Uncovering the Hidden Cost of Ableism

CPD theme: Invisible disabilities in the workplace

Join Ruth McAteer and Ladi Mohammed-Chapman as they explore the true cost of ableism and its real impact in the workplace, the digital space, and beyond. This workshop will examine how unconscious bias shapes who gets hired, promoted, included, and heard. Leave with practical activities you can apply in the real world to reduce ableism and increase belonging.

Through real-world scenarios, reflection, and hands-on activities, this session will take you on a journey from understanding ableism, to implementing belonging. This is process is not about perfection, but about awareness, action, and commitment. Leave with insights, guidance, and a concrete action plan for real change.

Target audience
This course is suitable for educators, employers, policymakers and organisations, particularly Careers leaders, career development practitioners, and HR professionals who are seeking a deeper understanding of ableism, together with practical strategies and action-planning tools to create a greater sense of belonging for their colleagues, clients, friends or family. 

Learning Outcomes
•    Recognise the cost of unintentional ableism
•    Articulate what it means to know you belong
•    Identify practical, immediately usable ways to improve belonging for colleagues, clients, or communities

Speaker biographies

Ruth is a Level 6 qualified Career Development Professional who has worked in Malaysia for the past 10 years. A pioneering thinker in reimagining careers education, she draws on her lived experience as a Deaf individual working in a highly multicultural environment and her intersectional perspective to transform exclusion into inclusion. Ruth is deeply committed to supporting others on their inclusion journey.

Ladi is an award-winning careers and employability development specialist with over 30 years of experience in education, including roles as a Career Adviser, Careers Leader and careers-link school governor. Founder of Global Educational Travel and Tours (GETT) and Director of 7 Continental Careers (7CC), Ladi champions global collaboration and inclusive practices by challenging traditional approaches and inspiring inclusion. Supporting meaningful workplace experiences through the creation of the PERE Model, her dedication highlights equitable opportunities for young people to thrive.

This session supports the following CPD competencies:

•    Career Development Practice
•    Career-Related Policy and Practice
•    Professional Practice, Values, and Ethics