WIDE Framework
The Widening Inclusion of Disability in Employment (WIDE) Framework supports organisations on the island of Ireland to hire, retain, and promote more disabled people and create a more inclusive workplace.
Funded by the Department of Social Protection between 2023-25, the development of the WIDE framework was coordinated by AHEAD in collaboration with Employers for Change.
It is built on academic literature and significant consultation with disabled people, employers, and disability organisations. The development process was guided by a 21-member national advisory group which included representatives from Disabled Persons Organisations (DPOs), non-governmental organisations (NGOs), business representative groups, unions, HR networks and government agencies/departments. You can see who was involved and learn more about the development process on the Framework Development page.
About the WIDE Platform
The Framework itself consists of 6 Domains, each one featuring “Areas of Effort” containing related “Actions” – 53 in total. Every Action comes with guidance, resources, and links to relevant legislation. The platform is designed to be used in different ways by different sizes of employers. Some will simply dip in to get guidance in specific Areas, while others will sign up for an account and use the self review tools to systematically evaluate themselves against all 53 actions. The self review tools are available to any organisation with a base on the island of Ireland.
Additionally, the WIDE Resource Library and Supplier Directory ensure employers can access subject-specific resources to implement various aspects of the Framework, and find the Suppliers they need to support them.
This interactive feature-packed WIDE platform and self-review software is designed to be a roadmap to an inclusive workplace for organisations who want to improve in this area.
The platform is open access, meaning the following aspects are freely available for anyone to use:
- The WIDE Framework (Domains, Actions and Guidance Notes)
- A service provider directory for the Island of Ireland
- Information on legislation and funding relevant for the Republic of Ireland
- The WIDE Resource library
Additionally, organisations with a base on the Island of Ireland can create an account, and avail of a free self-review tool with features including:
- Individual and company logins
- Action review assignment to individuals
- A self-scoring tool to measure progress against actions
- A progress dashboard
- Exportable reports
