Windsor, UK - 19th May 2022
MyPlus announces their Disability Progress Award winners for 2022 recognising the progress in disability confidence that clients and individuals with disability that they have worked with have made during the previous year.
MyPlus provides progressive employers, universities, and students with disabilities with the confidence, insight and support they need to realise new possibilities. MyPlus Recruiters’ Club (MPRC) is an innovative membership forum for organisations to gain and share insights, build greater disability confidence and realise the possibilities of opening up recruitment to individuals with disabilities.
MyPlus launched their Disability Progress Awards at its Annual Reception in 2018. With over 15% of students in higher education and 19% of working age adults having a disability, the aim of the awards are to recognise the real progress some of its clients, and their employees, have made around disability. The 2022 Disability Progress Award winners were announced at the MyPlus Annual Reception which was held virtually on the 18th of May 2022.
The award winners and the categories were;
EY for the MyPlus Students’ Club Best Company Profile Award.
A key objective of the MyPlus Recruiters’ Club is to help employers effectively engage with disabled students and to do this they have to proactively market themselves as employers of choice to this talent pool. All of our members have the opportunity to profile their organisation on our MyPlus Students’ Club careers advice website for disabled students. For a more complete profile it is really important to include information about:
The importance of disability
The support offered and how it can be accessed
Encouraging openness
Profiles of successful individuals with disabilities already working at the organisation
The winner has a superb profile that is very much focused on disabled students and communicates meaningfully to them. It is very easy to understand and their video, which talks about the value of difference, is incredibly motivating. Their application advice is also really positive, focusing on the strengths that disabled people develop and how to leverage these in an application. View EY’s profile at here
Darcy Werner, GSK for The Most Powerful Personal Story Award which recognises that stories aren’t just important when it comes to engaging with disabled students, or showcasing internally the approach to disability, they are crucial. They
Bring what employers say to life
Demonstrate that this is ‘real’
Can be used to show case an organisation’s culture and the support they can and do provide.
The winning personal story is really clear and easy to understand and provides some great insights. There are lots of positive messages that come across that would really help a student with a similar disability and indeed any individual would feel confident that if they applied to this company they would be supported.
View Darcy Werner’s story
Cai Cherry, Law Graduate at Kings College London for The Best Disability Speaker/Advocate Award which acknowledges an individual who has taken the courageous step to speak about their disability. Individuals who share their story not only show others what is possible and in doing so motivate and raise expectations, but when talking to employers they remind them of the unique talents that disabled people can and do have, and that they are an asset in the workplace.
The winner spoke at a MyPlus Recruiters’ Club event at the end of 2021 and was absolutely amazing, not only were MyPlus extremely moved by his story and journey, so were the audience.
Motability Operations for Most Progressed Inclusive Recruitment Award which recognises a company who has taken the steps to fully understand if they are barrier free for disabled applicants by objectively auditing their process through a disability lense and implementing the recommendations. Inclusive recruitment is absolutely key if you are serious about talent. Whilst ensuring your process is inclusive is paramount to success, so is your mind set.
Following MyPlus carrying out an audit of their recruitment process, the winner set about implementing the recommendations – some of which were quick wins and others which took more investment; and did so so successfully that they saw immediate results including a good increase in the number of applicants disclosing their disability during the recruitment process and in doing so being able to access the support they required. They have trained their recruitment teams and are now about to embark on providing training for their Line Managers. They really are challenging themselves to ensure that they leave no stone unturned when it comes to inclusivity in their recruitment process.
MyPlus Recruiters’ Club provides employers with the knowledge, confidence and support they require to attract, recruit and develop students with disabilities or long-term health conditions. With different levels of membership packages available, MPRC members can take advantage of a calendar of events which provide the opportunity to learn about key issues, share best practice and network with others facing similar challenges, benefit from consultancy days and gain access to students by showcasing their business on the MyPlus Students’ Club website www.myplusstudentsclub.com.
For more information, contact:
Lise Austen, MyPlus PR Manager
Email: lise@myplusconsulting.com
