With the Paralympic Games coming to a close yesterday, we at Scrumconnect are proud to continue celebrating the extraordinary achievements of disabled athletes and their inspiration to audiences worldwide. Since their inception in 1960 with just 400 athletes from 23 countries, the Paralympics have grown into a global celebration of athletic excellence and human resilience, showcasing the capabilities of athletes from all walks of life. However, while this year’s games shone a spotlight on what disabled athletes can achieve, they also highlighted areas where society still falls short in creating a truly inclusive and accessible world. Paris itself came under scrutiny for its largely inaccessible public transport network, which remained a significant challenge for disabled individuals, especially during the Games. Despite promises of improved infrastructure, only a small fraction of metro stations are wheelchair-accessible, causing frustration and highlighting the ongoing need for more inclusive transport solutions.
It is essential to recognise the remarkable contributions of the Paralympics in promoting disability awareness. These games showcase a broad spectrum of impairments, challenging the limited and often narrow public perceptions of disability. However, despite this progress, the Paralympics do not fully represent the wide array of experiences of disability. Many invisible impairments, mental health conditions, and cognitive impairments remain underrepresented. This reflects a larger societal issue where some types of disability receive attention while others remain marginalised.
Moreover, while celebrating the determination and athletic prowess of these Paralympians is important, the narrative can sometimes lean too heavily on framing disabled athletes as ‘superhumans’. Although well-intentioned, this narrative can create unrealistic expectations and even overshadow the daily struggles and systemic barriers that many disabled people continue to face. Not every disabled individual wants to be seen as extraordinary for merely navigating a world that is often inaccessible to them.
At Scrumconnect, we draw inspiration from the Paralympics but understand that true inclusivity means more than just celebrating exceptional achievements. We are committed to breaking down the barriers that prevent disabled people from thriving in everyday life, not just in elite sports.
Through our partnership with Disability Rights UK, we work to tackle broader issues of accessibility and representation. Our initiatives aim to go beyond temporary solutions, such as those cities adopt during the Paralympics to improve infrastructure. We integrate accessibility standards, such as the WCAG 2.2 AA guidelines, into the technology solutions we deliver for our clients. By continuously engaging with diverse user groups, we ensure that our services meet the needs of all users, regardless of their abilities. This reflects our belief that accessibility must be an everyday practice, not an exception for special events.
Here’s how our commitment to accessibility aligns with the spirit of the Paralympics:
At Scrumconect’s recent TechNExt event in Newcastle, Craig Abbott, Design Manager at Elastic and former Head of Accessibility at DWP, gave an insightful talk on the importance of integrating accessibility throughout the service design process. Drawing from his experiences, Abbott emphasised the need to go beyond standard accessibility guidelines like WCAG, advocating for inclusive design that anticipates diverse needs, particularly for neurodivergent individuals. His message reinforced Scrumconnect's commitment to accessibility, aligning with our ongoing work to create inclusive digital solutions for all users.
It’s important to acknowledge that despite the visibility the Paralympics provide, wider societal issues remain. The games shine a light on the athletes for a few weeks, but for many disabled people, the barriers they face in the workplace, public life, and daily living persist long after the events are over. Successive governments and organisations have not always acted in the best interests of the disabled community, with inaccessible services and discriminatory practices still prevalent. This is why, at Scrumconnect, we don’t just celebrate the athletes’ success; we are committed to driving long-term change.
The Paralympics remind us of the incredible potential within every individual. However, the true legacy of the games should be to ensure that all disabled people are afforded the same respect, opportunities, and rights as anyone else—not just during the games, but in all aspects of life.
At Scrumconnect, we are proud to support this vision by continuously working to make the tech industry and society as a whole more inclusive. We believe that the spirit of the Paralympics is not just about athletic triumphs; it’s about breaking down the barriers that hold people back from realising their full potential. Together with our partners, we remain committed to creating a more accessible and equitable world for everyone.
READ MORE: Our Chief Design Officer, Gavin Elliott, shared a deeply personal story in his blog about embracing his autism diagnosis. In honour of Mental Health Awareness Week, Gavin reflected on his journey of self-discovery and acceptance, offering insights into how his diagnosis has positively influenced his personal and professional life. His candid reflections provide an inspiring message about the importance of understanding and supporting neurodiversity in the workplace. You can read the full blog here: Embracing Autism: A Mental Health Awareness Week Story.
On 5th November, leaders from across the tech industry gathered in London for the Women and Diversity in Tech and Channel Festival, where they explored key challenges and opportunities for creating a more inclusive and sustainable tech sector.
At Scrumconnect, we specialise in navigating challenges by leveraging Agile methodologies that foster resilience, adaptability, and strategic growth. We partner with clients to not only meet these challenges head-on but to turn them into opportunities for growth.
November marks National Career Development Month, a time dedicated to highlighting the significance of career growth and encouraging both employers and employees to invest in their professional and personal advancement. At Scrumconnect, we take career development seriously, providing our employees with opportunities for mentorship and upskilling opportunities.
Scrumconnect is pleased to announce its successful award of G-Cloud 14 Lot 4 Framework Contract.
We are committed to continuously providing the best in tech with our people, practices and technology through our certifications.
Scrumconnect is committed to disability rights.
This enhanced government-endorsed standard demonstrates that we have implemented the essential plus security requirements for protecting your data, and that of your client’s, against unskilled internet-based cyber attackers.
We are a supplier on Crown Commercial Service’s (CCS) Cloud Compute 2 framework, a testament to our commitment to providing high-quality services to the UK public sector.
An integrated management system, designed for ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 27001:2015, operates across our business. These are regularly reviewed in order to ensure the continuous improvement to meet the needs of our customers and stakeholders.