Disability Inclusive Workplaces; Past, Present and Future - 17th October

A Story From WAM to WIDE

Celebrating both 20 years of WAM and the launch of the WIDE Framework, this event explored challenges for disabled people and employers, celebrated impactful good practice, and discussed the path to further progress on closing the disability employment gap.

Over the last two decades, huge progress has been made in advancing the rights of disabled people in Ireland. The introduction of an array of legislation, the development of related government strategies, and increased participation in areas of society such as higher education mean that disability is on the agenda in a way that was difficult to foresee at the turn of the century.

Since its formation in 2005, the AHEAD Willing Able Mentoring (WAM) Programme has placed almost 800 disabled graduates in paid, mentored employment. Across this period, the programme has witnessed both the sustained talent and resilience of disabled people in their search for equitable careers, and the difference that employers committed to disability inclusion can make when they instigate organisational change initiatives to reduce barriers.

Yet, nationally, the disability employment gap in Ireland remains amongst the largest in Europe, and strong links between poverty and disability remain, due in part to barriers in accessing the labour market.

Complimenting state initiatives such as the revamped Work and Access programme and the soon to be published National Disability Strategy, more strategic action by employers will be required to make progress. In response, AHEAD and our partners in Employers for Change have teamed up to develop the Widening Inclusion of Disability in Employment (WIDE) framework to support employers to play their part.

Event Information and Agenda

Full details on the event digital programme and event slides here.

Disabled graduate and employer stories from across the decades exploring what works and what needs to change, marking 20 years of the AHEAD WAM Programme, a work placement programme.

The Launch of the Widening Inclusion of Disablity in Employment (WIDE) Framework by AHEAD in partnership with Employers for Change. The aim of WIDE Framework is to support organisations to hire, retain, and promote more disabled people and create a more inclusive workplace. The framework and associated self-review software is open access and is built on academic literature and significant consultation with disabled people, employers, and disability organisations.

The WAM Leaders Awards, recognised the following employers who have shown leadership in inclusive employment through their engagement with WAM over the last year and beyond.
- AbbVie
- Allianz
- Bank of America
- Bank of Ireland
- Bord Bia
- Citi
- Civil Service Employers
  - Civil Service Employers
    - Department of Agriculture, Food & Marine
    - Department of Culture, Climate and Sport
    - Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment
    - Department of the Environment, Climate & Communications
    - Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage
    - Department of Justice
    - Department of Rural & Community Development
    - Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation
    - Department of Social Protection
    - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission
    - Houses of Oireachtas
    - Office of the Ombudsman
    - National Shared Services Office (NSSO)
    - publicjobs
    - Revenue
- Dell
- EirGrid
- ESB (ESB International and ESB Networks)
- Guidewire
- Local Government Employers
  - Local Government Management Agency
  - Cavan County Council
  - Kerry County Council
  - Waterford City and County Council
- Mental Health Commission
- Munster Technological University - Kerry
- Optum
- Pfizer