#TeamGuidant Opinion | Stephen on challenging preconceptions of disability

By Stephen Salmon, Marketing Executive

One of the most common questions I get asked is the following: if you were asked to draw disability would you draw something along the lines of ♿?

Many people understandably would. We regularly see the wheelchair user image to identify accessible bathrooms and parking spaces etc. But the truth is that only 2% of disabled people use a wheelchair and 80% of disabilities are invisible or not spoken about.

Many who’s disabilities are not visible or obvious can feel the need to hide their disability because of the challenges disabled people often face.

These challenges result not from their disability, but from social barriers. Barriers could, for example, be physical like a building not having a lift or an accessible bathroom.

Unfortunately, barriers also come from people’s attitudes towards disabled people, for example one being judged on an another’s assumption of what they can’t do rather than the reality of what they can do.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPWD) brings about the opportunity to raise awareness of some of the challenges and barriers that disabled people face. It also provides an opportunity to highlight some of the work being done to break these barriers and create an inclusive society for everyone to participate in.

When it comes to the inclusion revolution it’s been a busy year for #TeamGuidant. There have been many highlights throughout 2019 including;

• Joining the #WorkWithMe initiative

• Taking part in National Disability Employment Awareness Month

• Being a partner of the Recruitment Industry Disability Initiative (RIDI)

• Participating in the Superhero Series Triathlon and Winter Wonderwheels

• Becoming the first business to obtain Clear Assured Silver status

• Hosting employability days with Whizz-Kidz and the Shaw Trust

• Joining round-table events alongside a number of other companies and organisations with the conversation focused on inclusion

Having a disability and having faced many barriers along the way myself I appreciate the commitment to Inclusion shown by Guidant Global and fully understand the difference this makes.

As a company, Guidant Global is proud to be an inclusive employer and to be involved with organisations and initiatives who alongside we can bring about change. Here’s to carrying this momentum into 2020!

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