Disability

Northumbria University has been recognised as a Disability Confident Leader.    

As a Disability Confident Leader we: 

• Have had our Disability Confident self-assessment externally validated
• Are taking all of the core actions to be a Disability Confident Leader
• Have provided evidence demonstrating what we are doing as a Disability Confident Leader
• Are taking an active leadership role in encouraging and helping other employers on their journey to becoming Disability Confident  

Disability Confident, formerly known as ‘Two Ticks – positive about disabled people’, is a government scheme that encourages employers to recruit and retain disabled people and those with health conditions. The scheme serves to change attitudes towards disability and to ensure that disabled people have the opportunities to fulfil their potential and realise their aspirations. 

There are three levels of award within the scheme: 

• Disability Confident Committed (Level 1)
• Disability Confident Employer (Level 2)
• Disability Confident Leader (Level 3) 

As a Disability Confident Leader we commit to the following core activities: 

• Actively looking to attract and recruit disabled people
• Providing a fully inclusive and accessible recruitment process
• Offering an interview to disabled people who meet the essential criteria for the job
• Being flexible when assessing people so disabled job applicants have the best opportunity to demonstrate that they can do the job
• Pro-actively offering and making reasonable adjustments as required
• Encouraging our suppliers and partner firms to be Disability Confident
• Ensuring employees have appropriate disability equality awareness
• Promoting a culture of being Disability Confident
• Supporting employees to manage their disabilities or health conditions
• Ensuring there are no barriers to the development and progression of disabled staff
• Ensuring managers are aware of how they can support staff who are sick or absent from work
• Valuing and listening to feedback from disabled staff
• Reviewing our Disability Confident self-assessment regularly 

We also support other optional activities which include advertising our vacancies through media aimed at disabled people, providing mentoring, coaching and other support networks for staff, include disability awareness in our mandatory staff training, guide colleagues to information and advice on mental health conditions and provide occupational health services.  We have also committed to other actions which we will progress on an annual basis to improve Disability Equality at Northumbria University 

For more information on the scheme, please visit the Disability Confident website. 

Disability Action Plan

We are excited to share the launch of Northumbria University’s first Disability Action Plan (DAP) - a significant moment in our ongoing commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.

• Summary of the action plan (or view an accessible version of the summary)
• Full action plan

While we are proud to be recognised as a Disability Confident Leader, we know that this status alone is not enough. We want to move beyond compliance and focus on meaningful activity and lasting impact. That’s why we have taken a unique approach, developing our own plan, shaped by our community, and tailored to the needs of our people.

The DAP is the result of months of listening, learning and collaboration. It reflects the lived experiences of disabled staff and students and sets out a clear framework for action that is grounded in what our community has told us matters most.

The plan is built around four core aims:

1. Access to Spaces: Creating inclusive and accessible environments, both physical and digital, that enable all disabled people to work, study, thrive and belong.
2. Safety to Share: Building a culture where individuals feel safe, respected and supported when disclosing a disability, including those that are not immediately visible.
3. Cultures of Belonging: Fostering a sense of unity and inclusion, where disabled staff and students are empowered and valued as part of our community.
4. Learning to Understand: Learning from the lived, intersectional experiences of our community to inform inclusive policies and practices.

Delivery of the plan will be overseen by the newly established Equality Action Group (EAG), working in close partnership with the Disability Forum, the Disabled Staff Network, and our student representatives and populations.  This structure ensures that disabled voices remain central to our progress and that we are collectively accountable for the work ahead.

We are incredibly proud of what has been achieved so far and grateful to everyone who has contributed to shaping this plan. Our action plan remains a live document. We will continue to work with our colleagues and students as we progress with our actions, and we welcome feedback on the plan.

Disability Equality Forum

Our Equality Forums aim to help drive debate, listen and propose action to shape the University’s approach to inclusion and EDI action plans and Charters. They facilitate engagement with the wider University community, providing a platform and focus for inclusion work. They host discussions, speaker events and activities which contribute to developing cultural competency and raising awareness of different identities and experiences. Membership includes student representation, so their voice is heard within these Forums. 

The Disability Equality Forum is chaired by Professor Louise Bracken, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Knowledge Exchange), who is the University Senior Sponsor for Disability Equality.