The NGDP welcomes applications from candidates of all different backgrounds, including candidates with disabilities.
Making the recruitment process accessible
The NGDP welcomes applications from candidates of all different backgrounds, including candidates with disabilities.
We are committed to supporting candidates with a disability who need additional support or adjustments and we have made changes to the recruitment process to make it as accessible as possible.
Support available
Below is a summary of the different stages of the recruitment process and some common adjustments we provide at each stage. We know that every disability is different, and we will work with each candidate on their requirements individually.
Get in touch
If you require any adjustments or additional support, we strongly encourage you to get in touch as early as possible to discuss this – you can contact us on [email protected]
Application process
Stage 1: Situational Judgement test
As part of your application for the NGDP you will need to complete a Situational Judgement test (SJT). This test is designed to examine your response to realistic workplace situations and your understanding of the NGDP’s key skills and behaviours.
The test is done online and it is compatible with screen readers. There is no time limit to complete the test. If you require any additional adjustments to complete the application form or test, then please get in contact with our team.
Stage 2: Video interview
Candidates who pass the Situational Judgement test will be invited to record a video interview. Only the audio (i.e. the answers you speak) will be assessed, in order to prevent unconscious bias.
As part of the response, you will be able to retake your answer once.
If you have a visual impairment or any other disability which may make a video interview difficult for you to complete, we can conduct a telephone interview instead using the same questions.
Stage 3: Assessment centre
If you pass the video interview you will be invited to attend an assessment centre. We expect to hold all our assessment centres in 2023 virtually.
We make every effort to ensure that our assessment centres are inclusive and accessible. We can put in place suitable adjustments for those who need it, such as offering extra time to complete exercises.
We ask that you contact us early in the process to ensure that we can appropriately plan for your needs.
Council information event
We plan to hold an information event to give candidates the opportunity to meet with councils in their allocated region whoare involved in the programme. This will be held in an accessible venue.
If you are attending this event, please let us know if you have any additional requirements when attending events in person.
Stage 4: Interviews
Councils hold interviews both virtually and in person. If you require any adjustments for your interview, we can discuss this with you and work with councils to ensure this is put in place. We will not share any information about your disability to councils without your permission.
Your data
The NGDP is managed by the Local Government Association on behalf of councils. We collect data on candidates’ protected characteristics during the recruitment process and monitor impact at every stage, however this data is always anonymised.
Information about your disability will not be passed on to councils without your permission, including whether or not you have had adjustments in the assessment process. You can read more about data collection and monitoring on our equality and diversity webpage.
We will require evidence of your requirements to ensure we are making the right accommodations, and to maintain a fair and transparent process for all candidates. However, if you are unsure if your university or medical assessment is sufficient, or you do not have evidence of your required adjustments, please contact our team to speak confidentially about the support we can provide. In addition, if you would like to discuss your needs in more detail, please speak to our team confidentially.
You can contact our team via email at [email protected]
The NGDP team is made up of a number of Local Government Association employee’s some of whom are HR professionals and previous NGDP graduates.