Our aim is to remove the barriers and reduce the stigma around businesses employing people with disabilities.
We collaborate with local businesses to build confidence in employing people with a disability, showcasing the positives that disabled people bring to the workplace.
We emphasise and celebrate inclusion and diversity within the workplace to demonstrate the enhancements of what it would bring to a business.
Benefits of employing disabled people
These are some of the benefits of employing disabled people:
- it creates a workforce that represents and reflects the diverse range of customers it serves and the community in which it is based
- it improves corporate culture
- there's a wider talent pool; encouraging applications from disabled people is good for business as it can increase the number of high-quality applicants
- it increases the retention of high-quality employees who are skilled, loyal, and hard-working
How DEED can support your business
We can help your business by:
- providing free and supportive advice and guidance around best practice of employing or retaining a person with a disability
- helping you to access awareness sessions for your employees, including a tailored package to support both you as an employer and your employees
- supporting you to access funding for reasonable adjustments
- free of charge short training sessions on disability inclusion for leaders and employees
- supplying employer guidance on modifying working arrangements
- assisting you to write policies around disability inclusion
- providing networking opportunities where employers can share best practice examples on how they have supported their employees with disabilities
The Disability Confident scheme
We're currently working with the Department for Work and Pensions (the DWP) to increase the number of employers signing up to the Disability Confident Scheme.
Currently in Derbyshire the sign-up is lower than in other counties and we want to change that.
It's easy to get on the first step of the journey by filling in the online application form to begin becoming Disability Committed.
Funding support
People with a disability or long-term health condition may be eligible for Access to Work. This can include practical support in work, managing an employee's mental health at work, or money to pay for communication support at job interviews. An individual employee needs to make the application.
There is also an Access to Work factsheet for employers.
For funding of young apprentices not already on an apprenticeship, please see the following guides:
There are lots of local companies that can assist with apprenticeship rules. We cannot recommend individual companies, but get in touch with us and we can direct you to support from our network.
Contact us
email: employable@derbyshire.gov.uk
Telephone: 01629 535739
Disability Employer Engagement Derbyshire (DEED)
Derbyshire County Council
Public Health
County Hall
Matlock
DE4 3AG