In this powerful episode of Let’s Talk Disability, host Professor Jackie Carter, Academic EDI Lead for Disability, is joined by Janine Dixon, Senior Lecturer in Fashion Technology and neurodivergent inclusion advocate, and Helen Brewis, Head of Colleague Wellbeing at the University of Manchester.

Together, they explore what it truly means to design inclusively—from classrooms to workplaces—and how universal design benefits everyone, not just those with visible or shared disabilities.

Janine shares her journey leading a three-year project on widening participation for neurodivergent students, developing academic training workshops, and advocating for “universal design for collaboration.” Helen reflects on the importance of psychological safety, flexible environments, and the role of leadership in fostering wellbeing.

This episode is a deep dive into:
- The lived experience of neurodivergent staff and students
- The power of inclusive teaching and assessment design
- Creating safe spaces for disclosure and support
- The ripple effect of staff networks and community-led change
- Moving from dialogue to action—what real commitment looks like

Whether you're an educator, student, manager, or ally, this conversation will challenge assumptions, inspire action, and offer practical insights into building a more inclusive university culture.

Dixon, J. (2025) ‘Widening Participation for Neurodivergent Students ITL Fellowship 2022-24 Project Report’. The University of Manchester. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.15529531.

https://zenodo.org/records/15529531

This podcast episode features a discussion on disability inclusion at the University of Manchester, hosted by Professor Jackie Carter with guests Dr. Jessica Boland and Professor Richard Jones. The conversation focuses on the importance of recognizing hidden disabilities and fostering an inclusive environment in academia.

Dr Jessica Boland, a senior lecturer in the Department of Materials, discusses her work with functional materials and her experience as a hard-of-hearing individual. She emphasizes that her disability does not define her and believes the focus should be on societal change rather than personal limitations.

Professor Richard Jones, Vice President for Regional Innovation and Civic Engagement, shares his background in materials physics and innovation policy. He expresses his commitment to supporting disabled staff and students and contributing to societal change through the university's outreach efforts.

Professor Jackie Carter is joined by Hannah Rundle, Director of Faculty Operations and Will Stone, Communications Manager, both in the Faculty of Humanities.

The conversation focusses on hidden or non visible disabilities and long term health conditions and the support that the University can give to people living with these around being able to take sick leave, inclusive policies and training managers.

Hosted by Professor Jackie Carter with guests from the Alliance Business School (AMBS) - Michelle Carter, Lead for EDI in AMBS and Gill Bibby, Content and Communications Officer in AMBS.

This episode discusses the experiences of a carer for someone with a disability. We discuss the need to think intersectionally and be creative in exploring solutions to support our colleagues with caring responsibilities for disabled family members.

Hosted by Professor Jackie Carter, this episode features a conversation between Julian Skyrme, Director of Social Responsibility and Hannah Murphy, a member of our first cohort of Future Leaders. Hannah talks openly about her long-term health conditions and how they impact her working life and Julian and Hannah discuss how intersectionality must be part of the new 2035 strategy at The University of Manchester.

Hosted by Professor Jackie Carter, this episode features Laura McLeod (https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/persons/laura.mcleod), Senior Lecturer in Politics in the School of Social Sciences and Claire Alexander, Head of the School of Social Sciences at the University of Manchester. Laura explains her experience of being a deaf academic and the challenges she faces in order to get the support she needs to do her job and her research.

Claire and Laura discuss ways that the school can assist disabled academics navigate the extra administrative burden of being disabled and their thoughts for future training for senior staff within the school.

A conversation hosted by Dr Hamied Haroon, Chair of the National Association of Disabled Staff Network (NADSN) with Professor Duncan Ivison, Vice Chancellor and President of the University of Manchester and Professor Jackie Carter, EDI Academic Lead for Disability. The conversation reflects Duncan's perceptions of disability inclusion at the University since joining in August 2024 and Jackie and Hamied share their experiences of being disabled academics. The three engage in a full and frank discussion on how universities can create an inclusive culture where disabled people can work, learn and thrive and where all come "through the same door" to achieve their potential.

This episode of the Let's Talk Disability series is a conversation hosted by Professor Jackie Carter, Academic EDI Lead with Professor Chris Pressler and Co-Chair of The University of Manchester Disabled Staff Network, Rachel Heyes. They talk about Hidden Disabilities and the Hidden Disability Sunflower Lanyard along with accessibility in digital resources.