Accessible and Relevant Careers Support

Jane Hatton, CEO, Evenbreak

WE know that disabled people face additional barriers when looking for work— inaccessible recruitment processes, recruiters and employers who somehow think that disabled candidates aren’t as good as non-disabled candidates, or will be expensive, risky or problematic and not knowing which of the employers who say they are inclusive really are, when it comes to disability.

There are many places that offer careers support. But at Evenbreak (www. evenbreak.co.uk), a specialist job board run by and for disabled people, our candidates were telling us that often the general careers support available wasn’t suitable or accessible for them. Either it wasn’t relevant to disabled candidates, and was perhaps delivered by careers coaches with little understanding of the disabling barriers we face. Or the provision had restrictive eligibility criteria— dependent on which post code you live in, which benefit you’re on, how old you are. Or you’d be ‘too disabled’ or ‘not disabled enough’ or have the ‘wrong’ impairment.

We really wanted to fill this huge gap in existing provision, and at the end of last year, we received a grant from Nesta to enable us to do just that. We

Accessible and Relevant Careers Support

offer individual and group support, whether Inclusive recruitment is a key aspect of gaining help with a CV or preparation employment as a disabled person. Here, for an interview, or confidencebuilding or identifying transferable Evenbreak’s CEO Jane Hatton, tells us about skills. This may be a one-off coaching Evenbreak’s new Career Hive, and how it can session on a specific issue, or a series of sessions looking at a range of issues. help break down recruitment barriers… Designed to meet your needs in ways accessible to you. This new service was co-produced by the Evenbreak team (all of whom are disabled) and a focus group of Evenbreak developed the Career Hive (https://hive. candidates, as we wanted to ensure evenbreak.co.uk) which offers relevant that the service met the real needs of and accessible careers support specifically disabled candidates. The service will for disabled people looking for new or be continuously improved through better work. Developed and delivered by responding to feedback from people disabled careers professionals with lived using the service. Other services planned experience of the barriers we face. for the future include offering peer There is signposting to other support from successful candidates who organisations which may be able to can mentor and support other candidates.offer specific support, and a whole load If you feel you would benefit from of online resources, including videos, careers support offered by and for disabled checklists, guides and so on. There are people, come and have a look around.regular online events and workshops, To find jobs from inclusive employers including ‘Meet the Employer’ events, who are looking to attract more disabled where inclusive employers tell you about candidates, have a look on the Evenbreak the kinds of roles they offer, what the job board (www.evenbreak.co.uk). To recruitment process looks like, how to find relevant and accessible careers ask for adjustments and what they are support for disabled candidates, have looking for in candidates. And you can a look on the Evenbreak Career Hive. ask them questions. evenbreak.co.uk There is, of course, access to the Evenbreak job board, where employers who are specifically looking to attract more disabled candidates advertise their vacancies. Employers like Channel 4, John Author: Jane Hatton, CEO, Evenbreak Lewis, Unilever, Tesco, Facebook and Website: evenbreak.co.uk many more. Most importantly, there is access to a team of qualified careers professionals with lived experience of disability, who