As a well-established thought leader, disability inclusion advocate, social entrepreneur and person with a disability, Lesa Bradshaw engages in many conversations with people around the world on the topic of building a disability-confident, accessible and equitable economy.
“Whether these narratives occur with young people with disabilities trying to access the economy, seasoned professionals who have insights and learnings to share, employers endeavouring to search for the elusive ‘best practice’ diversity and inclusion strategies, or academics arguing about terminology and frameworks, what is abundantly clear is that most people on this planet are in support of a disability confident world. We just can’t all agree on what that looks like, or what it’s place is within our economy.” says Lesa.
So, what is this ‘disability confident’ economy that we all give the ‘thumbs up” and enthusiastic nod to? It is one that :
- Enables – by removing barriers that ‘disable’ its stakeholders, including public entities, employers, employees, customers and suppliers
- Adapts – to the diverse needs of all its customers and supply chain partners
- Aligns – to the sustainability goals of our future economy in order to survive and prosper
- Prepares – its processes, policies and people to deliver on the above
If this seems like the basic success factors of good business, then you’re right, it is!
“Moving the narrative of disability inclusion towards the fundamental good practice principles of good business, starts to give the conversation of disability confidence a bit more attention in the boardroom” says Lesa, who is known for her candid, relatable and often humourous conversations in this space.
Based on her recent relocation to the UK, Lesa draws from the 3rd and 1st world economy comparisons to share her insights around keeping the conversation of disability inclusion alive, relevant and relatable to business.
“There’s nothing like a shift in perspective to re-ignite learning new insights – and oh, I have stories to tell! From Africa, where you have to fend for yourself, to Europe, where you’re enabled to the point of complacency – the journey towards disability confidence in our economy is rich, convoluted, and ever so enabling,” says Lesa.
To find out more about Lesa’s series of workshops and narratives around the topic of “From Special to Equal”, contact lesa@bradshawleroux.co.za