Disability charity Scope and Amey have joined forces to ‘End the Awkward’

26 Jul 2017

Download a high res copy of this image

A staggering two-thirds of the British public admit they feel uncomfortable talking to disabled people and as a result panic or avoid contact with them altogether, according to research from the UK disability charity Scope.

That’s why leading public services provider Amey has teamed up with Scope and joined its 'End the Awkward' campaign, which aims to improve attitudes towards disabled people and help people feel more comfortable around disability. Part of the campaign also focuses on tackling disability stereotypes and negative attitudes in the workplace.

Launching on the 26 July 2017 at Amey’s International Design Hub office in Birmingham, the partnership will provide guidance for all of Amey's 20,000 employees on how to build a more inclusive and diverse organisation.

The programme, which has already been endorsed by some of the UK's largest employers, draws on the experiences of disabled storytellers who will engage with Amey's employees and bring the statistics and evidence to life. It will also include a digital resources pack including downloadable facts, hints and tips and sharable videos and content.

Mark Atkinson, Chief Executive at Scope, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Amey to help them create an even better working environment where disabled members of staff can thrive. We can all get better at supporting disabled employees, and that can have huge benefits for improving working culture and productivity.

“We take a light-hearted approach with End the Awkward – we don’t want to point fingers. But there’s also a serious side to the campaign. All managers should be open to exploring what adjustments to working practices, or support, disabled employees need. They need to be proactive in seeking out specialist advice on how best to support disabled members of their team.

“We hope with Amey we will start a conversation about disability and get us all thinking about what we can do to overcome those awkward moments in life. After all, there are 13 million disabled people in Britain. That shouldn’t be awkward for anyone.”

Asif Ghafoor, Amey's Managing Director of Investments and Executive Sponsor of Amey's Scope Ambassador network, added: "We're particularly proud to be announcing this new partnership with Scope. Together with our Investors in People Gold and Champion status, it's a testament to how committed we are to making our company an inclusive place to both work in and do business with."

Related Press Releases

Press Contacts