Blog: National Day for Staff Networks

(Above: leaders from the STAMMA Legal, Met Police, BBC, STAMMA Educators and NHS stammering networks)

10th May 2023

On this day for celebrating staff support networks, Vee, STAMMA's Networks & Campaigns Lead, explains how important they can be for people who stammer.

Support networks for staff add to an inclusive and supportive workplace environment. These networks offer a space for individuals to come together and discuss common experiences, challenges and opportunities. They can also challenge company management to improve.

For people who stammer, support networks like the ones listed on our Professional Networks page, can be particularly valuable, and this 10th May, National Day for Staff Networks, we're recognising the benefits they bring. 

Stammering can be a challenging and isolating experience and having a community of individuals who understand those challenges can be incredibly empowering. Staff support networks can provide a safe and supportive environment for them to share their experiences of stammering at work, connect with others, and learn from each other.

"Creating a network has brought me closer to the stammering community, and where I can now feel I am not alone in the industry. I feel that I now have to hide my stammer less, and it's easier to open up about my stammer as a professional working artist." (Jonathan)

Networks can help reduce stigma and promote stammering awareness in the workplace.

Another key benefit is that networks can help reduce stigma and promote stammering awareness in the workplace. By banding together in a group, networks can influence management and put stammering on the agenda with respect to changing procedures and policies. Many people who stammer experience discrimination and prejudice in the workplace and having a support network can help to combat this by creating a culture of understanding and acceptance. They can also provide education and resources to colleagues and managers, helping to create a more inclusive workplace for everyone.

"It's reassuring to talk to people who know how it feels. Anyone can be empathetic but unless you have a stammer you can't really 'get it'. It’s oddly refreshing to hear other stammering voices." (Claire-Louise)

In addition to these benefits, staff support networks can also be a powerful tool for personal and professional development. By connecting with others who have similar experiences and interests, individuals can gain new skills, knowledge, and insights that can help them advance in their careers.

Overall, staff support networks are a crucial component of building an inclusive and supportive workplace. This National Day for Staff Networks, we celebrate the valuable contributions that these networks make, and we encourage organisations to continue investing in these important resources.

There's no stammering support network in your workplace? Why not set one up? Reach out to your organisation's diversity and inclusion team or HR department to start a conversation. Or, email me, Vee, at communities@stamma.org to discuss it.

Let's continue to work towards creating more inclusive and supportive workplaces for people who stammer. And bring stammering on the agenda!

"Being part of a support network at work has been really helpful for me, as it has given me a safe place where I don't have to worry about my stutter and where I can be myself. This creates room for learning new things and growing as a person. It has also made me feel hopeful to be around a lot of people who stutter in different careers, because it shows me that stuttering does not have to stop me." (Willemijn)

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