Disability Confident - Guaranteed Interview Scheme

The aim of this commitment is to encourage positive action, by encouraging disabled people to apply for jobs and providing individuals with opportunities to demonstrate their skills, talents and abilities at the interview stage.

We are committed to:

• ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive, accessible and barrier free;
• communicating and promoting vacancies through a range of channels;
• offering an interview to disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for the role* (as outlined in the person specification);
• providing reasonable adjustments as and when required;
• supporting any existing employee who acquires a disability or long-term health condition, enabling them to stay in work
• reporting on disability, mental health and wellbeing data

As Disability Confident Committed we will:

• provide placements and work experience to individuals with a disability or long-term condition
• use Occupational Health in order to support employees' individual needs
• monitor diversity data internally so we can measure how representative we are of disabled people (unemployment rates are much higher for disabled people) 
• have Well Being Champions, and encourage active Disability and Neurodiversity Networks

Disability Confident Interview Scheme

Applicants who apply through the Disability Confident Interview Scheme, and meet the ‘minimum criteria’ for the role will be offered an interview*. We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment process for anyone who wishes to make an application.

Offering Interviews

The Disability Confident scheme applies to both internal and external advertised posts. Applicants who apply through the Disability Confident Interview Scheme and meet the ‘minimum criteria’ for the role will be offered an interview*. We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment process for anyone who wishes to make an application.

What we mean by disability

The Equality Act (2010) defines a disability as a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect of a person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. Applicants will not be asked details about the nature of their disability or long-term condition, or to provide any evidence regarding their disability, in order to apply through the Disability Confident Interview Scheme.

As part of our commitment to Disability Confident, we ask all applicants (within the Equal Opportunities section of the application form) if they wish to be considered under this scheme should they meet the essential criteria for the role. By opting-in to this scheme, applicants will be disclosing that they have a disability solely for the purpose of the Guaranteed Interview Scheme. We will not assume nor infer that an applicant would disclose or record their disability in any other way.

What we mean by 'minimum criteria'

For each of our vacancies we separate the ‘essential’ criteria (critical to be successful in the role) from the ‘desirable’ criteria (enhances capacity to do the role well). To meet the ‘minimum criteria’ for the role and be offered an interview, disabled applicants will need to show evidence, via the application documents that they meet the all ‘essential’ criteria highlighted in the role advert.

Opting-in

To apply though the Disability Confident Scheme, you’ll need to opt in by selecting that you wish to be considered through the scheme when you are completing your application. We will not automatically assume, that because someone has ticked “Yes” to having a disability, that they want to be considered under the scheme.

Reasonable Adjustments

Reasonable adjustments are changes that are made to remove or reduce a disadvantage or barrier related to someone's disability.

We want to ensure that our recruitment processes are accessible, if you may need reasonable adjustments, please indicate this in the application process. If you’re invited to an interview, we will contact you to find out how we can best support you. Alternatively, you can email jobs@hope.ac.uk to discuss what support you might need.

Examples of adjustments that we could make:

• Building in rest or toilet breaks
• Booking the interview at the most accessible time
• Allowing a support worker attend an interview
• Communication support
• Adapting tests or selection exercises, for example, by giving additional time for completion, or whether certain tasks need to be written
• Sharing interview questions ahead of the interview
• If online, having the camera off during the interview
• Requesting to apply for a role via paper application or telephone

What is ‘reasonable’ will depend on each situation. We will consider carefully if the adjustment is practical, and assess whether it will remove or reduce the barrier, and is affordable.

*Please note that there may be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate for the University to interview all disabled people that meet the minimum criteria for a job. For example, situations when there is a high volume of applications, the University may need to limit the overall number of interviews offered. In these circumstances the University would select the disabled candidates who best meet the minimum criteria for the job rather than all disabled candidates that meet the minimum criteria.

All of the information provided above can be printed on the below link:

Disability Confidence - Candidate Information