Be. announce an exciting new Leadership Development Programme to foster a community of disabled and access leaders equipped with the skills for 21st century governance, and to embed accessibility at a strategic level in the board agenda.

Over the past 10 years there has been a greater recognition of the need for accessibility in all facets of society, including businesses and workplaces, however widespread change has been slow.

Be. is a social change organisation with a vision for New Zealand to become the most accessible nation in the world, and the team at Be. have identified an opportunity to create real economic and social impact by elevating the accessibility conversation to board level.

Ant Howard, Be.’s Executive Director states “In 2022, as Diversity and Inclusion becomes an increasingly important issue for organisational leaders and boards, and diverse boards and leadership teams are needed to meet the challenges of the 21st century, it is essential that we have disabled and access leaders at all levels of leadership.”

To meet this need, the Be. team have developed a new Leadership Development Programme, in partnership with ODI (Whaikaha) and with the support of the Institute of Directors and Governance New Zealand. This programme, the Be. Leadership in Governance Programme, will grow the capacity and confidence of disabled and access leaders, and equip them with the skills required for 21st century governance roles, to be effective and successful members of boards.

Lesley Slade, Be.’s Leadership and Culture Lead states, “Here at Be. our vision for the past decade has been for New Zealand to become the most accessible nation in the world. We have a real opportunity right now to be world-leading in this space, to show the world how real change can emerge, when diverse, skilled leaders prioritise accessibility, and embed it at a strategic level in the board agenda.”

“The world is demanding leadership that values all people. Quite simply, we need to see disabled and access leadership around the board table adding value to the commitment to reimagine the future; inclusive of all.”

Fact Sheet

• In 2011 Be. founder Minnie Baragwanath, along with Leadership Development expert Lesley Slade (who established the Leadership New Zealand Programme in 2002) and Philip Patston, (Founder of Diversity New Zealand, and a leader from the access/disability community), and with the support of the Ministry of Social Development, established the Be. Leadership Programme to grow individual leadership capacity and foster a community of access and disabled leadership throughout New Zealand.
• Be. Leadership, a one-of-a-kind and highly successful Accessibility-focused leadership programme, ran from 2011-2021. Following the graduation of the 2020 cohort, celebrating 10 years of Be. Leadership and 150 Be. Leadership Alumni, Be. announced that this would be the final programme in its original format.
• In August 2022 Be. have announced the launch of a new programme to develop Governance leadership capacity in the access and disabled community and to address the need for accessibility to be prioritised at Leadership and Governance level.
• The programme has been developed in partnership with MSD and with the support of the Institute of Directors and Governance NZ
• The inaugural Be. Leadership in Governance Programme will launch in October 2022.
• Applications for Be. Leadership in Governance 2022 open 5th August and close Friday 2nd September 2022.
• Be. are seeking applications from people who:
  • Have a clear vision for why they are seeking a governance role and what value/expertise they have to offer
  • have a vision for advancing accessibility in Aotearoa
  • have demonstrated experience in leadership
  • be curious and well informed about the issues facing Aotearoa now and in the future.
  • be a member of the disability and access community in Aotearoa,
  • reflect the diversity of Aotearoa, and
  • are citizens or permanent residents of Aotearoa.
• Those interested in applying should visit the website www.belab.co.nz/leadership-development to apply
• Information about the programme is also available in NZSL https://seeflow.co.nz/mi

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