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Core Managers: Increasing Disability Positivity

Understand the definition and impact of disability to better support, celebrate, and advocate for your disabled colleagues.

488 enrolled on this course

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Core Managers: Increasing Disability Positivity

488 enrolled on this course

  • 4 weeks

  • 2 hours per week

  • Digital certificate when eligible

  • Intermediate level

Find out more about how to join this course

Create a culture of disability positivity with NHS Leadership Academy

Disability positivity is about challenging society’s negative perception of disability to instead recognise and celebrate diversity in the workplace. On this four-week course from NHS Leadership Academy, you’ll learn how to be disability positive as a manager.

Guided by diversity and inclusion experts, you’ll learn how to support, celebrate, and advocate for your disabled colleagues. You’ll be able to use your training to create a culture of disability positivity in your team and workplace.

Before you can begin challenging negative assumptions and practising positivity, you need to understand what is meant by ‘disability’.

You’ll examine the legal definition of disability, and explore the distinction between visible and invisible disabilities. You’ll also discuss the social model of disability and the role that society itself plays in creating barriers for disabled people.

Discover the crucial role managers play in championing disability positivity in the workplace

Once you’ve understood the meaning of disability, you can begin developing the leadership skills you need to create a disability positive culture.

You’ll learn what you as a manager can do to lead by example and build an environment in which your disabled staff feel celebrated and supported.

Learn what you can do to support your staff and make reasonable adjustments

In the last two weeks of the course, you’ll focus on concrete strategies for addressing the needs of disabled staff.

You’ll look at a range of real-world examples of reasonable adjustments that have measurably improved the lives of disabled individuals in the workplace.

At the end of the course, you’ll take away key action items that you can implement immediately in your own workplace.

Syllabus

  • Week 1

    What is disability positivity?

    • Welcome to increasing disability positivity

      In this activity, you will be introduced to the FutureLearn platform and to this course. You will also get to know your fellow participants in your first discussion.

    • What is a disability?

      In this activity, we look at what we mean by disability as we consider the definition provided by the Equality Act 2010, but also explore the social model of disability and the implications this model has for managers.

    • What is disability positivity?

      In this activity, we will explore the meaning of disability positivity and look at what impact you can have as a manager.

    • Putting principles in practice

      In this activity, we are going to take action and identify changes we can make in our own working practices.

  • Week 2

    Why should managers aim to increase disability positivity?

    • Legal framework

      In this activity, we explore your role as manager and your legal responsibilities before we move on to consider the human need for greater disability positivity.

    • Make a difference

      We will look at the impact managers can have in creating meaningful change by making deliberate choices to benefits their staff as well as why managers need to create this change.

    • Lead by example

      This activity will focus on a manager's ability to create cultural change by role modelling the behaviour they want to see.

    • Putting principles in practice

      In this activity, we are going to take action and identify changes we can make in our own working practices.

  • Week 3

    How can we as managers make reasonable adjustments?

    • Defining reasonable adjustments

      In this activity, we are going to look at what reasonable adjustments are, both in the legal sense and in terms of what they can mean to individuals who are supported in the workplace.

    • Examples of reasonable adjustments

      In this activity, we will look at examples of reasonable adjustments and see what changes can be implemented to help staff succeed at work.

    • Implementing reasonable adjustments

      This activity will focus on the activity of implementing reasonable adjustments and working with staff to identify the assistance and changes they require.

    • Putting principles in practice

      In this activity, we are going to take action and identify changes we can make in our own working practices.

  • Week 4

    How can we as managers enable success?

    • Building disability positivity in your team culture

      In this activity, we will explore ways of creating a culture where diversity is embraced and people feel empowered to succeed.

    • Focus on the individual

      We are going to explore adjustments that could be made in case study scenarios. By considering the options available and reviewing your peers' suggestions, you will build your confidence in having these important conversations.

    • Putting principles in practice

      In this activity, we are going to take action and identify changes we can make in our own working practices.

    • Final thoughts

      In this activity, we will look back across this course at what we have learned, identifying key takeaways from our journey together.

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

  • Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Describe disability including visible and invisible disabilities
  • Explain the social model of disability
  • Discuss why it is important for managers to promote disability positivity
  • Describe your role as manager in building disability positivity in your workplace culture
  • Explain what reasonable adjustments are

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for all managers and supervisors working in healthcare facilities.

The fifth in a series of training sessions on equality, diversity, and inclusion in NHS services, it will help you to develop core inclusive leadership skills.

Who will you learn with?

Samantha is the Inclusion Manager at Barts Health NHS Trust, leading on the inclusive career development framework and EDI agile learning & development modules.

I am the Inclusion Project Officer for the Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES) for the Inclusion Centre, within my role I’m working on to create an environment where all of our colleagues

Mark is the Regional Director of Workforce London.
Established and leads the external facing People Directorate supporting the London system

Who developed the course?

NHS Leadership Academy

Our purpose is to help people discover and fulfil their leadership potential to deliver outstanding health and care.

London Race Strategy

London’s Workforce Race Strategy team recognise the challenge and complexity involved in addressing race inequality. They work across London’s NHS to make a significant and tangible difference to the experiences of its BME workforce.

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Ways to learn

Choose the best way to learn for you!

Buy this course

$109/one-off payment

Fulfill your current learning need

  • Access to this course
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible

Subscribe & save

$349.99 for one year

Automatically renews

Develop skills to further your career

  • Access to this course
  • Access to 1,000+ courses
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Digital certificate when you're eligible

Cancel for free anytime

Limited access

Free

Sample the course materials

  • Access expires 3 Dec 2024

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

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