Hello there! If you're a student with disabilities looking to kick-start your career journey in the EMEA region, we're here to help. At Rangam, we're passionate about fostering diversity and inclusion, and we want to chat with you about the unique opportunities that await you on your path to a fulfilling career. A Shifting Landscape: Leading the Way Universities across Europe are making significant strides in promoting inclusivity and diversity, especially for students with disabilities. Legal and institutional frameworks have been established to ensure a supportive learning environment. Some universities are truly setting the bar for inclusive education. Navigating Challenges: The Student Experience Unfortunately, many disabled students still encounter unnecessary challenges during their academic journey, from inaccessible materials to assistive technology needs and advocating for ... View Post

In the US, we find ourselves at the crossroads of a significant shift in the disability support ecosystem. There is an escalating demand for essential support services as our population of individuals with disabilities continues to grow. However, we have a clear shortage of trained professionals equipped to provide those services at scale. The scarcity of job coaches, job developers, vocational rehabilitation counselors, home health aides, visiting nurses, and transportation providers poses a ... View Post

Reclined in her office chair, Olivia Anderson put on her headphones and opened her laptop to begin working. The artificial intelligence (AI) program was open on her laptop screen. The 28-year-old marketing professional was about to 'prompt' relevant keywords to help her devise a client-plan for the coming week. As someone who has suffered a brain injury, Olivia now understands how technology can play a key role in improving cognitive skills, facilitating communication, and managing daily tasks. ... View Post

By Tanya Lee, Founder of AbilityVillageHaving employees from a wide variety of cultures and backgrounds and with different abilities can greatly benefit your business, big and small. But how do you attract new hires with autism, neurodivergence, or disabilities to create a more diverse and inclusive workplace where various viewpoints and experiences merge together? Here are six ways you can promote inclusion and build a stronger workforce within your company, courtesy of ... View Post

Neurodiversity at Work Report: AnalysisNeurodiversity in Business and Birkbeck University recently released a very interesting report on the state of play of neurodiversity in the workplace in the UK. This survey captured responses from 127 employers and almost 1,000 neurodivergent employees. The findings paint a telling picture of the current landscape and what needs to be done to ensure neurodivergent people thrive in their places of work. One finding that immediately jumps out is the ... View Post

After her son was diagnosed with autism in 2008, Gopika Kapoor began working with the autism intervention team at Ummeed Child Development Center in Mumbai, a non-governmental organization working with children with developmental disabilities. Spending the next 10 years as a therapist and trainer, she then decided to write Beyond the Blue: Love, Life and Autism to help Indian families with autistic children learn about living with the condition and look forward to the future with hope.Gopika ... View Post

A person "with a disability" or a person "with special needs" —The term doesn’t mean they are not smart, talented or capable. It simply means that they have some basic needs that would require some special assistance. A person with any disability has equal potential that any other person of his age would possess. A disability can hardly be a limitation, a fact that has been proven time and again by renowned physicist Stephen Hawking who had been paralyzed by a motor neuron ... View Post

A recent study by Bupa found that almost half (43%) of employees with invisible or less visible disabilities have chosen not to disclose to their employer, the most prominent reasons cited being fear that they won’t be believed (23%) and fear that disclosure would act as a barrier to career advancement.   The most concerning finding of all, however, was the impact of masking on those who did not disclose, with 55% of the employees surveyed reporting showing up to work even when ... View Post

Disability employment gap continues to pose major challenges across the UK workplaces. In this special report, you'll learn about the factors contributing to the current situation and the efforts being undertaken to effectively address the disparity in employment between disabled and non-disabled talent. The 10,000 Interns Foundation, in their recent report, states that the disability employment gap in the UK continued to grow in 2022 to a “grossly unacceptable” level. Citing ... View Post

We are now halfway through Disability History Month in the UK (16th November – 16th December)! This month is an amazing opportunity to familiarise ourselves with key figures and events that led to the improved rights we enjoy today as disabled people, while also recognising that there is much work yet to be done and we have a role to play in continuing the tireless activism of our ancestors.Sadly, some of the names of these trailblazers aren’t as widely known as they ought to be, ... View Post

By Melissa Mooney, EMEA Project Coordinator at Rangam Burnout is a feeling that’s familiar to all of us, neurodivergent or otherwise. Many of us will have felt like we have too much on our plate from time to time and work demands can often be the trigger for this feeling that there is more going on than you feel you can handle. When you are neurodivergent, however, this can be an especially intense experience as on top of all the sources of prolonged stress that may lead a neurotypical ... View Post

This September, we celebrate International Day of Sign Languages. Sign language is a communication medium that’s over 400 years old and is a rich part of the Deaf and hard of hearing communities’ culture. Sign language is used by an estimated 70 million people worldwide and each country has its own variation on the language, whether that’s ASL in the USA or BSL in the UK. At Rangam, we firmly believe in the value of lived experience when it comes to being good allies to ... View Post

