Channel 4 in the UK has produced a pioneering guide to employing disabled people which has been especially tailored for the TV industry.
The guide offers companies in the broadcast sector a range of practical advice on employing disabled people including how to find disabled talent, how to make a company more attractive to disabled people and ways to offer support to disabled employees.
The guide explains basic information such as what is meant by ‘disability’, guidance around language and some simple do’s and don’t’s but also offer focussed advice on how an employer might make adjustments for specific conditions such as hearing impairments, mental health conditions and dyslexia and dyspraxia.
Employing Disabled Talent – a guide for the TV sector was commissioned by Channel 4’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer and Board Diversity Champion Dan Brooke who said: “The presentation of disabled people in our industry is still woefully low.
“We want to help people in the TV sector; we want to help our suppliers and partners understand the value to be had in employing disabled people and give them practical guidance to help them feel more confident in doing so.”
Lord Holmes of Richmond MBE, a Channel 4 non-executive director, welcomed the initiative saying: “I’m delighted Channel 4 has commissioned this guide that provides a one-stop-shop of advice and guidance on employing disabled people in the broadcast industry.
“We all have a role to play in addressing the terrible fact that talent is everywhere whilst opportunity, currently, is not. Let’s change that.”
As well as offering practical advice on finding, hiring and retaining disabled talent, the guide also explains why businesses should want to hire disabled talent. These include reasons such as having a diverse workforce helping to drive creativity and innovation and the fact that disabled people are often creative thinkers and natural problem solvers because they face challenges every day.
Channel 4 will be sharing the guide with independent production companies and other partners in the industry over the next few months and make it available on its corporate site here.
