Allies are arguably one of the most important stakeholder groups of any diversity agenda. 

Being an ally sometimes means speaking up, using your voice and demonstrating the behaviour you expect from others and educating those around you. Allies are crucial in helping to build and drive cultural change around the disability agenda: they are part of the change that enables everyone to feel comfortable in being their complete and authentic selves. The concept has been very successful in the LGBT+ community and is something we can transfer and learn from.

This month’s theme was all about allyship. During the month, we explored the characteristics of great allyship and how your network can encourage more colleagues to become allies. 

What do Purple Allies do?

At PurpleSpace, we use the term ‘Purple ally’ to describe colleagues who believe that disabled people should experience full equity in the workplace. Allies are diverse and will (and should) include disabled and non-disabled supporters. Some will shout their support from the side-line like a football-watching parent. Some are quieter, sitting in the background observing, reinforcing and influencing the environment within which we work. Some allies are senior members of an organisation looking out across the business, whilst others are more junior and able to influence in a hands-on direct way. 

Over the years, we’ve noticed four traits that we often see in great purple allies: 

1. They tend to be the first to spot and to address, the workplace or customer service barriers that disabled employees face – they like creating solutions 
2. They get things started, make things happen and set the tone for others
3. They are not afraid to get things wrong, or say the wrong thing, or make a mistake – in the knowledge that their intent is good and if they do make a mistake they will learn and be able to convey the organisation’s aim to make it easier for employees to get the tools they need to deliver well for their employer, or to improve customer service
4. They display simple human kindness when it is often just too difficult or painful or embarrassing for individuals to proactively ask for an adjustment or even just be themselves. 

Take our purple ally challenge 

Our guide 25 Ways to be an Ally is brimming with suggestions about things that allies can do to be helpful, engaged and active. Why not take the challenge right now by choosing one action from the small selection we’ve listed below. Don’t have much time? We get you. One minute is all you need.

In one minute?

Join your organisation’s disability employee network / resource group: sign up for any email communications and newsletters

Got 15 minutes?

Take a look at ‘Labels Are So Old Brain’ video on YouTube and send it to your team. It highlights ‘old brain’ assumptions/labels on disability; challenges antiquated messaging; and presents a ‘new brain’ focus on human potential, talent and opportunity

Got one Hour?

Invite members of your disability resource group / network to meet your team so you can hear about their priorities and where you can help

Got half a Day?

Learn about your organisation’s workplace adjustment/accommodation process and then distribute information about it to your team

Got some time over the course of 2021?

Offer to mentor a colleague who has a disability or take part in a formal disability mentoring scheme if your organization has one. 

Dive into some great PurpleSpace resources

We had a range of resources to help members through the month including:

• An article by PurpleSpace Creator and CEO, Kate Nash about what great allyship means to her. 
• Purple Champions & Allies Leaders’ Guide – This publication describes the role and value of Champions and Allies and provides practical steps to becoming a great champion and ally.
• This interview from our ‘Spotlight on’ series with Fleur Bothwick, EMEIA Director of Diversity and Inclusion at EY explores explains how EY EMEIA’s Purple Allies programme is engaging colleagues in a conversation about disability inclusion across the region and offers advice on building an inclusive workplace across multiple continents.

Learn from others

There are some great resources available about allyship out there. Here are a few of our favourites: 

• This video about Accenture’s Mental Health Ally Programme. The programme aims to educate, build awareness and prepare allies to be able to hold discussion on mental health with their colleagues in an appropriate and supportive way - guiding them to the range of resources available to them. 
• This article about Microsoft’s allyship program which is helping employees to see allyship as an opportunity to learn and grow
• This episode of Steph Cutter’s podcast ,‘The Aperture’. Here, Steph and Leyla Okhai discuss the role allyship plays in creating and maintaining diverse and inclusive workplaces and explore the question, ‘How can I be sure I’m being an ally not a saviour?’

Learning and development opportunities this month

We encouraged members to maximise their PurpleSpace membership by accessing all of the exciting learning and development activities coming up this month:

• Engaging in real time with other members of the PurpleSpace community by joining one of two Peer Group Learning Sessions where this month we discussed the role of allyship. 09:30-10:30 GMT on the 11th May and 15:00-16:00 GMT on the 27th May.
• Learn directly from our Spotlight On series. This month we interviewed co-chairs of the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development’s Disability Network, Debbie and Alicia.
• Explore insights from our new guide Powerful Purple Allies focused on identifying, developing, supporting your allies as well as some hints and tips on being an ally.