London 2012 Recruitment Programme for People With a Disability

The scheme, called '>access now', is a recruitment outreach programme that will include areas such as Sport Competition Management, Venue Management and Planning, Technology, Financial Management, Security, Ticketing, Licensing, Merchandising, Transport, Procurement, Workforce Planning and Recruitment. It will be an awareness campaign aimed at increasing the number of people with a disability working at LOCOG over the next three and a half years.

'Access now’ will complement the cornerstone of the London 2012 brand and contribute in delivering ‘Everyone’s Games’. LOCOG is set to see major growth before the end of 2009 as planning for the staging of the 2012 Games intensifies.

The CEO of LOCOG, Paul Deighton, said the team at LOCOG is working to deliver two world-class sporting events in the summer of 2012 that will provide countless involvement opportunities for everyone in Great Britain. He continued saying that in order to deliver the best opportunities, the organizing committee needs a workforce that reflects the communities they are working for.

Some of the highlights in the ‘>access now’ programme include a guaranteed interview scheme for every candidate with a disability that meets the person specification for any salaried role at LOCOG. LOCOG has also introduced a new benchmarking initiative to current recruitment providers that include analysis on the number, calibre and success of diverse candidates. ‘>access now’ will have advisors from the National Autistic Society, Job Centre Plus, Remploy and Work Directions.

The Minister for Disabled People, Jonathan Shaw MP, said that in light of this week’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities, it is good news that organizations such as LOCOG are demonstrating a commitment to employing people with a disability. He said by making changes such as guaranteed interviews, and disability awareness training for all staff, they hope to attract the best possible workforce.

For more information about the ‘>access now’ outreach programme, please visit www.london2012.com.