We are a collaborative super-network that connects and represents disabled staff networks, providing a platform to share experiences, best practices, and explore challenges and opportunities. Focused on the tertiary education sector, including universities and colleges, we welcome individuals and organisations from all sectors – public, private, social, and voluntary – who are committed to advancing equality for disabled staff.
Our Story
Background
Building a National Movement
In late 2013, Hamied began exploring the idea of creating a nationwide association of disabled staff networks, particularly within higher education institutions (HEIs). Inspired by the “network of networks” model recently launched by the Equality Challenge Unit (ECU) for BME staff networks, Hamied envisioned an umbrella organisation to foster collaboration, share best practices, and coordinate events.
He consulted with several key figures, including Patrick Johnson and Jane Cordell, who were enthusiastic about the initiative. In January 2014, Hamied took the first formal step toward making this vision a reality.
Key Collaborations and Support
Jane Cordell introduced Hamied to her colleague, Kate Nash OBE, a leader in disabled employee networks. Kate’s insights and experience provided valuable inspiration. Meanwhile, Patrick Johnson encouraged Hamied to connect with Chris Brill at ECU, who was highly supportive and suggested Hamied document his ideas.
Chris Brill then connected Hamied with Nicki Martin and the late Deb Viney, both founding Directors of NADP. Together, the group met on 8 May 2014 at SOAS University of London to discuss Hamied’s proposal and chart a path forward.
Founding the National Association of Disabled Staff Networks (NADSN)
The group agreed on several foundational steps:
- Form a Steering Group with representatives from diverse organisations, including UCU.
- Consider establishing NADSN as a business entity or a wing of NADP.
- Create a dedicated JISCMAIL list for communication.
- Allow individuals and institutions to join as members.
- Develop clear Terms of Reference.
- Ensure representation across different HE and FE groupings (e.g. Russell Group, University Alliance).
These efforts culminated in the launch of NADSN, a pioneering network committed to advancing disability inclusion across the UK’s education sector.
Logo
The logo for NADSN was created in October 2014 by Rachel Shillcock, a disabled professional freelance web and user interface designer [Rachilli]. Rachel based her design on Scott Elias’ original idea of stars.
Rachel described her design for the NADSN logo as follows:
My idea for the logo is this: simple, clear typography with a mark that can be used as a brand symbol. The idea behind the mark is this: The main star at the front represents each person, and every single person is unique – as is every star. In that same way, every person’s disability is going to be unique in the way it affects them. Then the extra (rotated) star behind the first is to show the network of other people, so that it’s showing not just the one star/person alone. Then the background (that matches the edges of the star in the forefront) is like the container for it all, which is NADSN or the group of people behind it.
I did try brighter combinations but the contrast ends up becoming too harsh – I also tried some different colours such as purples and reds, but then the contrast was too low. At the moment, for the style of the icon, this is about as far as we can push it with the colours. They work well in black and white and when I tested them in the various colour-blindness simulators I have at hand, they worked well with those as well. (I went through about 16 colour combinations to get to that one! So I did check lots of them.)
We will remain grateful to Rachel for this awesome gift!
Launch
On Friday 6 June 2014, The University of Manchester’s Disabled Staff Network hosted a ground-breaking national conference titled “What Are We Hiding?”. Chaired by Melanie Sharpe, the Conference Steering Group brought together over 100 attendees from across the UK to explore the experiences of disabled staff with hidden impairments and invisible disabilities working in higher education institutions (HEIs). The event was a resounding success, with overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants.
During the conference, Hamied Haroon and Anna Charles-Jones co-led a session on Disabled Staff Networks, sharing their experiences as chairs of the Disabled Staff Network at The University of Manchester and the Disabled Staff Forum at Manchester Metropolitan University, respectively.
It was in this session that Hamied unveiled his initial proposals for a national association of disabled staff networks—a vision for a collaborative, cross-institutional platform to share best practice, support disabled staff, and amplify their voices.
The response to Hamied’s proposal was overwhelmingly supportive. That day marked the launch of the National Association of Disabled Staff Networks (NADSN)—a pioneering initiative to unite disabled staff networks across the UK.
Tragically, just over a week after the conference, Deb Viney—a passionate advocate and founding Director of NADP—passed away. Hamied had met Deb only once, but her impact was profound. In honour of her legacy, Hamied dedicated the launch of NADSN to Deb’s memory.
CIC
Registration
National Association of Disabled Staff Networks CIC Registered in Scotland SC771666.
