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The Chartered Institute of Housing is the independent voice for housing and the home of professional standards

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Positive Action for Disability

We can help your organisation to develop disability confidence

Disability is often seen as a complex and difficult issue to tackle.
Our Positive Action for Disability (PAfD) services can help you to see disability differently – and help you develop your disability confidence.

Your organisation can harness the talent, experience and expertise that many disabled people can offer. Research shows that disabled people are still seriously under-represented as employees in the housing sector, and we hope you will join us to change this.
We believe that becoming disability confident is a vital part of improving the culture of your organisation even further. So why is it so important?

You can:
  • Offer excellent customer service to disabled people
  • Reflect the diversity of the community and customers you serve
  • Attract great disabled people to work for you and diversify your workforce
  • Value your disabled employees and help maximise their potential
  • Feel comfortable about dealing with barriers that disabled people might face and take steps to remove them
Since it began in 2009, PAfD has developed a wealth of expertise, knowledge and experience on employing disabled people and making workplaces more inclusive.

Here’s how we can help you to get disability confident:
  • Two year professional traineeships: giving disabled people (chiefly graduates) a unique opportunity to gain the experience and qualifications that are essential to kick-start a trailblazing career in housing
  • Mentoring, coaching and training:  helping your disabled staff to develop their career plans and maximise their potential
  • Policy health checks: helping you to make sure your policies and procedures match your commitment to promoting disability equality
  • Expert advice on engaging disabled customers and providing barrier-free customer service

Download the PAfD brochure to find out more about our services or email Graham Findlay or call him on 07508 042112 to see how you can start improving your disability confidence today.


Latest media coverage
How to get ahead as a housing professional with a disability (Guardian October 2012)

Three year review
We recently carried out a three year review of our successful professional traineeships programme for disabled people. Read more about what we’ve achieved, what our clients and trainees think about us, and how we intend to shape our future services.

Nicky Chapman Award
Baroness Nicky Chapman was a formidable disability campaigner. She was the first openly disabled peer to enter the House of Lords. As Chair of Habinteg Housing Association’s Board of Management from September 2006 until her death in September 2009, she was also an inspirational leader.

Since 2010, Habinteg have sponsored an annual prize to commemorate Nicky Chapman’s contribution to the disability rights movement and to the housing sector. Each year to the best performing disabled trainee from the PAfD programme are recognised and awarded £200 and a medal at our annual presidential dinner.

Debbie Smith from New Charter Housing group was the first award winner. She has since gone on to win a Housing Hero award for Most Inspirational Colleague.

 

Latest blog

Positive Action for Disability is changing lives.  Eileen Barron, neighbourhood officer for Aster Communities, shares her experiences of the trailblazing scheme

Read blog
 

PAfD consultancy services

Our Positive Action for Disability improvement services help housing organisations to improve their practice and performance on disability equality in the workplace.
 

Housing organisations who have subscribed to PAfD

  • Affinity Sutton
  • City West Housing Trust
  • Circle Living
  • Habinteg Housing
  • New Charter Housing Trust
  • Raven Housing Trust
  • Redbridge Homes
  • Rochdale Boroughwide Housing
  • Sanctuary Housing
  • Trident Housing
  • Valleys to Coast Housing
  • The Community Housing Group
  • Gloucester City Homes
  • Somer Community Housing Trust
  • Newport City Homes