Staff Disability Network

The Brookes Staff Disability Network is an inclusive forum open to all members of staff, not only those with a disability, but also those who are carers for disabled people or who have an interest, professional or otherwise, in disability issues.

The network aims to provide peer support, share information and communication to improve the experience of disabled staff and assist in raising awareness of disability issues across the University. It will organise social events for members to get together. The network will also assist in ensuring input from disabled staff to policy and practice development.

For more information or to join the mailing list, email info-staffdisabilitynetwork@brookes.ac.uk.

Hear from some of our staff

Liz Drewett

Web & DTP Administrator, Human Resources

Rose Scofield

Course Leader for BSc Equine Science, UK Associated Colleges & Apprenticeships

Sahand Parvizi

Information Adviser, Academic and Student Administration

Trudy Ing

Schools and Colleges Liaison Manager

Past events

Allyship with disabled people

29 November 2021

Allyship with disabled people

Staff Disability Network workshop: A pilot workshop led by the Staff Disability Network. Allyship with Disabled People aims to support and encourage colleagues in their confidence and proactivity as allies for accessibility and disability inclusion.

Neurodiversity and mental wellbeing

25 November 2021

Neurodiversity and mental wellbeing: a lunchtime session from Dr Susy Ridout

Staff Disability Network webinar: Mental wellbeing impacts on us all, but for those of us who are neurodivergent the barriers we encounter on a daily basis can become overwhelming. This talk is about raising awareness about these barriers and putting some strategies in place to manage them.

Disability webinar

18 January 2021

Talking about disability inclusion and accessibility: how are we doing?

Staff Disability Network webinar: Members of the Network lead an online conversation about staff experiences and existing support and solutions. This explores pointers for future flexible approaches to a hybrid model of remote and onsite working from a disability inclusion perspective.

Kate West

1 June 2020

#WhyDisabledPeopleDropOut

University of Oxford 2020 Annual Disability Lecture: Dr Kate West is a neurodivergent (autistic and dyslexic) Senior Lecturer in Visual Criminology at Oxford Brookes University. In this talk, Kate uses the social model of disability to think about the neurotypical university’s structural disablism, that is the systemic ways in which a university designed for neurotypicals disables neurodivergent students and academics.

Useful links

Purple Space is a networking and professional development hub for disabled employees, network and resource group leaders and allies from all sectors and trades.

Business Disability Forum is a not-for-profit member organisation that makes it easier and more rewarding to do business with and employ disabled people.

Disability Rights UK is a campaign organisation led by people with diverse experiences of disability and health conditions, from different communities.