Constitution
Our constitution sets out the aims of NADSN, how membership works, and how decisions are made.
Aims and Objectives
- Promote disability equality and campaign for disabled staff networks to be supported in the workplace.
- Promote the interests of disabled staff on a national level.
- Challenge stereotypes by endorsing the Social Model of Disability, promoting a positive image of disabled people and eliminating the deficit/medical model.
- Raise awareness of non-visible impairments ensuring inclusion of people whose conditions/differences are hidden such as mental health conditions, learning differences, HIV, etc.
- Organise and deliver accessible events that can bring disabled staff and disability equality allies together.
- Support relevant research projects, policies and guidance for disabled staff, managers, higher education institutions (HEIs), further education institutions (FEIs) and Government agencies.
- Provide opportunities for the personal and professional development of disabled staff within a HEI/FEI setting.
- Identify high-profile disabled staff at HEIs and FEIs as role models.
- Link with disabled students, particularly at postgraduate and doctoral levels.
- Create and maintain an internet site with information, resources, documents, blogs and useful links for disabled staff in accessible formats.
- Attract sponsors and hosts for conferences and special-interest meetings open to all disabled staff and relevant managers to attend.
Membership
Membership is open to Disabled Staff Networks/Groups/Fora from HEIs and FEIs across the country, along with other interested organisations
Our current members include UK Higher Education organisations, HE organisations outside the UK, Further Education affiliates, education related organisations, police forces, disabled people’s organisations, healthcare organisations, companies, and other public sector organisations.
UK Higher Education organisations
Anglia Ruskin University, Aston University, Bath Spa University, Birkbeck, University of London, Brunel University London, Buckinghamshire New University, Cardiff University, De Montfort University, Edge Hill University, Heriot-Watt University, Imperial College London, King’s College London, Liverpool John Moores University, London South Bank University, Loughborough University, Manchester Metropolitan University, Newcastle University, Nottingham Trent University, Oxford University Student Union, Queen Mary University of London, Royal Holloway, University of London, St George’s, University of London, The Francis Crick Institute, The Institute of Cancer Research, The Open University, The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London, The University of Edinburgh, The University of Manchester – where it all began!, The University of Sheffield, The University of Warwick, Ulster University, University College London, University of Aberdeen, University of Bath, University of Birmingham, University of Bradford, University of Bristol, University of Cambridge, University of Chester, University of Dundee, University of Glasgow, University of Hertfordshire, University of Hull, University of Kent, University of Leeds, University of Leicester, University of Lincoln, University of Liverpool, University of Nottingham, University of Oxford, University of Reading, University of Roehampton, University of Southampton, University of St Andrews, University of Sussex, University of the Arts London, University of the West of England, Bristol, University of the West of Scotland, University of Wolverhampton, University of York, and York St John University.
HE organisations outside the UK
Philipps University of Marburg (Germany), The Ohio State University (USA), University College Dublin (Republic of Ireland), and University of Manitoba (Canada).
Further Education affiliates.
Blackburn College.
Education related organisations.
Access Summit, Chronically Academic, Equality Challenge Unit (now part of Advance HE), Institute of Physics, Intersectionality Network (Republic of Ireland), Jisc, Scottish Qualifications Authority, and Wellcome Trust.
Police forces.
Lancashire Constabulary, West Yorkshire Police.
Disabled people’s organisations
Bristol Disability Equality Forum, CHANGE, Disability Rights UK, Rochdale and District Disability Action Group, ROLE network, Stroke Association.
Healthcare organisations
Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, East Cheshire NHS Trust, Health & Social Care Services in Northern Ireland, Health Education England, NHS, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, and Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
Companies
How Do I?, Luminate UK, Marks and Spencer plc, The Autism Academy UK, Visualise Training and Consultancy.
Other Public Sector organisations
BBC, Citizens Advice, Homes England, ITV plc, Natural Resources Wales, Scottish Water, The Scottish Parliament.
Structure and Operation
- NADSN will have a Patron, an elected Chair, elected Vice Chairs (FE and HE), and a core leadership team elected from the membership to be known as the Steering Committee.
- The Patron will be well-known and respected in the disability field helping NADSN publically and particularly through the media.
- The Chair will lead the Steering Committee, represent NADSN externally and will be a person with lived experience.
- Vice Chairs will have responsibility for taking forward pieces of work agreed from the overarching themes of work in NADSN.
