BIT has launched a new partnership with Open Inclusion!
Together we will combine our capabilities empowering individuals across the pan-disability community globally to develop in-demand skills and find meaningful work. Both BIT and Open recognize the current levels of employment exclusion and wish to positively influence opportunities for professionals with disabilities to gain valuable, and valued work.
Having met through an introduction from our shared connection to the Valuable 500, we found that we each recognized and designed technology-enabled collaborative solutions to support people with a wide range of additional needs looking to develop skills and find work opportunities that are engaging, accessible and welcoming.
A number of months on now and the Open and BIT partnership has been developed with practical approaches and complementary alignment to a common mission. Together we can more powerfully impact disability-inclusive training and work opportunities.
“The BIT team is always looking to partner with organizations who have likeminded missions,” says Michael Hess, executive Director of Blind Institute of Technology. “We specifically look for those organizations who are willing to go beyond just using diversity as a buzzword at their company and who are actually willing to do the work. From the very beginning, it was clear that Open Inclusion genuinely cares about the lack of inclusivity within the workforce and is dedicated to creating job opportunities that will positively impact the lives of so many professionals with disabilities.”
Open Inclusion is a specialist inclusive research, insight and design agency based in the UK and operating globally. It is anchored around a vibrant pan-disability community that for many years has been providing insights to influence the design of more inclusive products and services. More recently Open has been working to develop opportunities in new forms of inclusive employment such as online freelance networks. “I am delighted we have established this partnership between BIT and Open Inclusion,” said Christine Hemphill, Managing Director add Open Inclusion. “Our organizations have very aligned values and awareness of the ongoing barriers that exist for disabled people in the workplace and beyond. We are both laser focused on addressing these barriers, and have developed different, highly complementary skills and services to do so. Together we can generate positive change more broadly and faster than we could possibly do alone.”
Our collaborative partnership is already creating new opportunities for professionals with disabilities through the Fiverr Empower Program. This program supports people with disabilities to onboard on the Fiverr platform and build their profiles successfully to maximize their ability to gain good freelance opportunities and then grow their profile through great delivery.
The program provides inclusive training and personalized support over 3 weeks provided by the Fiverr Empower Team, including:
1. 2-hour virtual group meetings each week with the program lead to learn practical skills and tips to maximize your success on the platform
2. Personalized support developing your profile with tips and perks only offered to Fiverr Empower participants
3. Ongoing support from the Empower team after on-boarding for as long as you are a Fiverr seller
Please Click Here to Register for the Fiverr Empower Program