Leadership Development Programmes

These programmes revolve around a dynamic partnership with public and private sector employers who are committed to nurturing the leadership potential of talented disabled people. Each year the Civil Service programmes offer valuable mentoring and training opportunities through both the Cabinet Office scheme and individually tailored departmental opportunities. 

Bespoke programmes are also developed to suit corporate clients individual needs and cultures.

So far more than 600 talented disabled people have benefited from these schemes, with more than 40 new people now joining a programme each year.

History And Background

People with disabilities make a substantial contribution to our national life, but many have management and leadership potential that has not yet been fully realised because unseen barriers block their progress.  Even in today's modern information society it is sometimes difficult for disabled people to access the training and information they need.

In 1995, the Prince of Wales' Advisory Group on Disability (now The Disability Partnership) brought together key players from the Civil Service and British Industry to address the issue.  The Leadership Development Programmes were established to enhance the leadership and management opportunities for talented disabled individuals.  From an initial intake of three people each year, there are now over fifty men and women from all walks of life in the programme at any one time.

The variety of programmes, which are an integral part of The Disability Partnership, are pioneering this issue in a very practical way. They offer talented disabled people the additional resources necessary to accelerate their personal development, and achieve the career success their talent deserves.  Through the success of the few, encouragement is given to many others.  In addition to the obvious benefits to the client or employee, the businesses enhance their credibility and practices in respect of their skills as employers, and mentors all report significant benefits in respect of their knowledge, understanding, management and communication techniques.        

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What Previous Participants Have Said 

"My mentor helped me to think more laterally and made me question my current and future roles.  I found it very useful to have someone outside of work, giving me their fresh and professional view on my role and position at work."

"It was a very positive learning experience for me" 

"I consider myself to have been extremely fortunate to have been given the opportunity to be a participant of this unique bursary programme.  I have acquired some key skills, been given valuable advice from my mentor, met great people and had some fun along the way as well!"

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Leadership Programmes Business Consultancy - Embracing Diversity through Innovation in Inclusion
(The case for helping disabled employees to progress)

The advantages of employing people with disabilities

Most businesses have come to recognise the benefits of employing people with disabilities. According to Government figures, 8.7 million people in the UK have a disability that impacts on their lives. People with disabilities therefore make up a large proportion of the work force, as well as representing a huge group of potential customers and shareholders.

Disabled people in general make good employees – they tend to have better attendance records, stay with employers longer and have fewer accidents. And employers report enhanced staff morale and team development when they are seen to be good employers of people with disabilities.

Convinced by this logic, many major corporations have set themselves targets for the numbers of disabled people within their work force, with the aim of increasing diversity and customer representation.

How do you increase the numbers?

Of course setting a target is only the first step. An employer will have to make itself attractive to disabled people. Even when it does employ disabled people, there is an additional barrier; because of the prejudice that prevails in our society, many are reluctant to declare their disabilities. So how can a company attract disabled people?

One effective approach 

A practical and low cost measure, which we have pioneering, developed and evaluated as a unique mentoring scheme that takes talented disabled people already working for the organisation and helps them to develop their leadership skills and thus advance their careers. This programme, which taps into the potential of existing employees, has a number of advantages.

Where do I start? 

We will help you set up and run the scheme in the first year. In subsequent years, the Partnership will play a reduced role, monitoring the running of the scheme and providing an independent reference point and advisory service for scheme participants.

Publications

In 2001 The Leadership Consortium researched it’s first 5 years of operation and published the definitive guidance manual on mentoring disabled people in the workplace. You can now order "Diversity through Mentoring" with a forward by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales.

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