A community interest firm is asking employers to sign a pledge to mark Learning Disability Week (June 17 - 23).

Bridge Creative in Bishop Auckland requested employers make a commitment to promise a 'change in thinking' on inclusive workplaces.

Their campaign, 'We See You', asks employers to introduce inclusive recruitment and retention procedures in support of adults with learning difficulties or neurodivergency.

Ben Tinkler, managing director of Bridge Creative, said: "Creating an inclusive workplace should never be a box-ticking exercise or empty social media campaign.

"It’s about genuinely making changes to ensure that everyone feels able to bring their best self to work."

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He provided examples of the changes employers can make such as alternating traditional interview settings, offering sensory-friendly spaces, and ensuring that line managers are effectively trained to support neurodivergent colleagues with learning disabilities.

Bridge Creative is no stranger to such initiatives.

Operating from County Durham, an area in the country reporting the lowest employment rates for those with learning disabilities, the company already aids numerous employers in training and recruiting adults.

Successful collaborations have involved Festival Republic, Glastonbury, We Out Here Festival, and Tough Mudder.

A recent collaborator, volunteer and workforce manager for Spartan & Tough Mudder UK, Hayden Davies, said: "At Tough Mudder we are deeply committed to fostering inclusive environments where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

"Colleagues with learning disabilities have so much to offer.

"They tend to have better retention and loyalty rates, limiting staff turnover, they bring curiosity, pride and a willingness to learn.

Dean White, events assistant at Bridge Creative, voiced his own experience.

"Just because I have a learning disability doesn’t mean I can’t work, I can work like anybody else with the right support."

For more information, visit Bridge Creative at www.bridgecreative.org.