Disabled and starting out?

It was as a stage manager for Red Ladder. They took me straight from postgrad and I had a baptism of fire, touring youth clubs, learning the value of polystyrene sets and a time schedule, and the importance of gaffer tape.

It convinced me the arts was my home, and although it wasn’t the right job for me in the end, I have managed to stay in the sector I love ever since.

They took a risk employing me, enthusiastic but inexperienced. I was clear about my hearing impairment but, having not really worked anywhere before – let alone in this kind of role – I wasn’t clear about what my access needs were. They were willing to go on the journey and we worked together to name, then meet, my requirements.

Traineeships

When Unlimited started, we were determined to provide entry level roles for disabled people, due to the quantifiable underrepresentation in the sector. Starting with one trainee, we built to two at a time, based in two delivery organisations – Shape Arts and Artsadmin.

Traineeships were for 12 months to give security and an effective period to learn and develop skills. We centred access, supporting people to work out what they needed and to articulate it. Alongside this we offered learning in administration and event management, supporting artists and understanding the cultural sector.

Within ten years, we had provided 15 disabled people with sector knowledge, experience and skills. We created video postcards in which trainees spoke of their learning about the sector and themselves – take a look on our YouTube channel.

What was learned

Artsadmin reviewed the programme last year, speaking to seven of their trainees, all now working in or close to the cultural sector. One of them, Simon Overington-Hickford said: “It massively boosted my confidence and my skillset. I have used what I learnt in all my roles since. [It] opened my eyes to the arts scene outside of theatre and traditional visual arts and made me think. [It] was the first time I was encouraged to advocate for my own access needs…”

This was central for us. Being in a disabled-led environment where everyone spoke openly about their impairments and where access needs were centred created a shift in perspective.

As Sonny Nwachukwu (now on our board of trustees) says: ”I took forward this: I won’t apologise for having a disability.” It’s not enough to recruit a disabled trainee, you must nurture them too.

Not all trainees were starting out. Some were taking a break from their artistic practice to get a greater understanding from the other side of the sector – finding out how it works and how decisions are made. The aim was to empower disabled people to move on to other roles and take with them the importance of embedding access in everything.

That seems to have worked, as Alistair Gentry said: “Inclusion and accessibility makes the experience better for everyone because it cultivates thoughtfulness and consideration. Everyone has their own unique and equally valid experience of being the expert on their own body and their own mind.”

Apprenticeships

As a new National Portfolio Organisation (NPO), we have reimagined our trainee programme and now offer apprenticeships. We don’t have teaching skills in our current set up, but we can provide on-the-job learning.

We’ve advertised for a content creator apprentice to join the communications team and we hope they will add to our diversity. No previous sector training or experience is required, nor any specific academic qualifications – just interest and enthusiasm. So, the door is wide open.

We’re also reimagining senior level training options. Perhaps paid blocks of time for disabled people to work with us to learn about working with a board, managing funders, being an Arts Council NPO? We want to play our part in building skills at all levels, not just at entry level.

It’s only possible to work with a handful of disabled people each year. But to turn the tide on years of discrimination and improve employment prospects for disabled people, more needs to be done. The whole sector needs to take action.

What you can do

What are you doing to encourage disabled people into the workforce or to support them so they can level up? If the numbers of your disabled staff aren’t yet representative of the 22% of disabled people in the UK, perhaps our top tips will help?

1.   Always offer paid roles, never voluntary. See our resources on Nothing for Nothing if you don’t understand why this is vital.
2.   Pay the real living wage based on the real cost of living in the UK. If you can’t afford a decent wage, you can’t afford that person – its exploitative.
3.   Encourage disabled applicants by advertising in multiple access formats, showing you understand Access to Work and clearly stating you make access adjustments for interviews. Take your legal duty to show understanding and respect.
4.   Offer a substantial time period. A 3-month traineeship is probably too short for people to settle and have access requirements understood and met.
5.   Don’t just advertise for young people. Many disabled people work on non-standard timelines and want entry level roles for reasons not tied to age.
6.   Consider apprenticeships ringfenced for disabled people. Many apprenticeship providers have extensive experience of working with disabled and neurodivergent people. They can offer a structured process while you provide the in-work practice.

Jo Verrent is Director of Unlimited.
weareunlimited.org.uk
@weareunltd | @joverrent