One of our roles at PurpleSpace is to raise the professional profiles of those who drive business change on disability change through Disability Employee Networks or Resource Groups. Our ‘Purple Change Agents’ series introduces individuals - who may or may not be members of PurpleSpace - who have the desire to influence business change to enable employees living with a disability or long-term health conditions to be the best version of themselves at work. This week we profile David Chrimes, Crown Advocate with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and Chair of the CPS Disabled Staff Network.
- What three words define your personal style or brand? - Relentless, Campaigner, Justice
- What do you owe your family? - The ability to think for myself
- What is the best thing that has happened to you? - Being born
- What is your greatest regret? - Not having met or known my two Grandfathers, paternal Grandmother and Sister
- Why did you choose your career? - My career chose me, I stumbled into it by accident
- What have you learnt most about your profession? - Success is part hard work, part ability and some luck
- What gets you through a challenging day at work? - The belief that I am doing the right thing
- Who has been your greatest personal ally at work? - Melanie Trust - CPS HR Policy Lead
- Have you always been able to be yourself at work? - Yes, always
- What type of network or resource group are you involved with? Peer support, consultation and campaigning
- What made you decide to get involved in running or being part of a network? - The aim of improving the working lives of colleagues with disabilities
- What have you been most proud of in terms of the contribution you have made? - Conceiving, campaigning for, and helping to draft the CPS' progressive Disability Related Absence Policy
- What gets in the way of your network creating a purple wildfire and influencing the disability agenda at work? - Lack of time
- Who is or has been your network’s greatest champion? - Probably Me
- What skills or development opportunities has being part of a network provided you with? - The chance to meet colleagues with a wide range of disabilities
- How did you become disability confident? - Through experience and having a positive mindset
- What change would you create for disabled employees of you were Minister of Disabled Employees? - Applying the Social Model of Disability via a Workplace Adjustments culture based on need
- How do you define personal resilience at work? - Psychological, physical and emotional toughness
- What one thing would you say to someone who is acquiring the same impairment or health condition as you at work? - Never give up
- What one thing would you say to someone wanting to become a purple ally? - Go for it - it is the best way to get some understanding of disability
- What has been the most useful workplace adjustment for you? - Allocating me cases for Court without difficult-to-read documents
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The full blog and all content is available to Members.
