***Summary of RADAR Leadership Development Project, as funded by EHRC***
For too many years, low expectations have limited the ambitions of disabled people.
Just like the colour bar or the glass ceiling, the barriers facing people affected by ill-health, injury or disability (IID) hae meant an abscence of people with these experiences in the upper reaches of politics, business, science, sport and the arts.
High profile exceptions, such as the former Home Secretary David Blunkett, have sometimes reinforced the sense of such achievement being beyond most people with IID.
The barriers can be practical, related for example to lack of information or personal support. They can be barriers of attitude - "I couldn't do that" or "Are you sure you could cope with the pressure?"
These barriers have been described as "the glass staircase" - but of course physical access is just one issue and this phrase is a metaphor for the obstacles that a wide range of people are wfaced with. For someone with a long term health condition, depression or a learning disability, for example, this is more likely to be the more subtle and insidious expectation of unreliability, lack of drive, and lack of skills.
RADAR believes that enabling people with IID to fulfill their leadership potential is crucial for a successful and prosperous Britain. People with IID have a wealth of talents and expriences to share and can take up positions in all sorts of leadership roles - for example on local councils, school committees, NHS trusts, charities and company boards.
People with experience of IID are needed in these roles to ensure effective organisations and services. As well as their own particular talents, they can often bring useful insights to consideration of how things could be better run to the benefit of everyone.
In 2007, RADAR supported four leadership forums, co-hosted with the Disability Rights Commission, supporting 80 people to develop their leadership potential. Evaluation showed very high satisfaction, with 93 percent of respondents rating the events as very good or excellent. The overwhelming majority said the forum had enabled them to understand their strengths and weaknesses and to progress as a leader.
RADAR also facilitates an e-group to enable the 80 participants to network. We will be tracking the achievement of people's leadership objectives over time.
We also held a well-received leadership follow-up event in Manchester, in early 2008, where a sub-group of the 80 who have been through the leadership programme received coaching and debated how the group could provide peer support/networking and influence mainstream leadership providers.
RADAR is now receiving funding from the Equality and Human Rights Commission for a leadership development programme aimed at reaching a wider pool of people with IID, including those from black and ethnic minority communities.
Finally, RADAR plans a new booklet in its very successful 'Doing Life Differently' series this year called 'Making It Differently' on taking up leadership positions.
For further information contact leadership@radar.org.uk