- Core Leadership Team roles will include Secretary, Treasurer, Regional Leads, Events Lead, Communications Lead, and other roles to be agreed by the Steering Committee.
- Any member of NADSN will be eligible to be nominated to any role for a term of two years.
- There will be a limit on the number of terms to two that someone can be re-elected to the same role.
- NADSN members can be co-opted into working groups based on their expertise and experience.
- NADSN will have an Advisory Group to agree and oversee our strategy and goals and to request and review quarterly progress reports from the Steering Committee. The Advisory Group will be made up of members of the Founding Steering Group.
- Members actively serving in leadership roles will not be involved in the Advisory Group.
- The Chair of the Advisory Group will be elected from amongst its own members, for a term of two years, with two possible re-elections. New members can be co-opted in.
- NASDN will create and support Local Hubs. Local Hubs of membership activity, in specific geographical areas, will make it easier for people to physically meet up and to work together on issues specific to their geographical location.
- NASDN will have Working Groups (WGs) that will have various functions. For instance, WGs can support the Steering Committee (SC) and the Advisory Group (AG). WGs can also have responsibility for a separate project under one of the themes of NADSN, but not covered by either the SC or the AG.
Administration
- The Steering Committee will meet a minimum of two times per year one meeting in the north and the other south of the UK.
- A quorum of the Steering Committee will be formed with the attendance of five members at meetings.
- Meeting papers will be circulated to the Steering Committee five days before meetings by the Secretary.
Directors
Dr Hamied A. Haroon
University of Manchester
Since 2004, Hamied Haroon has worked as a research scientist in medical imaging at The University of Manchester. In 2007, he was elected as the first Chair of the University’s Disabled Staff Network, established by the Equality & Diversity Office. He served in this role until August 2013, when he and Melanie Sharpe became Co-Chairs.
Stuart Moore
NHS England
Stuart has worked on the themes of equality, diversity and inclusion for 20 years. Prior to joining the NHS, Stuart’s career included diversity adviser roles at the Cabinet Office, and the Equality Challenge Unit, the equality body for higher education. With a brief stint at the Business Disability Forum.
Stuart spent 6 years at Health Education England, including time as their national diversity and inclusion manager, leading on the creation and delivery of their EDI strategic framework.
Stuart joined NHS England in 2019 as Senior Manager of the Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES), with operational leadership on work to further disability inclusion across the NHS.
Stuart has also held responsibility as the NHS Regional Head of Equality for the South East, working to provide oversight of equalities across the region.
More recently, Stuart has been appointed as a national EDI Lead and is leading work to support the careers and development of EDI professionals working within the healthcare sector.
Stuart is also a director of the National Association of Disabled Staff Networks (CIC), which brings together a collective voice for disabled staff networks across the UK (and globally).
Stuart is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and the Institute of Equality and Diversity Professionals, and is a CIPD accredited EDI specialist.
In 2012, Stuart was a bearer of the torch for the London Paralympics.
Jacquie Nicholson
The Open University
Annual accounts and reports
Coming soon…
Governance
Steering Committee
NADSN’s Founding Steering Group was formed in October 2014. The current appointees are as follows:
- Patron – Professor Anna Lawson (University of Leeds). We’re proud to welcome Professor Anna Lawson as NADSN’s first Patron. A globally respected academic and disability rights advocate, Anna brings deep expertise, lived experience, and leadership to this new role. As Patron, Anna will help promote NADSN’s mission, raise awareness, support key events, and offer guidance to our Steering Committee. We’re honoured to have her on board and excited for what’s ahead.
- Director of NADSN CIC – Dr Hamied Haroon (University of Manchester), Jacqueline Nicholson (Open University), Stuart Moore (NHS England).
- Chair – Hamied Haroon (University of Manchester). Responsible for leading the Steering Committee, working closely with the Patron and Advisors, reviewing and pursuing the NADSN Terms of Reference, and representing NADSN externally. The person holding this role will have lived experience of disability.
- Vice Chair – Jacquie Nicholson (Open University), Stuart Moore (NHS England). Responsible for supporting the Chair in advancing NADSN Terms of Reference, working with Regional Leads in identifying and taking forward overarching themes of work in NADSN. Supporting the Chair in representing NADSN externally.
- Secretary – Emma Nadin (Loughborough University), and Professor Yota Dimitriadi (University of Reading). Responsible for organising meetings of the Steering Committee (including agendas and minutes), dealing with NADSN membership, reviewing content on the NADSN website, and ensuring any legal obligations are fulfilled.
