Impact and accessibility information for Impact placement coordinators

Impact aims to provide a diverse pipeline of talented future leaders for local government. Councils are looking to recruit graduates who are representative of their communities, coming from a range of backgrounds and life experiences. We believe that the best possible services are delivered by a workforce who can truly connect to a place and its people, which means that everyone is needed, and everyone is welcome. 

Impact is committed to supporting candidates with a disability who require additional support. This document aims to provide councils with advice on how to support disabled candidates during the assessment process of Impact, and as a Graduate Management Trainee once appointed to the role. These suggestions are intended to complement your council’s existing HR processes. Additional resources have been provided at the end of this document.

The Impact website also contains information about accessibility for candidates, and equality and diversity within the scheme:

• Impact: The Local Government Graduate Programme – accessibility
• Equality and diversity

At every stage of the Impact recruitment process, candidates are given an opportunity to share a disability and request for adjustments to be made. If a disability is not shared in the first stage, it can be shared in future stages. This allows the programme team to respond to candidates who may develop a new disability during the recruitment stages, or who may experience a change in their disability that means their support needs change. 

Candidates are encouraged to share if they have a disability as soon as possible in the recruitment process, to make sure that the right support can be provided. The programme team requests evidence of a candidate’s disability to ensure that the right support can be put in place. This could be a medical or university assessment, but if a candidate doesn’t have evidence, or if they are unsure, they can speak confidentially to the team at any time. 

The programme team monitors how candidates with protected characteristics are impacted at every stage of the recruitment process, though this data is anonymised. The team reviews these impacts at each stage and implements changes where needed. 

The information that is shared by a candidate with the programme team is not automatically passed onto councils without their consent, though if a candidate gives consent this can be shared with councils. Councils should enquire about all candidate’s disabilities or support needs when arranging council interviews.

Candidates can request for adjustments at all stages of the recruitment process:

• Stage 1 - Situational Judgement Test (October to January): the tests are online and are compatible with screen reading technology. There is no time limit to complete the tests, and adjustments can be made if candidates contact the programme team.
• Stage 2 – Video interview (January): candidates can request extra time in the video interview. A telephone interview can be conducted with the same questions as the video interview if the candidate is unable to complete a video interview. All candidates are solely assessed on verbal responses, and the video element is unseen by assessors.
• Stage 3 – Assessment centres (February to March): the assessment centres are held virtually on an accessible platform, which includes an accessibility toolbar for all candidates. Adjustments can be implemented, such as offering extra time or sending materials to candidates in advance.
• Stage 4 – Council interviews (May to June): interviews will either take place virtually or, if in person, councils are encouraged to offer a virtual alternative for candidates unable to attend in person. If candidates require reasonable adjustments for their interview, they can request this with the programme team and with their permission this can be shared with the council. Councils should also enquire about all candidates’ requirements when arranging interviews. 

It is important for candidates to have an opportunity to request support or declare a disability in advance of their council interview. It is recommended that councils review the impact of interview formats and the potential impact on disabled candidates: for example, if the interview is virtual, how can you ensure continuity if a technology issue occurs? Or, if the interview is in person, is the meeting space accessible to all?

Candidates appreciate having information about the interview process in advance. They are the experts in their disability and knowing when and how things will work on the day will help them to perform at their best. It will also highlight any parts of the day that may not be accessible to them.

Once interviews have taken place and offers have been finalised, councils will appoint their successful Graduate Management Trainee/s. This is the point where councils take over the last stage of recruitment, which is the onboarding and induction. 

The gap between interviews (June, or July if a second round of interviews takes place) and the start dates (Autumn) gives councils time to prepare for the Graduate Management Trainee/s joining the council. In the same way as other employees, Graduate Management Trainee/s will need to be given an opportunity to share about a disability or adjustment they require when working for the council. 

If a Graduate Management Trainee discloses a disability, the council’s process for supporting disabled employees should be initiated in advance of the Graduate Management Trainee’s start date. This will prevent them from facing barriers when arriving on their first day and will enable them to participate fully in their induction, which is often a very busy time for Graduate Management Trainee/s.

For some Graduate Management Trainee/s, their Impact role in your council may be their first employment after their university studies. Disability support in universities can be quite different to the support you receive as an employee. Because of this, the programme team understands that some Graduate Management Trainee/s are not aware of what a reasonable adjustment is, or what support is available.

There are many helpful resources, including guidance from ACAS, which gives examples of reasonable adjustments: https://www.acas.org.uk/reasonable-adjustments. You may wish to share this, or your council’s own internal guidance, with Graduate Management Trainee/s.

Determining a reasonable adjustment for a Graduate Management Trainee always starts with a conversation. It is about asking what barriers they may face in the workplace, and how these can be removed or minimised to enable them to perform at their best. Many reasonable adjustments are free to make or low-cost. 

