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Global

Global Taskforce: Here to help

Daniel Cadey and Mary Worsley, Senior Disability Business Partners at Business Disability Forum

 

The current situation in Ukraine and Russia is understandably causing worry and anxiety for individuals and businesses on several levels, and employers are trying to work out how to provide specific help, support, and flexibility to their employees during this time. 

With this in mind, we recently ran a session for our Global Taskforce members to provide an opportunity to:

  • Share their experiences in dealing with this situation.
  • Understand more about resources available to help managers in a global business.
  • Offer a safe space to talk about your challenges and concerns with managing staff through this time.

It was clear to hear the impact that the current situation is having on employees but heartening too to hear of practical adaptations businesses are making to provide support to employees affected by the crisis.

As well as clear communication and guidance on such for managers being a top priority, so too is the availability and visibility of support and resources for colleagues. Whilst many companies have created their own manager guides and toolkits to offer support, our Mental Health Toolkit provides lots of resources to help manage mental health in your employees. Similar to what we heard throughout the pandemic, regular engagement with employee communities is also key to supporting and colleagues at this time. Work with your ERGs for different communities and keep two-way communication open.

A prominent concern raised in our session is the wellbeing of disabled people in Ukraine, how support is being made available and how we might help. Here we have included some of the organisations who are supporting individuals in Ukraine and how individuals can get involved:

 

Inclusion Europe (inclusion-europe.eu):

Inclusion Europe represents 20 million people with intellectual disabilities and their families in from 39 European countries to provide “Equal rights and full inclusion in all aspects of life”.

 

European Platform of Self-Advocates is part of Inclusion Europe since 2000.

They work in many different areas including:

 

FIGHT FOR RIGHT, are fighting for the rights of people with disabilities in Ukraine, working to ensure that every person with disabilities knows their human rights and freely exercises them.

Advocate for changes in the legislation that are necessary to exercise human rights freely.

Teach human rights theory, non-discrimination, and inclusivity.

Making accessible physical environment, information, webspaces, and services.

Inform society about human rights values, non-discrimination and equality, inclusiveness, and the rights of people with disabilities.

 

European Disability Forum

An umbrella organisation for persons with disabilities that defends the interests of over 100 million persons with disabilities in Europe. An independent non-governmental organisation (NGO) that brings together representative organisations of persons with disabilities from across Europe.

Inclusive emergency response – European Disability Forum (edf-feph.org)

 

Support rights of deaf people from Ukraine – WFD (wfdeaf.org)

The World Federation of the Deaf is an international non-profit and non-governmental organisation of deaf associations from 133 countries.

the representative body, the WFD works to ensure deaf people across the globe are equipped with the knowledge, tools and strategies to advocate for, achieve and defend their rights including:

  • Gaining recognition and respect for their own sign languages and cultures
  • Maintaining their organisations and activities
  • Achieving their rights across all areas of life, including equal opportunity and accessibility

Breaking Barriers (breaking-barriers.co.uk) – a coalition of businesses committed to achieving more for refugees through employment in the UK, by hiring or supporting refugees.

 

And find out how you and your organisation can be part of the Global Taskforce if you’re not already at https://businessdisabilityforum.org.uk/networks-and-taskforces/global-taskforce/

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