Disability Collaborative Network (DCN) was set up in 2015 to provide heritage organisations with a resource hub of information and practice for their audiences and workforce.
Since its launch, DCN has developed connections and collaborations from across sectors to bring in best practice from other sectors and support intersectional inclusive practice in all heritage organisations as a workforce, working practice and service provision.
As part of this collaborative work, DCN is now the heritage arm of EMBED, a cross-sector consortium of globally experienced Equality, Diversity and Inclusion practitioners which supports all organisations, whatever size and budget on their inclusion journey.
Since DCNs launch:
Through working with families on increasing the profile of Changing Places toilets in heritage organisations and supporting change in legislation for larger organisations.
DCN has supported key research on workplace barriers for neurodivergent people and the development of good practice such as Neurodiverse Voices: Opening the Doors to Employment by AchieveAbility and Creative Differences: A Handbook for embracing neurodiversity in the Creative Industries by Universal Music UK.
Membership of 3 All Parliamentary Party Groups
Co-author of 3 papers to Department of Culture, Media and Support with Charles Freeman on supporting colleagues and volunteers in the Inclusive Sector Recovery through DCNs key collaborative work with EMBED.
Co-author of the Reopening Recommendations Support Service with the University of East Anglia for supporting disabled and neurodiverse visitors visiting and working in all sectors including heritage in the post-lockdown society and inclusive sector recovery.