International Day of Disabled People
International Day of Disabled People events
Week 1: 17-23 November 2025
Talk to the Staff Disability Adviser
18 November 2025, 9.00am–3.45pm, Staff Health and Wellbeing Building or if virtual is preferred, please specify at time of booking to be sent a link for Teams
Our Staff Disability Adviser will be available to talk about disability and long-term health conditions, including neurodiverse conditions such as dyslexia, autism or ADHD.
Book a 40 minute one-to-one meeting to talk either about yourself, supporting colleagues or implementing reasonable adjustments for those you line manage. Find out more about some of the software we have available in the Software Centre that can be useful to help manage long-term conditions, as well as other support available either in-house or via Access to Work funding.
Please note, the meetings will be held face-to-face in the Staff Health and Wellbeing Building, but if you would prefer to have an online meeting, please select 'yes' when booking and our Staff Disability Adviser will send you a Teams meeting link for your chosen time.
Register your interest to talk to the Staff Disability Adviser
Digital accessibility introduction
18 November 2025, 10.00am – 11.00am, online
During this introduction, you will learn the basics of digital accessibility, what is required to create accessible materials and how you can check for potential problems.
Register your interest for the digital accessibility introduction (log-in required)
Introducing new PowerPoint templates, designed for everyone
18 November 2025, 3.00pm – 3.45pm, online
In collaboration with Digital Services and the Creative Team, this session will introduce our new internal and teaching template designed with accessibility in mind.
In this session, we’ll introduce the new grey and cream PowerPoint templates with a tutorial on how to use them effectively to produce inclusive presentations. We will cover:
- Why we’ve introduced this new template, and when to use it
- How to use the template to create accessible presentations
- A demonstration on converting existing slides to grey or cream
- Tips to streamline your content and keep your audience engaged
The session will be delivered via Teams and all staff are welcome to attend.
Women’s Health Café
19 November 2025, 12.00pm – 12.45pm, online
Our regular Staff Women's Health Cafés take place every 6-8 weeks over lunchtime (virtual topic sessions on Microsoft Teams. this month's discussion topic is Neurodiversity, in women and girls
Everyone is welcome to join us to ask questions, share experiences or just listen. You are also very welcome to eat your lunch during the Café.
No Booking required.
Learn more about the Women's Health Cafés (log-in required)
Neurodiversity Society Weekly Social Meet
21 November 2025, 5.00pm – 9.00pm, Liberation Room, Percy Gee Building
A general chill session where we do activities such as playing games, do crafts (such as pin badge making), film watching, member led events and more!
Students only.
Week 2: 24-30 November 2025
Staff Neurodiversity Group
26 November 2025, 12.00pm - 1.00pm, hybrid
A staff group meets most monthly usually with a topic for discussion. A safe space for members of staff who identify, as being neurodivergent (ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia, Tourette’s or similar). No formal diagnosis needed, and no need to book.
This month’s topic for discussion is around idiosyncrasies. Maybe there are things you do that could be characteristic of a neurodivergence, or maybe you have some coping strategies that might seem unusual to others. A chance to share experiences.
- Astley Clarke 0.01 Hybrid Meeting Room
- MS Teams
- Meeting ID: 331 532 141 093 8
- Passcode: p88Zx35T
Find out more about the Staff Neurodiversity Group (log-in required)
H is for heading styles
27 November 2025, 10.00am - 11.00am, online
Find out why heading styles are important for accessibility and how to use them effectively in a Word document.
Register your interest for the heading styles session (log-in required)
Disability confidence training workshop
27 November 2025, 2.00pm - 4.00pm, MacLellan Room, 4th Floor, Engineering Building
The Disability Confidence Training for Managers course aims to equip managers with the skills and confidence to support and develop disabled staff, removing barriers to enable disabled staff to participate and contribute fully, and to promote a disability. Booking required via Organisational Development.
Register your interest for the disability confidence training workshop (log-in required)
WORD! International Day of People with Disabilities
27 November 2025, 7.00pm - 9.00pm, Attenborough Arts Centre
Join us as we end the year with this very special event for International Day of People with Disabilities – co-curated with WORD!’s, Teagan Buckley. This WORD! special will explore ideas around (dis)ability and imagine a present and future that is accessible for all without exception. Every aspect of performance will be conceived of for access to expression, and include multiple forms of language within diverse ability.
To sign up for the open mic, and/or book a workshop place on the same day (4.00pm-6.00pm) email hello@wordpoetry.co.uk.
Teagan Buckley (She/Her, BA, MA) is a poet and artist from Leicester, England. She is influenced by studies in Film and her experience of disability as someone with cerebral palsy. A fan of cartoons, coffee and music, she is interested in the under-served complexities of intersections of gender and disability – Disability and LGBTQIA+ activism.
Register your interest for WORD!
Neurodiversity Society Weekly Social Meet
27 November 2025, 5.00pm – 9.00pm, Liberation Room, Percy Gee Building
A general chill session where we do activities such as playing games, do crafts (such as pin badge making), film watching, member led events and more!
