Disability inclusion is not just about removing barriers; it’s about building a society where everyone has the opportunity to thrive
Origin Story
Our Beyond programme came into being in 2024. We had been working with our client for 2 years already, and had delivered The Becoming Journey™ to 18 cohorts with great success.
One day the client approached us with a question: “Could you use the same approach for a programme for disabled leaders1?” Our instinctive answer was “Yes” – the psychology that underpins our work is for all humans. There was no good reason why it wouldn’t work.
After some in-depth research and thoughtful re-design, the Beyond programme was born. The pilot cohort ran in 2025, and a further cohort is running now, in 2026.
Commercial Rationale
In the UK nearly 1 in 4 of the working age population are classed as disabled2. That means that in practice, 25% of any large workforce will have a disability or a long-term health condition.
However, this may not be evident as 43% of disabled people would not describe themselves as disabled (due to fear of being treated differently by managers (34%) and colleagues (31%)) and 70-80% of disabilities are not immediately visible.
Yet, those organisations that do the most for disability inclusion reap the rewards. They see twice as much economic profit as their peers, as well as 25% uplift in productivity. Disability and neuro-inclusion has the power to drive productivity, revenue, talent attraction and innovation.
Understanding the audience
One of the challenges of the client’s ask was the breadth of disability that could be present in the room. Plus, the fact that we would not know in advance (or even during the programme) what disability each person experienced.
We did extensive desk research into the challenges faced by the range of Disabled leaders we may be working with. And the client provided us with detailed information from the internal employee networks that represented our audience.
In the end, it was the range and diversity of experience and challenge that became the common factor that coalesced the design. We couldn’t know individuals’ experiences, and so our existing approach of creating space for each person to work on their own challenge had to be maintained.
Psychology Underpinnings
A key underpinning of all of our programmes is the use of Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT). ACT is a well-evidenced branch of psychology that works with individuals’ reactions and choices and helps them to develop emotional, psychological and behavioural flexibility.
ACT is an inherently disability-affirming approach. It is a universal approach – relevant to all human beings. It appreciates difference and strength, and empowers individuals to move towards what matters to them.
Working with ACT allows us to shift focus away from ‘teaching’ individual’s how to lead, to walking alongside them and sharing tools that help them to develop emotional, psychological and behavioural flexibility.
Delivering the programme
Our pilot ran in 2025, and a further cohort is running now, in 2026.
Across the two cohorts we have met Disabled people with a range of experiences, including Deaf people, people with visual impairments, people with physical impairments, and neurodivergent people.
One of the participants commented on the value of spending time with other Disabled people:
“One of the most impactive aspects of this programme is meeting and talking with such wonderful people who share the same traits, challenges and experiences. Not feeling alone or odd because of how my brain works is more liberating than I ever expected.”
For the facilitation team, it has been a steep learning curve. In the background, many things have flexed and adapted as we have responded to the questions and feedback that we have received. But it has been a joyous experience, being witness to the transformations that have occurred.
Impact of the learning
The client’s measure of success was the participants’ reported confidence to apply for or take on additional responsibilities or progression opportunities. 78% of participants showed an increase in this measure.
But, perhaps more tangibly, in the last module of the programme we invite each participant to reflect on impact that they have as leaders at work. Here are some examples of what we heard:
- I lend a kind ear and offer optimism and care, creating a positive role model to others.
- I support others and make them realise their capabilities both inside and outside of work.
- I break down communication barriers and create positive calm environments for conversation
- I reground people when they are anxious or spiralling into difficulties. I help them drop down, get perspective, build back up and move forwards.
- I am caring and compassionate in how I treat people and that ripples out to others as well as back to myself.
As we said to the participants at the time: “Imagine working in an organisation where all leaders did this”!
A leadership programme that makes a difference
Our client asked participants to describe the Beyond programme. The words that came back were:
- Transformative
- Life-changing
- Inspiring
- Uplifting
- Invaluable
The shifts that learners experienced are too numerous (and personal) to count. But as a facilitator, my favourite shift was the individual who felt able to come into the office for the first time in two years, using the tools and techniques shared on the programme, and as a result of the sense of belonging created in the cohort.
The Beyond programme has been one of my favourite projects since we launched our business in 2020. It has proved to me, beyond shadow of a doubt, the power that building individuals’ psychological, emotional and behavioural flexibility has to transform leaders at work.
1 At Becoming we use the social model of disability to shape our language and approach. https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/social-model-disability-language
2 Disabled : “People who report: current physical or mental health conditions or illnesses lasting or expected to last 12 months or more; and the conditions or illnesses reduce their ability to carry out day-to-day activities”.
