Recognising the importance of allyship on International Day of People with Disability
While those with lived experience are best suited to lead conversations on accessibility and inclusion, allies play a vital role in supporting the amplification of leadership for people with disability.
International Day of People with Disability on 3 December is a day focused on advocating for an inclusive, accessible, and sustainable world.
This year’s theme for IDPwD is ‘Amplifying the Leadership of Persons with Disabilities for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future’.
The theme recognises the important role that people with disability play in creating a more inclusive and sustainable world for all, and the importance of the participation of people with disability in the decision-making processes that affect their lives.
Empowering voices for lasting change
While those with lived experience are best suited to lead conversations on accessibility and inclusion, allies play a vital role in supporting the amplification of leadership for people with disability.
Nikki Latham, Acting Service Manager at Yooralla has more than a decade of experience as a Disability Support Worker and has seen first-hand the importance of allyship for people with disability.
“Allyship means actively supporting and amplifying the voices of those with disability. It involves recognising their abilities and providing support that empowers them, rather than assuming they need support in ways that can be patronising.”
Supporting the leadership of people with disability means creating a culture where their voices, will and preference are central to decisions that affect them.
For Elouise Holmes, Chief Development Officer at Yooralla, allyship involves respecting expertise that comes from lived experience.
“If I want to understand an issue related to disability or if I am planning an initiative, one of the first steps I take is to talk to my colleagues with disability… the outcomes and impact I am seeking to make are usually for the benefit of people with disability so who best to consult but those who are experts in their experience?” Elouise said.
“It’s not about me talking loudly to represent people with disability but about passing the megaphone to them and contributing to an environment where people with disability are comfortable about speaking up and feel safe about expressing themselves,” Elouise said.
The role of organisations in fostering allyship
To create a lasting impact, organisations should actively build frameworks that promote allyship and counter ableism.
“To truly embrace disability allyship, organisations should provide training that educates employees about various disabilities, both visible and invisible. This helps clear misconceptions and fosters inclusivity,” Nikki said.
“It's crucial to establish guidelines against ableism and encourage open dialogues. This can be done by celebrating achievements and sharing stories of inclusion, embedding disability allyship into the workplace culture.”
Nikki highlighted three key ways that allies can make a difference in an organisation, namely:
- being conscious of their assumptions,
- offering support without overshadowing their colleagues' capabilities, and
- speaking up to maintain a respectful and supportive workplace.
Elouise agrees “that organisations need to facilitate and help build intentional frameworks that make allyship possible. It has to be embedded in the organisation's values, with allyship as a behaviour that is recognised and rewarded,” she said.
“For allyship to truly thrive, it can't be a nice-to-have or for management to hope that there will be people who will take up the role of allyship. This has to be actively promoted and signalled as a behaviour that we want all Yooralla employees to exemplify,” Elouise said.
“Leadership’s commitment is critical,” said Elouise, providing practical examples of how to support disability leadership in an organisation, including “training to raise awareness, providing accessible work environments, having a dedicated team to manage discussions and conversations on issues, and setting targets for recruiting people with disability,” Elouise said.
Practical steps for supporting disability leadership
Creating an inclusive workplace means implementing practices that allow individuals with disability to participate fully in meetings, projects, and leadership roles.
Allies play an essential role in setting up environments where everyone’s voice can be heard, using accessible materials, and employing straightforward language.
Providing agendas in advance, for instance, allows people to prepare, which enhances their confidence in contributing.
Elouise notes that even small actions, like asking for input from team members with disabilities in high-level decision-making processes, can have a profound impact.
“Give people with disability the space and platforms to contribute meaningfully and set it up so they can participate,” Elouise said.
“We live in a world where typical abilities tend to dominate. This has to change… Awareness is so important, from one’s language to how we involve people with disability… It’s not about having the perfect knowledge but about making the commitment to listen, learn, and support,” Elouise said.
A good ally, Nikki agrees, is someone who is willing to “listen, learn about disability issues, and reflect on personal biases. They advocate alongside people with disability, amplify their voices, and use their privilege to foster inclusive spaces.”
International Day of People with Disability
This International Day of People with Disability, let us celebrate and support the leadership of people with disability.
By prioritising accessibility, fostering allyship, and valuing the lived experiences of people with disability, we can work together to build a society where everyone has the opportunity to lead, thrive, and make a difference.
Learn more about International Day of People with Disability.