Business Without Barriers, a free to attend event aimed at addressing the disability employment gap for young disabled adults, will take place on Friday 21 November at Mansion House, London. The event will feature prominent speakers, including Sir Stephen Timms MP, Minister of State for Social Security and Disability, who will share his insights on the importance of inclusive employment in today’s workforce.
Minister for Social Security and Disability, Sir Stephen Timms said:
“For too long, disabled people—including far too many young people—have been denied the support they need to get into work and build a better life. We're determined to change that, which is why we’re shifting our focus from welfare to work, skills and opportunity—backed by our £1 billion employment support package.
This comes alongside tailored help through programmes like Connect to Work, which will provide 300,000 sick or disabled people with help to get into work by the end of the decade, and our Youth Guarantee.”
Hosted by Treloar’s, the event will bring together business leaders, educators, and advocates to explore practical solutions for improving access to meaningful careers for disabled young adults.
Hector Minto, Director of Commercial Accessibility at Microsoft, will also speak at the event, emphasizing the importance of embedding inclusion in every workplace:
"The inclusion of disabled people is never accidental - we must be ambitious to ensure disability inclusion is embedded in every workplace—physically, digitally, and culturally. Inclusion isn’t a checkbox; it’s a commitment to equity, innovation, and human dignity. Every space, every system, and every team can be designed with accessibility at the core.”
Other confirmed speakers include Diane Lightfoot, CEO of Business Disability Forum, Dr Larissa Stevenson, Assistant Medical Director at Aviva Health, Helen Cooke, CEO and Founder of Myplus, Jo Wright, Disability Advocate and Treloar's Trustee, and Ben Bastin, Head of College at Treloar’s and Chair of The National Association of Specialist Colleges (NATSPEC). Attendees will also hear from Treloar’s students behind the award-winning Let Me In project, which focuses on improving access to employment for disabled young people.
A networking lunch will follow the presentations, providing an opportunity for business leaders to discuss best practices for supporting disabled talent in the workplace.
Event Details
Date: Friday 21 November
Time: 10:30 AM – 2:00 PM
Location: Mansion House, London, EC4N 8BH