Wellbeing in the Voluntary Sector: Incorporating Accessibility and Inclusion into Staff Wellbeing Strategies

At least 4.4 million people with hearing loss are of working age in the UK. The employment rate for those with hearing loss is 65% compared to 79% of people with no long-term health issues or disabilities.

James Watson O’Neill is Chief Executive of the national deaf health charity SignHealth, which offers social care, psychological therapy, and domestic abuse support to deaf people, provided by deaf people, in British Sign Language. James brings their lived experience as a disabled person, along with 20 years of experience in the charity sector, most of which has been spent working in social care provider charities. James is passionate about disability equality and person-centred practice. In this session from the Wellbeing in the Voluntary Sector Conference 2021, James shared the valuable work of SignHealth, as well as an exploration into the importance of promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace, that supports the mental health of the workforce.

On average, people with hearing loss are paid £2,000 less per year than the general population.; This amounts to £4 billion per year in lost income across the UK. James Watson O’Neill, Chief Executive of SignHealth shared the importance of inclusion for those with impairments in the voluntary sector.