July is Disability Pride Month 2023. This has been celebrated every July since 2015 and is a significant date in the calendar for many ELFT colleagues, service users and carers.
Disability Pride Month is a celebration of being unapologetically yourself as a disabled person and a reminder to value the disability as a difference rather than detriment.
We as a Trust are proud to support this initiative.
All members of the ELFT family should always consider the social model of disability and how we apply that in supporting colleagues and service users.
The model reminds us all that it’s not the disability that is the issue but the barriers in place to stop disabled people from participating or being included.
We are proud to display the Disability Pride flag outside Robert Dolan House, the Trust’s headquarters in Alie Street, East London.
During Disability Pride Month we will also publish stories of network members about what being disability proud means to them personally.
Further developing a culture where people feel comfortable sharing their disabilities is hugely important.
Only seven per cent of Trust staff declare in the ESR that they have a disability when nationally nearly one in four of us (22%) live with a disability.
Far more people declare themselves disabled in the staff survey, which is anonymous, than on ESR. This indicates stigma and fear remain very real challenges for many members of this community.
Dr Mohit Venkataram, who is ELFT’s Executive Director of Commercial Development and sponsor of the Trust’s Ability Staff Network, said: “The staff network ELFT Ability and the Trust remain committed to working side-by-side and ensuring that the gap in experience between disabled and non-disabled staff continues to close.”
We hope that you will also support us on this incredibly important journey.