This summer I completed my LiA with the organisation POhWER, an advocacy charity that particularly supports people with mental health needs, learning difficulties, and disabilities. 

The reasons I applied to complete my LiA at POhWER are threefold. Firstly, I applied because I wanted to learn from the people on the ground who are actively protecting vulnerable people’s rights and empowering individuals to do so themselves. Secondly, I wanted to try to make a meaningful difference to an organisation that has the same mission as others that have supported me when I have been navigating the system. Finally, because I wanted to learn about what needs to change from the disabled community and from those who try to make the system work for them as much as possible. 

Over the course of my LiA I learnt an incredible amount about myself, what leadership feels like, and, most importantly, about the power each person has to make change. 

In the following posts I will be sharing these lessons and my LiA reflections. 

I would like to take this opportunity to also thank the Foundation and Lucy Rogers for their help in accessing this opportunity, and to all the members of the charity who welcomed, encouraged and wanted me to take as much as possible from this placement. It would not have been possible without them.

Finally, I would like to say if anyone has any questions about my LiA or is interested in completing an LiA with a similar focus, feel free to reach out!