20 June 2023 Blogs
Learning Disability Week (19 – 25 June) is brought to us by the charity Mencap, who wish for 2023 to be the year where some outdated myths concerning learning disabilities are gotten rid of. As a cause close to our own heart, we are pleased to share our support for the aim to provide accessible learning for all.
Mencap records that approximately 1.5 million people live with a learning disability in the UK1, accounting for around 2% of adults, and QualityWatch records that just 5.1% of this number are in active employment as of 2020/212.
The Energy & Utility Skills’ Inclusion Measurement Framework report in 2021 found that less than 1%3 of people in leadership positions within the energy and utilities sector have a neurological disability. This is why the kind of upskilling and continual professional development (CPD) that Develop offers is so important.
With a history of supporting businesses in industries such as utilities, telecommunications, defence, and facilities management, we’re proud to provide a suite of training options to people, of all abilities, that can help them secure a better future.
An inclusive training environment
At Develop, we have consistently worked hard to encourage an inclusive training environment. That inclusive environment means somewhere that encourages all people, regardless of background or circumstance, to feel welcome and willing to participate. All of this is part of our long-established equality and diversity policy.
Delegate experience is a priority
With every disability being unique, we respond to each delegate on a case-by-case basis which starts from the moment they book onto a course. Each of our many courses put delegate experience as a priority, and that’s why we encourage every one of our delegates to inform our trainers of the specific requirements they have, so we may better accommodate them.
During Learning Disability Week, each day will be dedicated to a different topic, including campaigning, representation, intersectionality and more. At Develop, we’re proud to take part in the commitment to staying mindful of these topics each day in the week ahead.
For more information about how you can take part in Mencap’s Learning Disability Week, visit: https://www.mencap.org.uk/LDWeek
[1] Mencap Source: https://www.mencap.org.uk/learning-disability-explained/research-and-statistics/how-common-learning-disability
2 QualityWatch Source: https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/resource/supporting-people-in-employment#:~:text=The%20proportion%20of%20adults%20with,5.1%25%20in%202020%2F21.
3 Energy & Utility Skills Source: https://www.euskills.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/EUS-measurement-framework_v5.pdf?utm_source=EUS+website&utm_medium=all+&utm_campaign=Report+download&utm_id=Inclusion+Report
