Supporting Disability Inclusion: One (Duo)Day at a Time
DuoDay is a European inclusion initiative that pairs individuals with disabilities with professionals in various industries for one day of immersion and inspiration. Lisa Wunschel, Diversity and Inclusion Project Manager, shares the experience of activating DuoDay at Havas France Village.
The DuoDay initiative, founded in Ireland and adopted by the French government in 2018, is offered to workplaces across various industries in order to promote the integration of people with disabilities, foster collaboration, break down stereotypes, and create a more inclusive working environment. The principle behind the day is to welcome a person with a disability to a company, pair them with an employee, and guide them through that employee’s typical day on the job — to encourage their active participation and let them experience office life.
The initiative of immersing people into the office plays a key role in changing the perception of disability and helps discover talents that are often underestimated. In addition to offering career inspiration, DuoDay can lead to great opportunities and collaborations.
At Havas France Village, DuoDay is part of our programming for our week of awareness actions around disability. It’s a time for sharing, learning from each other, and a concrete way of driving positive change, as testified by our participating collaborators:
“I initially joined the DuoDay initiative to share a special day with my colleague who, as the mother of a boy with a disability, wanted to share with me her daily life and her dedication to the cause. I’m very happy and honored that Havas allowed me to share a day with Jean, an incredibly talented young man with an unrivaled sense of humor. Sharing this experience is truly enriching: it’s a chance for two people with no apparent connection to meet, discover, and learn from each other. It’s a truly unique experience, and I encourage all Havas employees to take part in the DuoDay initiative one day.”
— Estelle Bleuze, Consultant Influence Department, Havas Paris
“Disability is part of my daily life. So, it seems natural that I decided to take part in DuoDay which is an incredible initiative to raise awareness among Havas Paris employees about inclusion in the workplace. A lot of people with disabilities don’t have access to jobs, even though they’re motivated and competent. It’s important that we get involved in this cause every day and that this dedicated day becomes a daily habit.”
— Roxane Certner, Associate Director, Havas Paris
Since 2021, France’s involvement in this program has allowed the Village to showcase the diversity of our business lines including creative, media, human resources, and general services.
The past three years have have welcomed 19 people with disabilities to the French Village: three in 2021, five in 2022, and 11 in 2023, thanks to the active involvement of more than 20 employees, more and more of whom are committed to this enriching experience.
“The DuoDay is a day for two, and what a day it is! Time dedicated to others, making for a truly beautiful human experience. That’s what I take away from it. Why? Because initiatives like these enable individuals with disabilities to explore new things and, who knows, discover new interests. I appreciated the beauty of the Group’s initiative and will definitely participate a third time!”
— Charrazad Nasri, Director of Personnel Management, Havas Media France
Are you interested in implementing a similar initiative at your agency or becoming a Duo? Please reach out to Jody Matamis <jodyann.matamis@havas.com> for more information.
