Happy International Day of Persons with Disabilities (To Me)

The UK definition of disability is: "You’re disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities."

I remember reading the definition after one of my final rehabilitation consultant sessions following my brain damage. I'd just been told that I'd recovered as much as I could, but not as much as was hoped. That meant that it was official....I was now disabled. Not that it was a surprise, but the process of being told was actually quite liberating, it meant that I now knew what I was dealing with and could work with it, rather than trying to pretend that it was just a temporary blip in my health. It'd been 8 years, so if it was a blip it was a long one!

So the definition states: "Has a negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities", but what I think should be added as sub note is: "Will also have a negative effect on people's perception of you". Because in all honesty, that's been the biggest barrier that I've faced. Taking 4 hours a day over 5 years to learning to stand, walk and talk again is an absolute doddle to deal with compared with dealing with the perception that comes with being disabled.

I do whatever I can to change that perception, to create a positive message and that leads me on to the International Days of Persons with Disabilities which is today, the 3rd of December. For me the day is a celebration of the contribution that disabled people make. And that's why I've been proud to support the #PurpleLightUp since it's inception as it does exactly that.

But this post is about something different. It's about celebrating me, as a disabled person. Which I'm sure won't be perceived as an ego trip or self congratulatory in any way by anyone!

In all honesty, every now and then I need to look back at my achievements just to counter some of the negative perception stuff I get. Jeez, if I conformed to peoples views of what I can achieve as a disabled person I don't know where I'd be.

So here we go:

CEO of International People and Development Consultancy

Made Swansea 1st Disabilty Confident City in UK which then had highest percentage of disabled people in work in Wales

Recognised by UK Minister of State for Disabled people...Apparently I'm: " Exceptional and Inspirational"

Recognised by UK Prime Ministers Office

Institute of Directors: Director of the Year Award

Recruitment Industry Disability Initiative (RIDI) Award Winner

TedX speaker

Ignite Speaker:

CIPD People Management: Listed in inaugural D&I Power List

Shaw Trust Power 100 of most influential disabled people in the UK: Listed 4 times

Listed in the Inclusive Companies Diversity Power List: "spotlighting the most profound champions of inclusion"

Delsion is the first accredited Disability Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE) outside of the US

Purple Light Up Ambassador

Delsion is one of 77 consultants in the World listed in the Valuable 500 directory

Set social goal for Delsion to make Wales a leading nation for inclusion in the workplace

etc etc, but hey you get the picture.

I'm also the father to two disabled children and that beats any accolade and in truth is the reason why I do what I do to change the perception around disability. Like hell, are they going to experience some of the things that I've had to.

So that's it, happy International Day of Persons with Disabilities to me! A post of achievements and of overcoming obstacles that can give us all a warm tingly feeling.

But the aim of this post isn't any of that. This is a post about potential. Potential that can be crushed, overlooked, ignored and discarded because of our perception around disability. This is a post about changing that perception, about learning more, asking more questions and understanding how we can be more positive about peoples potential. This is about creating equity and treating people as individuals.

So really, this isn't about me at all, but it's about a change. A really positive one. Happy International Day of Persons with Disabilities everyone.