In this guest blog, the Communications & Media Officer for the Disabled Staff Network provides more information about the network, it’s purpose and how you could get involved.
The Disabled Staff Network provides mutual support and a collective voice for staff with disabilities, restrictive health conditions and caring responsibilities. We work closely with HR, in particular the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion group, and the Staff Disability Officer to progress disability issues, provide input on university policy and make improvements.
The Disabled Staff Network (DSN) is run by a small committee on a voluntary basis who hold a variety of positions across the university. Together they maintain the network’s SharePoint site, which includes helpful information such as how to request reasonable adjustments and disclose conditions to managers, monitor the DSN inbox and manage the mailing list through which important updates and news are shared with members. There is also a DSN Teams channel, which is a great way for members to connect, provide peer support and share news of interest from across the university. Members will never be asked to disclose their disability, nor assumptions made about their conditions, and the committee are always happy to answer any questions about the suitability of the network for an individual.
The Disabled Staff Network holds regular, hybrid meetings which all members are welcome to join. Most recently these have been held bi-monthly and allow members to ask questions, raise concerns and learn from each other. On alternate months a hybrid drop-in session is also held for any members with specific queries. In 2025 we launched weekly body-doubling sessions, where members can work alongside each other in a friendly online space to boost focus, motivation and accountability. A regular ‘What it’s like’ series also began in 2025, through which members can listen to educational talks about a wide variety of conditions and experiences, ask questions and share their own insights with the community. Finally, the network offers free, tailored inclusion training to schools and departments in which teams are encouraged to reflect on how more inclusive environments can be created.
- If you are interested in joining the Disabled Staff Network, please join us on Teams: DSN Teams
- Further information about the network and our inclusion training can be found on our SharePoint site: DSN SharePoint
- You can also contact the committee by email via: DSN@ed.ac.uk
(Photo by Mapbox on Unsplash )
