Ability Allies and Self Advocacy.

Topic:

Please join us for a fantastic and informative session on how you can be an effective Ability Ally within your workplace, or how you can effectively and confidently advocate for yourself within the workplace and the benefits of doing so.

Speakers:

Adrian Ward, Head of Disability Partnerships, Business Disability Forum

Adrian leads the teams responsible for all relationships with Business Disability Forum’s Members and Partners as well as overseeing the consultancy and learning and development services. Adrian is an experienced disability consultant and has an extensive background in human resources within the public sector, specialising in diversity and inclusion.

Adrian spent several years as a regional diversity and inclusion manager providing strategic guidance and advice to a large operational business area within the public sector. Prior to that he was the Chief Welfare Officer leading a team of staff counsellors and had overall responsibility for the department’s wellbeing strategy.

Before joining Business Disability Forum, Adrian led a diversity and inclusion experts team within a large Civil Service organisation specialising in all aspects of disability as well as leading on Public Sector Equality Duty work. Adrian has practical experience of developing departmental policies (including disability-specific policies) and procedures and overseeing effective implementation of these.

Adrian is also a qualified mediator with nearly 20 years of conflict resolution experience across the public, private, and third sectors.

Jackie Mills, LionHeart Ambassador

Jackie entered the Building Surveying profession as a second career and after initially completing her 2 years structured training, left to start her own business. She re-joined the surveying arena in April 2019 when she joined Sanderson Weatherall, becoming chartered in December 2021.

Jackie says when she set out to get her degree, she had to ‘start at the bottom’, completing a two-year HND before joining the BSc Surveying degree course. At the time she was a single parent to 16 year old son, and so realises how challenging a career change later on in life can be.

She says: “By the time I got around to my APC exam I was a bit of a wreck. I was going through the menopause and my anxiety and self-doubt were through the roof. As well as seeking medical help, I turned to LionHeart for mental help, and it was the best thing I ever did. I initially had coaching sessions which really changed my life. I was able to see a new way of thinking about things and I was told that I have Imposter Syndrome which made huge sense, but I had never really known the syndrome existed before then.

“The weight off my shoulders was immense and for the first time in a long time I didn’t feel like I was broken. I will be eternally grateful to Lionheart for the unbelievable support they provide.”

Specific timing

8:30-9 am – breakfast – Green Room

9 am – seminar to begin – Willow and Laurel Room

9-9:05 – introduction from Gerald Eve speaker

9:05-9:25 – presentation from the Business Disability Forum

9:25-9:45 – presentation from LionHeart

9:45-10 – Q&A

10 – guests can continue to network in the Green Room

10:30 am event close