News

Midlands water company Severn Trent has partnered up with National UK charity Sense, to help ensure its learning, that it provides to colleagues and communities is more accessible.  

Having launched it’s 100,000 free employability hours for communities last week, the company has teamed up with the charity to provide it with best practice and resources to be able to better support and provide learning around disability awareness, as well increase the Academy teams understanding and knowledge of challenges for anyone living with complex disabilities. 

Through it’s exciting partnership, Sense will help Severn Trent deliver workshops on Different Assistive Technologies, Disability Awareness and Deaf Awareness as well as E-Learning modules such as Introduction to Different Communication Styles, BSL Signs for Occasions and Basic BSL learning video. 

The company will also work with Sense on its wider diversity and inclusion offering, where it will support with reviewing areas, such as recruitment.

Severn Trent, although in the early stages of its partnership with Sense, has already been shortlisted in the Partner of the Year category for the Sense Awards that has been announced today.  

Sarah Harris, Head of the Academy at Severn Trent said: “We’re really excited to team up with Sense on this fantastic partnership that will really help us develop and bolster our employability offering for communities. “It’s really important that we’re accessible, and have best practice so we can reach out to all communities and provide training and skills to those who may have complex needs. Our community training sessions are available to anyone, so we want to make sure they’re inclusive as possible, as well as having the support from Sense to deliver training to help others. 

“It’s important that as a team, and a company who provide a service to 8 million customers, that we’re fully trained and understand the different requirements and needs for any of our customers, so we can give them the best possible service. I’m hugely confident this partnership will really transform not only how we deliver on our 100,000 hours commitment, but how our employees and teams have the confidence and training to deliver exceptional service for all while being inclusive of others needs.” 

Zoe Bates, Employment and Benefits Co-ordinator at Sense said, “It has been a great privilege to work with Severn Trent, and assist them in their learning and training programmes, specifically working to make them accessible to people with complex disabilities. It is an excellent opportunity for both Sense and Severn Trent to collaborate together to improve the employment gap of people living with complex disabilities in the local community, harnessing the exciting momentum of a fair and inclusive society created by the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022 to accelerate our goals. It is great to know that a large organisation like Severn Trent has the insight to understand that having a disability does not mean that you cannot play an important part in the local community, and obtain your potential goals and aspirations. Sense is excited to be a part of the partnership with Severn Trent and we are looking forward to working with them in the future.” 

The Academy, that was opened earlier this month by Prime Minister, Boris Johnson MP and is part of the company’s wider £10m investment into learning and development, has committed to provide 100,000 hours of free employability training for communities, and is encouraging anyone interested to sign up and take advantage of the free, easily accessible learning available. 

 Anyone interested in booking a course to develop and gain new employability skills, can book on for free here: severntrent.com/academy.