Enable

#Inclusion #Innovation #Impact As we begin #DisabilityHistoryMonth it’s fitting to reflect on the remarkable journey of Enable and the enduring legacy of our founders. In celebration of our 70th anniversary, I'm proud to invite you to our exhibition at Central Station, Glasgow, on the 16th and 17th of November. Titled "Our Past, My Future," this showcases the powerful stories of individuals with #LearningDisabilities who have been at the heart of our mission for seven decades. Our mission at Enable is defined by ‘demonstrating by doing’ – the exhibition offers an insight into what that looks like in reality. I hope you will join us to celebrate the strides made towards an inclusive society – and to commit to working with us as we continue on that journey. Our story is deeply intertwined with the contributions of Joan and Samuel Curran. Joan, a brilliant scientist, made significant contributions during WWII, including the invention of "Chaff," a countermeasure that protected Allied aircraft during D-Day by confusing enemy radar. Her husband, Samuel, served as the first Principal of the University of Strathclyde. Together, they were determined to ensure that their daughter, Sheena, who had learning disabilities, would have the same opportunities as others. Their advocacy was instrumental in the founding of Enable in 1954. Reflecting on his parents' legacy, their son, Professor James Curran stated: "My parents were determined that Sheena would have the same opportunities in life as everyone else. They, along with other families, founded Enable to advocate for an inclusive society." This pioneering spirit lives on through our innovative #BreakingBarriers programme. Since 2018, in partnership with the University of Strathclyde, Edinburgh Napier University ScottishPower, Dayforce, EY and Balfour Beatty plc, Breaking Barriers has empowered 163 young people with learning disabilities to gain university qualifications. This year, I was proud to see our newest cohort of students from Napier and Strathclyde successfully graduate – their creativity and dedication offer inspiring examples of the difference that can be made. And this impact spreads beyond Scotland’s shores – through the work we do with partners in Inclusion Europe, supported by Milan Šveřepa and Jyrki Pinomaa, the ideas and energy of Breaking Barriers is finding a welcome in other European countries. Disability History Month 2024 shows that there is still so much to do – the employment gap remains disgracefully high, and we have seen disturbing pushback recently against the vital work of #DEI in addressing barriers and imbalances that exist in the workplace and in society.  From Joan and Samuel's advocacy for inclusive education to our Breaking Barriers graduates forging their own paths, this journey truly comes full circle. Their legacy of breaking down barriers and championing equal opportunities continues to inspire us today, and as we build towards a more #inclusive future. 

Our CEO Stephanie Fraser spoke on 10 October in the House of Lords in support of improving the rights of #carers in Scotland and across the UK. She highlighted that: ➡ Unpaid carers take on a hugely challenging, diverse and responsible role, but remain invisible and unappreciated. ➡Plans to create a National Care Service in Scotland have yet to result in any material improvements for carers, or for the people cared for, in Scotland. ➡The identification of carers, and supporting them to access available resources, needs to be improved. ➡Care and care services should not be seen as only for the ill or old. ➡The cerebral palsy community need support to live their lives in the same way as non-disabled people take for granted, and being able to recruit good Personal Assistants is crucial to this. ➡The Personal Assistant model, as delivered in Scotland by Enable, is an example which could be seen as an approach that might be replicated elsewhere. We will continue to advocate at every opportunity for improved support for unpaid carers with policy makers and government.

We recently introduced Theresa Shearer FRSE to you as one of our Athens Conference speakers. As CEO of Enable Theresa will join us to share her knowledge on employment of people with disabilities. 🔷🔷 But this time around, we introduce her as our first inspiring Humans of EASPD story on employment of people with disabilities! Theresa Shearer entered the disability sector with her knowledge from her business school days. She took that knowledge and implemented in an ethical and value based manner within the NGO sector🙌 As we went back in time with Theresa, she shared with us the ups and downs of her journey and how she saw the evolution of businesses hiring people with disabilities in early 2000s to where we are today. Read her interview to get to know her more and meet her very soon at our conference in Athens👇 https://lnkd.in/eTvJuJsA

It’s time to meet our conference speakers! 👋 We are thrilled to announce that the internationally respected leader and champion of inclusion, Theresa Shearer FRSE, will speak at our upcoming conference 'Opening Doors: How can disability support services unlock the open labour market?' As CEO of Enable in Scotland,🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Theresa co-founded the Breaking Barriers programme, which has supported disabled young people to enter university and find employment with corporate enterprises.  Join us as Theresa Shearer shares her insights on Panel 1: What do businesses need to do to be more inclusive? ✨ Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from one of the foremost voices of open-labour market inclusion in the UK #Employment4All 🗓️ Date: 17-18 October 2024 📍 Location: Athens, Greece 🔗 Register now: https://lnkd.in/gEe7X3rT 

Delighted to be speaking at this important event where we will discuss what more we can do to support #femalefounders start and #grow their businesses. If you’d like to contribute to the debate and help #shiftthedial, please come and join us. Details ⬇️ Ana Stewart Mark Logan John Anderson Meryl Levington BA MA FRSA Theresa Shearer FRSE Vicky Hamilton Judith Cruickshank Gill Baird, MBA Bayile Adeoti FRSA Kate Forbes MSP Irene Graham OBE Aylin Ates Dr Samuel Mwaūra Paul Lassalle Sreevas Sahasranamam Saurabh Lall Declan Weldon Uzma Khan Graeme Roy Mairi Spowage Mairi Mickel Leah Pape