Helen Cooke, Disability Consultant, Trainer, Speaker and Director of MyPlus was announced as one of the most influential people with a disability in the UK at a reception at the South Bank Centre last night (Wednesday 17 October).
The Shaw Trust Disability Power 100 List is an annual publication of the 100 most influential disabled people in the UK. More than 700 nominations were received for the 100 places. The Disability Power 100 List is compiled by an independent judging panel, chaired by Kate Nash OBE. Kate is the world's leading authority in 'Networkology' - the science behind the growth of workplace networks and resource groups. In 2007 she was awarded an OBE for services to disabled people. In 2013 she was appointed Ambassador to Disability Rights UK.
Helen Cooke, Founder and Director of MyPlus, is recognised nationally as a leading expert in disability and graduate recruitment. Helen uses her expertise in HR and graduate recruitment combined with her first-hand experience of disability; Helen is a wheelchair user resulting from a childhood spinal injury to help organisations realise the potential of hiring and investing in people with disabilities. Her company’s Consulting offerings and its MyPlus Recruiters’ Club membership forum provide organisations with the expertise to be disability-confident in their strategy, their processes and their engagement. Wishing to motivate and raise the aspirations of young, enthusiastic disabled individuals, Helen established www.myplusstudentsclub.com. This innovative website provides students with disabilities and long-term health conditions the advice, support and confidence to find work opportunities, approach relevant organisations and go on to realise new possibilities with progressive employers.
Helen Cooke said: “I am absolutely delighted to be featured in the 2018 Shaw Trust Power 100 list. My passion and the reason why I started my business, MyPlus has always been to make a difference, to ensure that every disabled individual, particularly students have the opportunity, to progress the career of their dreams. As a wheelchair user myself I and my business are committed to helping disabled students recognise their talents (their plus's) and help businesses to recognise and value these talents.”
Nick Bell, Interim Chief Executive of Shaw Trust - a charity helping to transform the lives of young people and adults across the UK and internationally, said: “Congratulations to Helen Cooke. The judges were beyond impressed by the standard of nominations but selected the most influential people who are proving that disability or impairment is not a barrier to success. One of our aims for the Disability Power 100 list is to demonstrate to young people that they can achieve their ambitions. At Shaw Trust we work with government, local authorities and employers to support people overcome barriers which hold them back from achieving their potential.”
The full Shaw Trust Disability Power 100 List can be found on www.disabilitypower100.com.
About MyPlus
MyPlus work with businesses to help them realise the new possibilities of recruiting and developing people with disabilities, providing them with the expertise to be disability confident in their strategy, their processes and their engagement with disabled individuals. With our specialist focus on graduates we bring together work ready disabled students, universities and progressive employers by providing students with disabilities the advice, support and confidence to find opportunities, approach relevant organisations and go on to realise new possibilities with disability confident employers.
For more information, contact:
Email: lise@myplusconsulting.com