- Treasurer – Jacquie Nicholson (Open University). Responsible for the finances of NADSN, raising and spending funds, and abiding by the relevant regulations.
- Engagement and Communications Lead – Rachel Heyes (University of Manchester). Responsible for supporting NADSN events and meetings, and encouraging members’ engagement with relevant events, initiatives, campaigns and enquiries from the public. Responsible for keeping NADSN members up-to-date with relevant news, developing the NADSN website, and running the NADSN social media channels. The Engagement and Communications Lead or Co-Leads will coordinate the Team and will be a member of the Steering Committee.
- Intersectionality Lead – Kayla Barram (Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People), and Dr Fideline Tchuenbou-Magaia (University of Wolverhampton). Responsible for progressing initiatives on the theme of intersectionality of disability with other identities, in partnership with NADSN’s sister organisations.
- Subgroup Leads and Co-Leads
- International, National and Regional Leads and Co-Leads. Responsible for representing and promoting NADSN within geographical regions, and creating and supporting local hubs to bring NADSN members together within those regions and reaching out to relevant organisations.
Members of the Steering Committee can co-opt in any other members of NADSN for specific purposes.
Steering Committee members will serve for a term of two years.
Policies
Coming soon…
Intersectionality
Responsible for progressing initiatives on the theme of intersectionality of disability with other identities, in partnership with NADSN’s sister organisations.
Intersectionality Lead
- Kayla Barram (Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People).
- Dr Fideline Tchuenbou-Magaia (University of Wolverhampton).
Engagement and Communications
Responsible for supporting NADSN events and meetings, and encouraging members’ engagement with relevant events, initiatives, campaigns and enquiries from the public. Responsible for keeping NADSN members up-to-date with relevant news, developing the NADSN website, and running the NADSN social media channels.
The Engagement and Communications Lead or Co-Leads will coordinate the Team and will be a member of the Steering Committee.
Engagement and Communications Lead
- Rachel Heyes (University of Manchester).
Subgroups
NADSN subgroups bring members together around shared interests, disciplines, and experiences. They provide spaces to share knowledge, influence policy and practice, and build supportive networks.
Subgroups are open to all NADSN members. Get involved to help drive inclusion and accessibility across the sector.
NADSN Subgroups
- Chair of RIDE Higher – Dr Melanie Best (University of Wolverhampton).
- Chair of Disabled Women in Academia Network – Dr Meredith Wilkinson (De Montfort University).
- Co-Chairs of Blind and Visually Impaired Staff and PGRs in Academia Network – Dr Stuart Gore (University of Leeds), and
- Dr Sam Hitchmough (University of Bristol).
- Lead of Neurodivergence Focus Group – Andrew Crosbie (Scottish Qualifications Authority).
- Co-Leads of STEMM Action Group – Professor Yota Dimitriadi (University of Reading), and Dr Hamied Haroon (University of Manchester).
- Chair of Access to Work Support Group – Dr Armineh Soorenian (University of Sheffield).
Subgroup Leads and Co-Leads are members of the Steering Committee.
For more information, please see the dedicated page NADSN Subgroups.
Nations, Regions, and International
Each Regional Lead will form Regional Hubs for local NADSN members – please contact your nearest Regional Lead to join up to your Regional Hub.
Regional Leads and Co-Leads
- Scotland: Jacquie Nicholson (Open University), and Andrew Crosbie (Scottish Qualifications Authority).
- Wales: Vacant.
- Northern Ireland: Angela Getty (Ulster University).
- England – North West: Lykara Ryder, and Mona Patel (Manchester Metropolitan University).
- England – North East: Vacant.
- England – Yorkshire and Humberside: Richard Knight (York St John University), and Ruth Knight (York St John University).
- England – West Midlands: Dr Shaukat Ali (University of Wolverhampton).
- England – East Midlands: Emma Nadin (Loughborough University).
- England – East of England: James Hill (Cranfield University).
- England – South West: Dr Kelly Pickard-Smith (SW Academy Health Science Network).
- England – South East: Professor Yota Dimitriadi (University Reading), and Dr Melanie Thornley (University of Greenwich).
- England – London: Ashok Jashapara (Royal Holloway, University London).
- Canada / North America – Professor Nancy Hansen (University of Manitoba).
We are inviting expressions of interest in the vacant roles. Anyone interested should please contact the Secretary.