The Disability Leadership Institute - National Register of Disability Leaders
25 May 2017People with disability are commonly viewed as a burden on society and on the workforce. While many people with disability are fully capable and willing to join the workforce, they face many barriers, misconceptions and negative attitudes that limit their opportunities. These misconceptions and barriers include but are not limited to the perception that: employees with disabilities have a higher absentee rate than employees without disabilities; considerable expense is necessary to accommodate workers with disabilities; persons with disabilities are unable to meet performance standards, thus making them a bad employment risk.
In high levels of business or as members of boards or advisory groups, people with disability are often assumed to lack the qualifications to operate at these levels, or that people with disability can only be experts in disability related areas. Few disability leaders are known; even fewer are appointed or recognised and the few leaders with disabilities are rarely in the room and remain invisible as they have almost no presence.
Established by leaders with disability for leaders with disability the Disability Leadership Institute looks to address the diversity imbalance that is present in leadership roles by providing support. The aim being a growing presence of people with disability in leadership roles and a growing recognition of the expertise those leaders with disabilities can contribute. The Institute offers a range of resources that are targeted at the development and support of people with a disability, so that they can attain leadership roles. Recently the Disability Leadership institute announced the opening of the National Register of Disability Leaders to all companies and agencies wishing to improve their diversity imbalance. The register offers companies or agencies a single portal for the purposes of engaging C suite expertise, finding a new board member, engaging with a conference speaker, or locating a media expert.
By offering further support and continuous opportunities for development the Disability Leadership Institute has made advancement into breaking down stereotypes and misconceptions for people with disability.
For more information about the National Register of Disability Leaders visit the Disability Leadership Institute’s website.
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