After ten remarkable Disability Power 100 lists which have showcased the achievements of the most influential disabled people in the UK, Shaw Trust’s Disability Power 100 campaign has concluded.
Since launching in 2015, our ‘DP100’ alumni have been breaking down prejudice, promoting inclusion, and paving the way for a fairer society. Their outstanding work – spanning education, politics, the arts, science, sport, business, finance, technology, media and entertainment, and community – continues to shape society for the better, opening doors for a new generation of talent. And since the campaign’s inception there has been progress in disability inclusion and representation. In media, for example, we’ve seen a 20% increase in the number of disabled people in on-screen roles, and a 35% increase for off-screen roles.
But there’s still a lot more to be done. We know that disabled people continue to face significant challenges in securing meaningful work and gaining social inclusion.
This is why we’re evolving our approach, moving beyond recognition to supporting action to remove barriers. As a delivery organisation, Shaw Trust actively supports disabled people to find and keep work through our employment support programmes. We’re looking to use our charitable funding to create more opportunities to support those who are the furthest away from work, and the Shaw Trust Foundation will be rolling out a new programme of initiatives which support our mission of building a future where rewarding work is accessible to all.
This includes a new participatory grants programme to provide additional funding to projects offering direct support, and we’ll be inviting those with lived experience to play a central role in deciding how funding is allocated. The first of these grants will be a DP100 legacy award to further support the career aspirations of young disabled people.
It has been a privilege to showcase the incredible achievements of the UKs most influential disabled people with the Disability Power 100, and we want to thank everyone involved for their support, passion and commitment over the years.
