We are delighted that Dumfries and Galloway Council has achieved the highest level of Disability Confident Accreditation by becoming a Disability Confident Leader. The Usual Place was the first Disability Confident Leader in the region and has held this status for 6 years. We are proud to have independently validated the requirements in the Council’s Disability Confident Journey.
We are now looking forward to collaborating with the Council in promoting Disability Confidence and in supporting more organisations across the region to sign up and work through the various levels to help reduce Dumfries & Galloway’s Disability Employment Gap, which is one of the largest in Scotland.

This milestone recognises the council’s ongoing commitment to creating an inclusive and accessible workplace where all colleagues can thrive – and the commitment across services to keep improving.

The council is now one of just three organisations in Dumfries and Galloway to have achieved this level of accreditation. The process involved an independent validation by local social enterprise The Usual Place, which champions inclusive opportunities for young people with additional support needs.

To become a Disability Confident Leader, the council demonstrated sustained progress and best practice across a range of areas – from accessible recruitment to training, workplace adjustments and proactive engagement with staff networks.

Councillor John Campbell, Chair of the Enabling and Customer Services Committee, said:

“This is a significant achievement for our council and an important signal to the region. We want to be a workplace where everyone feels supported to do their best work – and this accreditation shows we are delivering on that commitment.”

Councillor Ben Dashper, Vice Chair of the Committee, added:

“Being a Disability Confident Leader isn’t just about what we do internally – it’s also about supporting others. We’re proud to be using our learning and experience to encourage other employers in Dumfries and Galloway to get involved in the scheme too.”

As part of its Disability Confident Leader role, the council will continue to share good practice and offer informal support to organisations interested in starting their own journey with the scheme.

What is the Disability Confident scheme?

Disability Confident is a UK Government initiative that helps employers become more inclusive. It supports organisations to:

Build inclusive workplaces.
Recruit and retain disabled people.
Remove barriers to work.
Promote equality and understanding