Students only.
Learn more about the Neurodiversity Society
Talk to the Staff Disability Adviser
28 November 2025, 10.00am–3.45pm, Staff Health and Wellbeing Building or if virtual is preferred, please specify at time of booking to be sent a link for Teams
Our Staff Disability Adviser will be available to talk about disability and long-term health conditions, including neurodiverse conditions such as dyslexia, autism or ADHD.
Book a 40 minute one-to-one meeting to talk either about yourself, supporting colleagues or implementing reasonable adjustments for those you line manage. Find out more about some of the software we have available in the Software Centre that can be useful to help manage long-term conditions, as well as other support available either in-house or via Access to Work funding.
Please note, the meetings will be held face-to-face in the Staff Health and Wellbeing Building, but if you would prefer to have an online meeting, please select 'yes' when booking and our Staff Disability Adviser will send you a Teams meeting link for your chosen time.
Register your interest to talk to the Staff Disability Adviser
Week 3: 1-7 December 2025
I is for images with alternative text
2 December 2025, 10.00am - 11.00am, online
Find out why alternative text (or alt text) is important for accessibility. Learn how to classify your decorative and informative images. See how to create contextual descriptions in Word and PowerPoint.
Register your interest for the alternative text session (log-in required)
Disabled Staff Forum (informal meeting)
2 December 2025, 11.30am - 12.30pm, George Davies Centre, 0.27
An informal opportunity to meet others in the University and find out more about the forum. To help with catering numbers please could you let us know if you intend to attend. Please reply to our email address disabilitystaffforum@leicester.ac.uk with any dietary requirements by Friday 22 November.
You are still welcome to attend if you haven’t replied by then, but we might run low on refreshments to share.
Register your interest for the Disabled Staff Forum (log-in required)
Hostility against disabled people: it’s only an Extra Chromosome* - so please don’t hate me for it!
3 December 2025, 10.00am - 11.00am, Attenborough Film Theatre
Small changes in anyone's life can suddenly open the door to a new encounter, the prospect of being a victim of hate, because you now have a disability. The probability is that you had never heard of disability hate crime, until somebody calls you a cripple, a burden, a problem. Becoming disabled is life-changing enough, without also being a target of someone else’s prejudice. Becoming accustomed to being abused will be a new terrible nightmare to deal with. The abuse can be in secret and be devastating, you have little power and might not want to report these matters.
David Wilkin has spent nearly ten years helping victims of disability hate, conducting research and discussing this type of hostility with multiple agencies and the public, as well as being published regarding this social problem.
Realising that small things can change lives, this talk will discuss the dilemma of being a victim of hostility because you are disabled. Some examples of the terrifying hate that people face will be raised and potential solutions to the problem illustrated.
There should be a realisation that disability can happen to any of us, at any time.
Register your interest for the hostility against disabled people event
Best practice in making PowerPoint slides accessible
4 December 2025, 2.00pm - 3.00pm, online
You will learn the core principles of accessible slide design, including readability, layout and structure. You will learn how to apply best practice for text and visuals, structure your slide content and use built in accessibility tools in PowerPoint.
Register your interest for the making PowerPoint slides accessible event (log-in required)
IDoDP Showcase
5 December 2025, 11.00am - 2.00pm, Union Studio, Students’ Union, Percy Gee Building
All staff and students are invited to the IDoDP Support Showcase. This will be an opportunity to talk to various stallholders to find out about services and support available at the University of Leicester, that’s especially relevant to disabled staff and/or disabled students. There will also be freebies available!
No booking required.
Neurodiversity Society Weekly Social Meet
5 December 2025, 5.00pm – 9.00pm, Liberation Room, Percy Gee Building
A general chill session where we do activities such as playing games, do crafts (such as pin badge making), film watching, member led events and more!
Students only.
Week 4: 8-14 December 2025
Andy’s Man Club - its okay to talk
8 December 2025, 10.00am - 10.45am, Microsoft Teams
We operate a network of face-to-face groups nationwide, stretching from the South-West of England, into Wales and up to the North of Scotland, and online groups for people who are further afield. We have local groups in Leicestershire.
Our groups are free of charges and bookings, completely confidential and a place that is free of any judgement – you can simply turn up, and talk as much or as little as you desire with no pressure. Find out more about Andy's Man Club.
Join the Andy's Man Club event on TeamsMental health first aid
9 December 2025, 9.00am - 5.00pm, Brookfield
This one-day course will not qualify you as a Mental Health First Aider - you will become a Mental Health First Aid Champion and have the option to join the Viva Engage community of Mental Health First Aid Champions across the University to network, discuss what you learn on the course and raise awareness of mental health. Please note, this course covers some sensitive and potentially triggering topics, such as depression, anxiety and suicide.
Following the course you will have:
- An understanding of common mental health issues
- Knowledge and confidence to advocate for mental health awareness
- Ability to spot signs of mental ill health
- Skills to support positive wellbeing
Register your interest for the mental health first aid (login required)