Disability History Month Conference 2024

Disability History Month 2024 is from 14th November to 20th December with the theme of 'Disability Livelihood and Employment'.

Reflecting on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPwD) on 3rd December and to celebrate Disability History Month, UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services and UCL Student Success have curated an exciting line-up of speakers with a variety of expertise and experience to talk about the theme of Disability Livelihood and Employment. The session will finish with a Q&A panel discussion. There will be plenty of opportunity to ask questions throughout the session.

This conference is being held online for UCL students and staff, and members of the public.

Speakers for this event are:

Katie Stote

Katie is an Employability and Placements Advisor at the University of Exeter’s Business School, where she leads the accredited “Business Internships and Placements” module. Through her role, Katie supports over 150 students, offering a blend of asynchronous learning, bespoke sessions, and carefully crafted assessments that empower students to build skills and confidence for internship success. Building on her practitioner experience and MA in Education (Special Educational Needs and Inclusion), Katie’s research focuses on co-development to identify and create interventions for the barriers preventing disabled and neurodivergent students from partaking in professional development opportunities.

Katie will be presenting on identifying and creating interventions for the barriers preventing disabled and neurodivergent students from taking part in placement opportunities. Penny will be sharing about how disabled students can interact and benefit from Careers Extra and the other services in UCL Careers.

Penny Longman

Penny Longman is a Senior Careers Consultant at UCL, a member of Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS) and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, with extensive previous experience of providing higher education and careers guidance in a school and 6th form college setting. Her MA research focused on students’ and graduates’ perceptions of the benefits of Higher Education participation in the context of increased emphasis on graduate employability but widely acknowledged inequality of access to graduate positions as well as exploring the factors which enable young people to make the most of university, barriers they may face and implications for practice.

Penny will be sharing about how disabled students can interact and benefit from Careers Extra and the other services in UCL Careers.

 

Robbie Crow

Robbie is the BBC’s Strategic Disability Lead. He is responsible for disability inclusion across its entire current and potential workforce.

Before joining the BBC, Robbie worked in policy at the Scottish Government and chaired its disabled staff network. Robbie has held roles in the public and voluntary sectors and in the NHS, and previously led a national children’s charity as Chair for 6 years.

As a lifelong disabled person, he’s a passionate advocate of the Social Model of Disability and is frequently accompanied by his guide dog, Yogi. You can follow Robbie on LinkedIn.

Dr Nicole Brown

Nicole Brown is Head of Research Ethics and Integrity at IOE, Associate Professor at UCL and Director of Social Research & Practice and Education Ltd. She has published the books Lived Experiences of Ableism in Academia: Strategies for Inclusion in Higher Education, Ableism in Academia: Theorising Experiences of Disabilities and Chronic Illnesses in Higher Education, Embodied Inquiry: Research Methods, Making the Most of Your Research Journal, Creativity in Education: International Perspectives and Photovoice Reimagined. Her next book will be Exceptionally Able.

Dr Nicole will share how disability in higher education is a complex issue with disclosure rates amongst staff and students in academia remaining lower than in the general population. In this presentation, Nicole presents key findings from her extensive research into ableism in academia and highlights some practical initiatives and strategies to foster accessibility for all.

Danilo Paganelli

Danilo is currently the LGBTQ+ Officer in the Students’ Union UCL and Welfare Officer in the Disabled Student Network. He’s currently studying BA Ancient Languages part time. Danilo is the founder of the Soap Opera Society, Cat Opera Society, Cat Café Society, Sims Society to name a few and is currently part of 50+ UCL societies. He is  also passionate about preventing loneliness on campus and making events accessible. Danilo was awarded Honorary Lifetime Membership by the Students’ Union UCL and Personality of the Year.