This week, the government announced that it will recruit fourteen Disability and Access ambassadors to join the Cabinet Office as part of its National Strategy for Disabled People.
The ambassadors’ role will help to ensure that businesses and organisations are more inclusive for disabled people. Ambassadors are being recruited across different sectors so they can each focus on accessibility specific to that area.
The posts being recruited are for:
- Airports
- Arts and Culture
- Banking
- Buses
- Creative Industries
- Energy
- Hospitality (Pubs and Restaurants)
- Housing (Private)
- Insurance
- Rail Travel
- Retail
- Sports and Physical Activity
- Tourism
- Universities
This is very welcome news for CAE as the focus given by the ambassador roles will help drive change in both the built environment and services that can make a substantial difference to disabled people’s lives.
We anticipate that the new ambassadors will be able to push positive, visible and practical initiatives that build on the advances made by a multitude of disability rights activists, campaigners and professionals. We hope that our 50 years’ experience in the field will be useful support for the ambassadors’ work to create momentum for change in communities across the country.
As part of Habinteg Housing Association CAE are particularly pleased to see plans to appoint an ambassador for the private housing sector and look forward to supporting their work improving housing options for disabled and older people.
Previous ambassadors have already made progress in their sector but there is much more to do to ensure disabled people are fully included in society.
The deadline for applications is 31 January 2021 and you can find more details on the role and how to apply here.
If you have any questions, please email disability-and-access-ambassadors@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.