SOMERSET, N.J., September 21, 2022—Holistic talent acquisition firm Rangam becomes a member of the CEO Commission for Disability Employment, a D.C.-based public policy office with a mission to advance disability-inclusive employment by inspiring and engaging business leaders to drive change through policy, practice, and culture. The membership reflects Rangam’s unwavering commitment to improving recruitment processes, systems, and attitudes to facilitate greater inclusion of talent ... View Post

This month, the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), a body which handles disputes filed under employment law in Ireland, released their annual report for 2021. Interestingly, disability was a headliner in this report and featured prominently among its key findings. Indeed, discrimination cases made to the WRC on the grounds of disability increased three-fold in 2021, accounting for 45% of all complaints submitted under the Equal Status Act and being, by a considerable margin, the most ... View Post

This article was originally published by Melissa Mooney, EMEA Project Coordinator at Rangam. Melissa is a proud Autistic self-advocate, and she likes discussing all things accessible and inclusive. This year marks 20 years since my mother and I sat in a faraway Dublin office and held in our hands the piece of paper that would change my life in the best possible way: my Autism diagnosis. I sometimes try to imagine what it must have been like for my mother that day as we left the big city ... View Post

One of the most notable disability inclusion trends in today’s corporate landscape is the emergence of employee resource groups (ERGs), i.e., cross-functional working groups where non-disabled employees work to bridge the gap by understanding their disabled colleagues by driving D&I initiatives and facilitating better, more inclusive communication in the workplace. One such group emerged in Procter & Gamble (P&G) in 2002. Founded by Scott Van Nice, a P&G employee with a ... View Post

The action or state of including is inclusion. There are many articles, blogs, posts and thought pieces written all over about inclusion in all walks of life. When it comes to workplaces, inclusion makes a way larger impact and goes from being just a word to an incredible organization-wide movement of positivity and change. Let us see if you agree with the A-Z of Inclusion we have observed over the years. Inclusion to a workplace means: A – Agility B – Balance C – ... View Post

That people with autism add value to an organization has been long established. Companies are increasingly waking up to the need for an inclusive workforce. However, despite the best intentions, many employers are still busy figuring out appropriate ways to interact with and bring the best out of their employees who have autism. Are you one of them? Here are six tips for you: Address semantic disagreements upfront There’s a perpetually raging debate on whether to use “individual ... View Post

According to the National Autistic Society, around 700,000 are diagnosed with autism in the UK. In the past decade there have been many awareness campaigns to help employers recognise the benefits of hiring autistic talent into their business and now businesses have access to a number of specialist training providers to ensure they are creating inclusive opportunities. However, we know that employers may not always get this right and it is important that you, as an autistic job seeker, know ... View Post

“Jobs are the litmus test for inclusion,” said v-shesh Co-founder Rajasekharan Pazhaniappan, in an interactive session on the sidelines of the Inclusive India Summit organized by Rangam. Speaking to Rangam Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Nish Parikh, Rajasekharan said, “When a person gets a job, it means that inclusion is happening in the society. It builds the self-esteem of an individual, and friends and relatives start believing in that person.” The organization that ... View Post

Disability inclusion is an integral part of any organization's D&I strategy. We recently conducted a LinkedIn poll on disability inclusion, where 59% of voters believed that companies have a long way to go as far as disability inclusion in the workplace is concerned. As companies redesign their business models to adapt to the pandemic, it is crucial to address disability inclusion. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 17.9% of persons with a disability got a new job in 2020, a ... View Post

Diagnoses of autism spectrum condition (ASC), over the course of several years, have been increasing in the UK. A 2021 study by Newcastle University in collaboration with the University of Cambridge’s Department of Psychiatry and Maastricht University, revealed a sharp rise in the prevalence of ASC among individuals aged 2-21 years old in the UK. Around one in 57 children in the UK has autism, facing various social challenges. The autism prevalence rate for adults is around 2%. According ... View Post

Blind hiring is a recruitment technique which ’blinds’ a candidate’s socio-demographic and personal information from the recruiting manager, which otherwise may lead to biased hiring decisions. The first blind hiring experiment was reportedly carried out in Boston Symphony Orchestra in the 1950s when musicians started to audition behind a screen, hiding their gender. Blind auditioning led to an increase in the number of female musicians in major symphony orchestras in the US. ... View Post

This article by Hetal Parikh, Rangam Co-founder & President, was originally published on LinkedIn.Quotas for at least a minimum representation of women on corporate boards have emerged as a key tool for policymakers to implement gender equality in the workplace. The movement started in 2003 when Norway mandated 40% reservation for women in corporate boards. Austria, Finland, Spain, Iceland, Israel, France, Kenya, Belgium, Italy, Germany, and Portugal followed suit through their ... View Post