A ‘reasonable adjustments passport’ can be a helpful way for Graduate Management Trainee/s, and all employees, to capture their reasonable adjustments in a single document, and take this information with them when they move teams or get a new line manager. This avoids the need to start ‘from scratch’ each time you get a new line manager, which - for Graduate Management Trainee/s – happens frequently as their placements will rotate. An example reasonable adjustments passport has been included as Appendix 1 at the end of this document. Your organisation may also already have a reasonable adjustment passport template available. 

Barriers in the workplace may not be known straight away, and it may take some time for the Graduate Management Trainee to identify something for which they require an adjustment. For this reason, it is important to regularly review the conversation about reasonable adjustments, and to do so more frequently in the early stages of the Graduate Management Trainee’s employment. This could be done when reviewing the Impact Development Framework with the Graduate Management Trainee, or during placement review meetings.

Reasonable adjustments are not always a ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution, and it can sometimes be a patchwork of different adjustments that will help a Graduate Management Trainee to overcome a barrier. Working with them over time will help to make the workplace more accessible and inclusive for them. 

Access to Work is the Government scheme that supports employees with further practical support, beyond the adjustments that the employer would usually provide. This can include the provision of support workers, British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters, travel support such as taxis, and specialist software. It applies whether in the office or at home. 

Information about the Access to Work scheme can be found on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work

The Graduate Management Trainee and the council must apply to the DWP and have an assessment to confirm eligibility for Access to Work. The process will take time, so the programme team recommends starting this process as soon as possible. This would usually take place after an occupational health referral that determines Access to Work may be required. 

Specialist charities can offer advice on Access to Work queries, and your council HR departments will have experience of dealing with Access to Work applications. 

If there is a delay to the Access to Work process, this could mean that the Graduate Management Trainee may not have the support they need in place on their first day. If this is the case, consider what would be an appropriate start date for all Graduate Management Trainee/s that does not cause any one trainee to start later if their support is not in place. There may also be a suitable alternative that could meet the Graduate Management Trainee/s needs whilst awaiting the provision of Access to Work support.

In the time between the successful interview and the Graduate Management Trainee’s start date, it is important to keep in regular contact about their Access to Work application. 

Placement coordinators should work with line managers of placements to ensure that their placements are accessible for Graduate Management Trainee/s. Accessibility should be considered at the point of designing placements, and reviewed when the placement coordinator is aware of a Graduate Management Trainee’s disability and any reasonable adjustments they require. 

If a Graduate Management Trainee experiences barriers to undertaking a placement (for example due to travel, shift patterns, work location), the line manager and placement coordinator should work with the Graduate Management Trainee to remove or minimise those barriers wherever possible. 

If a placement cannot be sufficiently adapted to meet a disabled Graduate Management Trainee’s requirements, an alternative placement should be sourced which is fully accessible to them. 

• Disability – LGA
• Equality Framework for Local Government – LGA
• Diverse by Design: 15 Key Elements - LGA
• The Equality Act 2010: Guidance – GOV.UK
• Social Model of Disability – Scope
• The Social Model of Disability – Inclusion London
• Top Tips for Disability Inclusion (Video) - LGA
• Social Model of Disability: Language – Disability Rights UK
• Living with Non-Visible Disabilities (Blog) – The Disability Unit (GOV.UK)
• What is Neurodiversity? - Genius Within
• Neurodiversity in the Workplace - Understanding is Key (inclusiveemployers.co.uk)
• National Autistic Society (autism.org.uk)

Appendix 1: Reasonable Adjustment Passport template

What is a reasonable adjustment?

A ‘reasonable adjustment’ is some sort of change to the workplace to remove or reduce the impact of an employee’s disability so they can do their job (or a job applicant’s disability when applying for a job). What is a reasonable adjustment will be determined by the employee’s individual personal circumstances. In deciding what is reasonable, the employer needs to consider if the change will eliminate or reduce any disadvantage the employee might otherwise have suffered in the absence of the adjustment.

Reasonable adjustments should remove or reduce the disadvantage, be affordable for the employer taking into account employer's financial resources, and not harm the health and safety of others.

Examples of reasonable adjustments include:

• Changing the recruitment process so candidates can be considered for a job
• Making physical changes to the workplace, like installing a ramp or audio-visual fire alarms
• Providing appropriate equipment or other technology, for instance a special keyboard or screen reader
• Allowing for a phased return to work, including flexible hours or part-time work
• Taking short, regular rest periods throughout the day
• Offering employees training opportunities

Examples of Reasonable Adjustments can be found at the Equality and Human Rights Commission Reasonable adjustment page.

What is a Reasonable Adjustment passport?

The Reasonable Adjustment Passport has been designed for you to capture what helps you to work best, feel included and get the support you need.

The aim of the passport is to have a record of the reasonable adjustments that have been agreed for the convenience of both the staff member and the employer which can stay with the passport holder when they change roles/departments, or get a new line manager. It can move with them if they decide to move on to a new organisation. It should remove the need to have repeated disability assessments. This passport is individual to you and you are in full control of the information you wish to share. The passport will provide colleagues with greater flexibility and smooth transitions between job roles and help build employer understanding of disability and adjustments. 

