Not for profit recruitment specialists Prospectus have become the first recruitment agency to sign up to Changing Faces’ pioneering Face Equality at Work membership scheme. The Face Equality campaign aims to target discrimination against people with facial disfigurements in the workplace, raising awareness and challenging perceptions.
One in 111 people has a significant disfigurement to their face from birth, accidental scarring, cancer surgery, skin conditions or facial paralysis. Disfigurements can rarely be removed, and their psychological and social impact is often very serious.
In January, 2008 a public attitude survey of 1,000 people showed that 9 out of 10 people held unconsciously negative attitudes towards people with disfigurements. The research also showed that people with disfigurements are likely to be marginalised because little is expected of them socially and professionally. The Disability Discrimination Act (1995) makes it illegal to discriminate against someone with a severe disfigurement. However, despite this law, many people with disfigurements have told Changing Faces that too often they are made to feel undervalued, abnormal and ‘different’ in the workplace.
By joining the Face Equality at Work membership scheme, employers can make a commitment to creating a culture of ‘facial equality’, helping to overcome the effects of deep-rooted, often unspoken prejudices that may take place at work.
Prospectus Chief Executive David Gold says: “The charity sector exists to promote an inclusive, supportive and non judgemental society. Our aim is to reflect this through our work with our clients, ensuring equal opportunities for all. But sometimes we need to reflect on how well we are achieving this. The Face Equality campaign encourages us to challenge our perceptions of people with facial disfigurements, helping to ensure there is a genuinely inclusive environment in the workplace. We’re immensely proud to be part of this campaign.”
"The recruitment industry has a reputation for being fast paced and competitive, first impressions are paramount and 'looking the part' will give you the edge. There is a real danger therefore, that people with disfigurements will be overlooked and undervalued if their 'face does not fit'. By joining the Face Equality at Work membership scheme Prospectus are leading the way in recognising that people with disfigurements make up an invaluable part of today's work force and that by including them as candidates employers will be gaining a huge amount of potential and talent. We hope that others will follow the example set by Prospectus and promote recognition based on individual merit, rather than whether a candidate looks the part, creating a fairer society for us all."
James Partridge OBE
About Changing Faces
· Changing Faces is a UK Registered Charity, No. 1011222, launched in 1992 by James Partridge OBE, DSc (Hon), who sustained severe burn injuries following a car accident at the age of 18. The charity supports and represents people with disfigurements of the face or body from any cause.
· Changing Faces employs a team of specialists who offer counselling and a range of practical strategies to children, young people, their families and adults with disfigurements, to enable them to manage public reactions and succeed in every part of their life. It offers a consultancy and training service to health professionals, teachers and employers on best practice in teaching, recruiting or providing customer service for people with disfigurements.
· Over 1 million people in the UK have a disfigurement to the face or body. Over 500,000 people have disfigurements to the face - 1 in every 111. Disfigurement can affect anyone, at any time or at any age. A disfigurement may be present at birth as a result of a birthmark or a craniofacial condition. Scarring, irregular features, paralysis and other disfigurements can also be acquired following an accident, violence, an eye or skin condition, a surgical mistake, or cancer surgery. For more information, please visit http://www.changingfaces.org.uk/Home
About Prospectus
· Prospectus is a specialist recruitment consultancy and recruitment advertising and design agency working exclusively with the not for profit sector.
· We’ve chosen to specialise in this sector for one reason – the extraordinary people who work here. We understand their vision and values, and like them we’re committed to addressing the challenges that face our society. We do this by searching for candidates to help build successful organisations, and by helping these candidates to build their careers in the process.
· Many of us have backgrounds in the not for profit sector, and all our staff are encouraged to volunteer for local charities on a regular basis. We don’t pay our consultants commission, because we want them to be motivated by getting results that work for the client – rather than by making a quick profit. Above all, we know how important it is to get to know our clients in depth, taking the time to understand their priorities and concerns at every stage of our relationship.
· Our clients include charities, social enterprises, universities, health agencies, arts bodies, membership organisations and government departments. We also work collaboratively with not for profit ‘umbrella’ organisations like NCVO and ACEVO, using our skills and experience to help strengthen the sector and develop our own understanding.
· For more information, please contact Rachael Bemrose on 020 7813 0101 or email rachael.bemrose@prospect-us.co.uk or visit www.prospect-us.co.uk
