Not every Disability is Visible – Our Commitment
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Published 4 Oct 2022 in Colleagues
We are delighted to announce as part of our ongoing commitment to ensure we have a diverse and inclusive workplace we have pledged our commitment to supporting colleagues with invisible conditions.
We’ve joined Are You IN?, part of the award-wining Not Every Disability is Visible campaign, to make sure everyone with an invisible disability or condition has the support they need to thrive in the workplace.
Our pledge
Now that we’ve pledged our support, we will be able to review some of our policies, make changes to our colleague training and update our digital and office assets.
We are proud to be joining this campaign as a Silver standard company committing to the following nine pledges:
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We will appoint an Invisible Condition Rep as a point of contact to signpost colleagues towards the campaign resources and our relevant company policies or employee assistance programmes
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We will install Not Every Disability is Visible accessible toilet signs in all our accessible toilets.
Hear from our Midcounties Champion - Aileen Wilkins
My name is Aileen Wilkins, and I am the Head of Procurement here at Midcounties. I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease in 1997. For anyone who is not aware of this illness, Crohn's disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease and can cause inflammation of your digestive tract, abdominal pain, problems with going to the toilet, fatigue, weight loss, dehydration, aching joints and malnutrition.
In January 2000, it was discovered my bowel was leaking and I had a large abscess on my back which required surgery. Unfortunately, the surgery did not go to plan, and I ended up with having most of my bowel removed. This has now led to me needing quick access to a bathroom, having a scar that never fully healed, a hip problem that means I walk with a limp, struggle to regulate my body temperature and having to be connected to a nutritional feed overnight. Despite having most of my bowel removed, I do still suffer from the effects of Crohn’s.
As you can imagine, when searching for suitable employment or holding down a full-time job with this condition, can be very difficult. I was also scared to mention my condition and used to suffer in silence as I didn’t want it to be seen as a weakness or a barrier.
Whenever I went anywhere new, I was always checking where the bathrooms were in case, I needed access quickly. If I was at a group event, I always prefer to sit near the exit so if I did have to get up, I am not distracting the rest of the room. I had to carry medical supplies and dressings with me at all times as I didn’t have anywhere to store them at work. It was only when I came to work at the Coop that I realised I could be open about the additional support I needed to manage my condition.
It is very hard to speak up when you have an invisible medical condition, whether that is an inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, epilepsy, mental health or autism etc. but if you don’t let someone know you are struggling, then nobody can help you obtain the required support to ensure you feel comfortable managing your condition in a working environment.
This is why I have volunteered to be the Invisible Disability Representative here at Midcounties. I want to be able to support other colleagues who suffer from a medical conditions to ensure they have access to any additional support they may need in their role. I am also a Mental Health Champion, so please feel free to email me at Aileen.wilkins@midcounties.coop to discuss any queries you have regarding an invisible disability.
Empower
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We will empower managers, HR and people living with invisible conditions to talk with confidence about invisible conditions by promoting Not Every Disability is Visible conversation guides. They give tips, practical examples, and support on how to approach conversations about invisible conditions.
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We will train and educate all staff on invisible conditions and, specifically, Crohn’s and Colitis, using a range of training options from apps to videos and infographics.
Inform
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We will announce our support of the campaign internally and externally, via this internal comms and our careers website.
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We will report bi-annually in the first year and annually thereafter on pledge implementation and the impact on our colleagues.
In My Shoes App
Ever wondered, just for a day, what it's like for your friend, loved one or colleague to live with Crohn’s or Colitis?
In My Shoes: 24 Hours with Crohn’s or Colitis is an immersive app that will allow anyone to experience first-hand what it’s like to have Crohn’s or Colitis.
Why not try this app to get a real sense of what it’s like to have this condition then comment below on your experience!
Wellbeing Check-in and Wellbeing Passport
Don’t forget that you can request a Wellbeing Check-in with your line manager at any time to discuss how you are feeling and we also have the Wellbeing passport in place. The main purpose of the Wellbeing Passport is to support colleagues with a disability or health condition in the workplace.
The passport has three main functions:
- To support a conversation between a colleague and their line manager about the reason for needing adjustments which could be due to a disability, health condition or gender reassignment and to discuss any workplace adjustments that might need to be made.
- To act as a record of that conversation and of the adjustments agreed.
- To act as a record of any adjustment made for individuals as supportive measures.
The passport will be particularly helpful when a colleague changes line manager, as it will help the new line manager to understand what workplace adjustments the colleague had been receiving previously and avoid the need to begin the process again. It can also be helpful in starting a conversation about less visible disabilities or health conditions.
Click here to read the Mental Health & Wellbeing Policy.
This is the first step in making the awareness of invisible disabilities visible - look out for further updates!