It is designed as a 'talking tool' for colleagues to have positive and constructive conversations with their line managers about adjustments that they might need in the workplace. The passport is designed to ensure continuity of adjustments if a colleague changes role, moves between teams or is assigned a new line manager. The passport should be reviewed at agreed intervals and as and when necessary to ensure that the adaptations remain appropriate.

The language in this template is based on the Social Model of Disability i.e., that people are disabled by barriers that exist in the environment or policies in place. This means reasonable adjustments are not required due to a person’s condition or impairment, reasonable adjustments are required due to the impact of interactions between a person’s condition or impairment and barriers in the environment or policies in place.

What is the purpose of a Reasonable Adjustment Passport?

To ensure that you feel valued, included and supported to reach your highest potential, irrespective of any health conditions and personal circumstances you may be experiencing. We want to recognise you as a whole individual at work and to do that, we want to facilitate positive reasonable adjustments in your working day, work environment or ways of working. 

Why should I complete a Reasonable Adjustment Passport?

There are several benefits to completing a passport, for both you and your line manager. These include: 

• Facilitating open, honest, practical, positive and productive conversations between you and your line manager about your additional needs and the reasonable adjustments which can be made to your working environment, work style and/or hours of work.
• To support you in discussing your needs/circumstances in your own words and with the assistance of your own knowledge, understanding and experience.
• Supporting managers and employees in the assessment and making of reasonable adjustments.
• To act as a record of workplace support agreed and ensure continuity of any support in temporary or changing circumstances for you and/or wider team wherever possible. 

Ownership and disclosure of information

Ownership of the passport remains with the employee, but the manager and HR should retain a copy for information. The passport should not be shared with others unless the employee has agreed that it should be shared. Any sharing of the passport should be done on the basis of confidentiality.

You may wish to disclose your condition verbally but not in writing or simply disclose how your condition affects you, but not disclose the specific condition or impairment.

In recording workplace support required, this may also include where reasonable adjustments have been recommended through referrals to Occupational Health or our DSE assessment provider. These referrals are facilitated through HR either at the start of your employment via the medical clearance process or at any time during your working life in the organisation where it may be necessary to refer to Occupational Health for independent advice on how we can resolve issues in the workplace that might be having an adverse effect on you at work. 

Reasonable Adjustment Passport

Section 1 – Personal Details

• Name:
• [Pronouns:]
• Role:
• Department:
• Line Manager (name & contact details):
• Overview of Role:  

(Please share some of the key functions of your role to provide an understanding of your day-to-day work e.g. Travel and/or attach your Job Description.) 

Section 2 – All about you

Tell us about things that may affect your experience on a day-to- day basis? Which elements of your role are most impacted? 

This passport is individual to you and you are in full control of the information you wish to share. Although it may be necessary to provide some detail of your condition or impairment to HR or to an Occupational Health professional, it does not follow that you have to disclose the exact diagnosis or condition to your manager if you do not wish to. You may wish to disclose your condition verbally but not in writing or simply disclose how your condition affects you, but not disclose the specific condition or impairment.

For example:

• Effect on co-ordination, dexterity, or mobility
• Effect on mental health
• Effect on hearing, speech or visual impairment
• Effect on my ability to interact socially with others
• Effect of particular working environments (e.g.  open-plan offices)
• Attending medical or counselling appointments
• Constant or fluctuating pain and/or sickness and/or fatigue e.g. migraines or back pain.

Section 3: Adjustments

What adjustments could be made to help you perform at your best at work? Often the employee will have a good understanding of what reasonable adjustments they require. However, this may not always be the case, particularly if someone has been recently diagnosed or this is the first time they have been offered reasonable adjustments. This may be the time to seek HR’s advice on what support may be appropriate, request an Occupational Health or DSE assessment or seek a relevant charities’ support e.g. support can be found at:

• Neurodiversity
• Mental health
• Hearing impairments
• Blindness and sight impairments
• Physical impairment

If this has already been done, any relevant documents (advice, OH assessment) should be appended to this document.

Examples

I will have a phased return to work after a period of long-term sick leave associated with my impairment or condition.

I will request support in identifying software and training to support me to read documents and other text on screens.

Implementation of a wellness plan (WRAP) to support an employee with mental health issues.

Miscellaneous

This is an opportunity for the employee to state anything else they think the manager should be aware of or to outline any other concerns they may have.

Review timetable and agreement

The passport and agreed reasonable adjustments should be reviewed regularly or at least on an annual basis. 

Further reviews should be done at the worker’s request or if there are changes to the worker’s role to ensure the adjustments are still appropriate and effective in eliminating workplace barriers.

• Initial agreement date:
• Line manager’s signature:
• Employee signature:
• Review date:
• Line manager’s signature:
• Employee signature:
• Summary of changes to agreed reasonable adjustments:
• Review date:
• Line manager’s signature:
• Employee signature:
• Summary of changes to agreed reasonable adjustments:
• On completion or review the final document should be provided for…
• Please attach any relevant document when appropriate.