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Organisers of World Athletics become disability confident leaders

The organisers of the World Para Athletics Championships and IAAF World Championships London 2017 have been awarded a prestigious accolade as Disability Confident Leaders among their workforce.

The World Para Athletics Championships at the London Stadium

The Government’s Disability Confident scheme aims to help businesses and organisations to employ, support and promote disabled people in the workplace. It has three levels that organisations can work towards – Committed, Employer and the highest level Leader, which London 2017 Ltd has been awarded.

Fundamental to the organisers’ preparation for the Championships has been the recruitment of 5,000 volunteers, known as ‘Runners’, a process which was crafted to support and ensure disabled applicants can reach their full potential and feel supported volunteering.

For the volunteer interviews, organisers supported those through a guaranteed interview as well as assisting those attending with flexible timing. Organisers also developed training content in the most relevant formats and each volunteer undertook a Paralympic e-learning training course.

There are 250 Runners with a declared disability helping to stage the World Para Athletics Championships and IAAF World Championships London 2017. This is the first time that both events have been held in the same year in the same city.

Niels de Vos, Championship Director of London 2017 Ltd, said:

“I am pleased that our Championships workforce has been recognised as Disability Confident leaders. This comes at a great time as the World Para Athletics Championships continues to break records.
“Our workforce plays a key role in the successful running of both Championships, we could not put on what we are putting on without them. We want to our workforce to fulfil their potential and contribute fully to our team’s success.”

The Minister for Disabled People, Work and Health, Penny Mordaunt, said:

“It’s great that the Championships team is leading the way in creating opportunities for disabled people both on and off the athletics track. Being Disability Confident means breaking down the barriers which for too long have held disabled people back, and ensuring everyone has the opportunity to succeed in life.
“Over the last three years more than 500,000 disabled people have entered work, but there is more to do. Employers must ensure they don’t miss out on some of the best talent in their community. Disabled people make up a significant proportion of the potential workforce and by extending these opportunities, we can have a Britain that works for everyone.”

This summer is bringing together more than 3,000 world-class athletes from more than 200 countries to compete in 30 sessions across 20 jam-packed and action-fuelled days as both the World Para Athletics Championships (14-23 July) and IAAF World Championships London 2017 (4-13 August) are hosted in London.