Consulting disabled people on LSC's Single Equality Scheme

The LSC (www.lsc.gov.uk) launched its single equality scheme (SES) in April 2007. The scheme brings together the LSC’s commitment to delivering its responsibilities on disability, race and gender and is effective until 2010. It also takes into account the requirements of employment equality regulations related to religion or belief, sexual orientation, age, and other relevant legislation.

The LSC undertook extensive consultation and involvement activities when developing the SES, so learners, employees, external stakeholders and employee networks across the country were involved in shaping the scheme.

Examples of consultation on disability included the ‘Talk to DES’ campaign, an online forum and survey, accessible internally and externally to facilitate discussion on disability. LSC also consulted the NUS Students with Disabilities Committee and funded the Learning and Skills Network to deliver a disability equality duty support programme. This gave LSC employees the opportunity to revisit the purpose and requirements of the DED and to share experiences and good practice in developing disability equality schemes.

All consultation information was available in alternative formats, to ensure that activities were fully inclusive.

LSC chief executive Mark Haysom says that the vision of a world-class workforce can only be realised “if we remove barriers, eliminate discrimination, address disadvantage, and raise the aspirations of both present and potential learners”. He says the SES will eventually be a model for colleges and providers to develop their own inclusive and coherent approach to equality and diversity.