Diverse Matters Wheelchair Challenge
On Friday 30th November, Alfa will be taking part in the Diverse Matters Wheelchair Challenge. This challenge will involve a number of Alfa employees spending eight hours - the whole working day - using a wheelchair.
The purpose of this challenge is to give visibility to disability in the workplace whilst also raising money for the charity, Aspire, which supports people with spinal cord injuries to gain independence. By taking part in this challenge, we aim to:
- Highlight the difficulties faced by wheelchair users
- Give people the confidence to talk about disabilities (both visible and non-visible)
- Create an environment where people are comfortable being open about disabilities and health conditions
- Have conversations about disability and any support which you may need at work
Those involved will be asked to make note of the difficulties involved, both physical and emotional. Whether it’s simple things such as opening doors, difficulties reaching certain areas of the office, or more subtle aspects such as colleagues treating them differently.
Monday 3rd December is the UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities. To mark this event, we will be holding a panel discussion with the seven Wheelchair Challenge participants to discuss their experiences and some of the wider issues around disability in the workplace. The panel will be hosted by Yasmin Sheikh. Yasmin has previously given a talk on the subject of disability at Alfa, and is helping us to organise the Wheelchair Challenge.
For more information on the work Aspire do, please check out their website.