be collected does not just look at current leaders but also those at earlier stages in their leadership journey, because if there are limited numbers of disabled employees entering the sector the likelihood of addressing representation at leadership level is dramatically decreased.
Although I identify as disabled it is not something I would lead with as I don’t want to be defined by it… I am going to get unfairly judged because people’s perception of me will change and I have to think before disclosing: ‘Do I risk it?
Many of the interviewees raised the philosophical question of whether the lack of disability representation within ACEVO structures was reflective of the lack of disabled CEOs, a lack of disclosure or evidence that disabled leaders are deterred from engaging with, or unaware of, ACEVO. This is a question that will need further probing as future work develops.
[Disabled people as part of ACEVO’s membership] “Is it because {disabled leaders} are few and far between in the sector, or are they not engaging with our service, or is it because we are seen as not a network for them?
Currently the corporate sector, through initiatives like Valuable 500 and Purple Space, is being more proactive and transparent about its ambitions for disabled staff than civil society. If charities and other organisations do not aspire to more with regards to disability inclusion, the sector will lose out on disability talent.
There is a lack of opportunities to link up with other CEOs.
