SCHOLARSHIPS are being offered to help fast-track talented disabled people into top jobs.
Successful applicants will receive expert teaching, training and mentoring during a week-long course at the fully accessible IESE Business School in Barcelona.
The 2017 Future Leaders Programme is aimed at preparing people for leadership positions in the physical activity sector and places worth £6,000 are up for grabs.
The LeadAbility Scolarship Programme, launched by not-for-profit health body ukactive, will initially provide the fully funded places and succcessful applicants will be selected by representatives from ukactive and spinal injury charity Aspire.
ukactive executive director Steven Ward said: “LeadAbility will unlock the door to boardrooms across the physical activity sector, levelling the playing field and offering the most talented disabled individuals a route to the top.”
Disability minister Penny Mordaunt said: “Everyone deserves the chance to fulfil their potential and pursue their goals, and I’m delighted to see LeadAbility supporting young talent and creating opportunities for more disabled people to reach senior leadership.”
Hilary Farmiloe, at Aspire, said: “This is exactly what is needed to remove the financial barrier and encourage companies to invest in the development of disabled people as industry leaders.
“Only when we have disabled people represented across the sector, including senior leadership positions, will we know we have succeeded in making this sector truly inclusive.”
Despite making up 15% of the workforce, disabled people remain significantly less likely to be in some form of employment.
At senior leadership level, non-disabled people are three times as likely to earn over £80,000 as disabled people – and twice as likely to be board level directors.
- Contact Jak Phillips, tel 0207 400 8631
- Email: jakphillips@ukactive.org.uk
