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appa me would like to congratulate Channel 4 for their recent positive action in ring fencing 50% of their apprenticeships for people with disabilities. In this day and age in a developed Western country disability should not be an issue for anyone.
According to official government statistics “Disability Facts and Figures” published in 2014 “There are over 11 million people with a limiting long term illness, impairment or disability1.” All these people deserve the chance to work, and through work improve their lives and contribute to society.
According to the figures “…but disabled people remain significantly less likely to be in employment than non-disabled people.” there is “a 30.1 percentage point gap between disabled and non-disabled people, representing over 2 million people”. Infact in every area that I could find people with disabilities are disadvantaged at double digit percentage levels: Living standards, employment, education, independent living, Discrimination, Leisure, social and cultural activities, Civic involvement and volunteering, Transport, Communications and internet access, Justice System (suffering from crime) and housing.
Progress is being made slowly year by year. But the size of the gap in disabled peoples outcomes is a consequence of their inequality of opportunity. When there is a 30.1% gap in employment outcomes, when a third of people with disability get part time work compared to a quarter for people with out disabilities that shows that employment opportunities are heavily biased against the disabled. (see disability equality indicators section B1)
We applaud 4Talent for their impressive positive action efforts. Channel 4 is a top rank broadcasting company operating at the intersection of creativity, high technology and corporate management. If they are willing to ring fence apprenticeships for people with disabilities then it shows that at the highest levels disability is not an issue. Society does not merely need to improve but step forward into a reality where disability does not matter. Because disability does not matter, not with our technology, planning and design.
