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Impact Sponsors

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2023 Impact Cohort

Smart Hopewell, Narrative Writer & Content Creator

Impact is an annual initiative to showcase and celebrate 6 disabled and neurodiverse individuals working in the UK games industry.

What is Impact?

An annual long term initiative which showcases and celebrates the talents of 6 disabled and neurodiverse UK-based games industry professionals across various areas, specialisms and levels - who have stood out in their career and are proud advocates of their identity.

Who is part of the Impact community?

We have a growing community as part of Impact in our Many Cats Discord, they include people that are:

Disabled and/or neurodiverse
Vocal, visible and open about their disability or neurodiversity
Working in any games industry role

Check out our handy FAQ for more information on what we mean by disabled and neurodiverse.

Why is it needed?

21.7% of people in the UK alone have at least one disability
- Disability facts and figures from Scope https://bit.ly/3OST6dn
Disabled people are 29% less likely to be in employment compared to non-disabled people
- Office of National Statistics - Labour market status of disabled people - https://bit.ly/3AISroN
Disabled people with severe or specific learning difficulties (26.2%), autism (29.0%), and mental illness or other nervous disorders (30.1%) have employment rates that are lower than disabled people with other impairment types.
- Office of National Statistics - Outcomes for disabled people in the UK: 2021 - http://bit.ly/3Iavqjr
Only 4% of the UK games Industry consider themselves disabled, alongside 18% identifying as neurodiverse
- UK Games Industry Census 2022 - https://bit.ly/3elCDRa
Laws alone are not enough, there needs to be societal change, and the games industry has a role it can play in that.
"Just because discrimination is illegal, doesn't mean it doesn't happen" - GamesIndustry.biz http://bit.ly/3xcIIpA