Businesses are comprising neurodiverse talents to boost their productivity, creativity, and culture. FTSE-listed corporations such as Ernst & Young, Microsoft, Ford, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) have reported gains in productivity since they have embedded neurodiverse talents in their HR programs. In the age of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I), neurodiversity is a competitive advantage. According to a study by University of Montreal and Harvard University, individuals ... View Post

This article by Nish Parikh, Rangam Co-founder & CEO, was originally published on LinkedIn. Even though several major companies have launched large-scale neurodiversity hiring programs over the past five years, the number of hires still represents a minuscule percentage of the overall neurodivergent population ready to work. In 2020, six of the world’s leading employers in IT, financial, and professional services sectors managed to hire fewer than 800 neurodivergent ... View Post

India, in the years ahead, will be in a position to showcase itself as a neurodiverse (ND) superpower, believes Panchali Banerjee. A senior behavioural training consultant, Panchali has designed and delivered training modules across all industry verticals. She is also the cofounder of Orchvate. Speaking to Dhara Chandramouli, director of digital marketing, Rangam Consultants, in a weekly chat show about ND and employment, Panchali said that she has seen a lot of positive changes in the ... View Post

People who are creative and imaginative have the ability to empathize, believes Parasuram Ramamoorthi, founder of Velvi. Ramamoorthi has been working with neurodivergent people for the past two decades. “People with autism can paint, write poetry, and perform on stage. If this isn’t imagination, then imagination has to be redefined,” he says. Speaking to Nish Parikh, Rangam CEO, in a weekly chat show on empathy and inclusion, Ramamoorthi said, “Some people attending ... View Post

People who are creative and imaginative have the ability to empathize, believes Parasuram Ramamoorthi, founder of Velvi. Ramamoorthi has been working with neurodivergent people for the past two decades. “People with autism can paint, write poetry, and perform on stage. If this isn’t imagination, then imagination has to be redefined,” he says. Speaking to Nish Parikh, Rangam CEO, in a weekly chat show on empathy and inclusion, Ramamoorthi said, “Some people attending ... View Post

Transition to worklife is often a challenging process for people with autism and disabilities. The good news is there are a number of disability friendly jobs out there as companies have begun to recognize the unique strengths and perspectives that differently-abled people bring to the workplace. Not only do modern employers have a better understanding of the many obstacles that workers with different abilities face, but they are also more focused on removing barriers to full and continued ... View Post

Advanced productivity tools and communication technologies have changed everyone’s life one way or another. For people with autism at work, these tools and technologies provide opportunities to work and interact with others in a way that is more comfortable for them. For instance, visual schedules not only help a person with autism complete their tasks, but also help them in self-care and daily living. For neurodiverse employees, assistive technology means having an opportunity to ... View Post

Recent findings indicate that more than 38.3 million people with disabilities will vote in the 2020 presidential election. The voter demographics primarily include people with intellectual, cognitive, physical, sensory, and communication challenges.The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) uphold the right to accessible, private, and independent voting for people with disabilities. The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) works to assist electoral ... View Post

That people with disabilities add value to an organization has been long established. Companies are increasingly waking up to the need for an inclusive workforce. However, despite the best intentions, many employers are still busy figuring out appropriate ways to interact with and bring the best out of their employees who have a disability. Are you one of them? Here are six tips for you: Use person-first language Addressing a person as an individual, without pigeonholing them into an ... View Post

American pianist, singer and songwriter Kodi Taehyun Lee has been crowned the champion of the latest season of popular TV show America’s Got Talent (AGT). Kodi has won an award of $1 million and will get a chance to headline shows at Paris Hotel Casino in Las Vegas from November 7-10. What has made Lee’s success incredible is that he overcame debilitating disabilities and wowed a nation to emerge as the winner of AGT. The 23-year-old performer is visually challenged and is on the ... View Post

The US Department of Labor has chosen The Right Talent, Right Now theme to observe the National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) this year. Back in 1988, the US Congress declared October as the NDEAM to raise awareness about the employment needs and contributions of differently-abled people. The theme for 2019 underscores the role that people with different abilities play towards America’s economic success, particularly when global competition and historically low levels of ... View Post

Autism spectrum disorders affect the way a person?s bodyand brain work. People with autism may have trouble speaking or communicatingin a social situation. Nearly 30% of individuals on the spectrum are nonverbal.They often don?t communicate as much as others do; are sensitive to noise, light,and textures; and may prefer to sit quietly in a corner. However, these traits don?t undermine the fact that peopleon the spectrum are capable, passionate, intelligent, and honest. The onus is onthe ... View Post

Organizations and individuals across the world, every year, observe April as Autism Awareness Month. Events are held to raise public awareness and educate local communities about autism spectrum disorders. The first National Autism Awareness month was held by the Autism Society in 1970. Over the past 50 years, autism has emerged as the fastest-growing developmental disability, affecting one in 59 children in the US and creating barriers to employment and independent living. It used to be one ... View Post