Increasing board and executive representation

Inclusion, diversity and equity cannot be met if people with disability are not part of decision making across business.  Without Board and Executive representation, businesses are not making informed decisions with true market representation.

The Australian Network on Disability is pleased to be partnering with the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) to provide a series of opportunities to increase the representation of people with disability in executive and board leadership positions.

The Scholarships will provide leaders with disability training and coaching to increase their governance knowledge and access to board positions.

Additionally, Australian Network on Disability will also build the awareness and disability confidence of Australian board directors, providing them the capability to welcome people with disability.

Directing Change Scholarship

15 full-fee scholarships are provided to people who identify as a person with disability, disability, mental health condition or chronic illness (including physical, intellectual, sensory, neurological, psychological, or immunological) and are a practicing director or senior executive reporting to boards with a minimum 3 years’ experience (choose Company Directors Course) or a new director, senior executive, or manager (choose Foundations of Directorship program).

The scholarship provides the opportunity to attend either the Company Directors Course or the Foundations of Directorship program, both ran by the AICD.  Participants will also gain:

• one-year membership to the AICD
• a subscription to the AICD’s Directorship Opportunities service
• 8 months of mentoring with an Australian business leader.
• Tailored leadership workshops to support career and leadership progression

Applications for 2023 Directing Change Scholarship are currently closed. 

Disability Confidence for board and executive members

Boardrooms that are inclusive better represent the community they serve and are often more innovative and progressive. However, low awareness, confidence and capability of Directors to welcome and include people with disability on Boards is one of the main barriers to representation.

As part of the Directing Change Scholarship Program, we are seeking company directors and board representatives to connect with a leader with disability in an 8-month mentoring program.

Build your disability confidence and tackle unconscious bias by mentoring a leader with disability this year.

Become a mentor

As a mentor, you will be connected to an emerging leader with disability and support them in developing their governance knowledge. You will build your understanding of the barriers experienced by people with disability in the workforce and increase your confidence in ensuring Australian boardrooms are accessible and inclusive to all leaders.

To be a mentor you must a) currently be or have previously been on a board and b) (preferably) completed a course through the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

As a mentor you will receive Disability Confidence & Awareness Training from the Australian Network on Disability, as well as resources and regular support throughout the program.

Mentors will need to commit 1-2 hours each month from April – December to catch up with their mentee.

Apply to become a mentor

Disability Leadership Program

In the second round of the national Disability Leadership Program, another 100 full-fee scholarships are being funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services. 

Scholarship recipients will undertake the Company Directors Course, the Foundations of Directorship course at AICD. or the Governance Foundations for NFP Directors course at the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD). 

 In addition to the course, scholarship holders will receive a complimentary one-year: 

• AICD membership  
• Directorship Opportunities subscription, Australia’s foremost listing platform which provides the widest choices for directorship positions  

To help maximise board career opportunities, the program will also work with existing directors to build disability confidence through Leader-to-Leader Conversations facilitated by Australian Network on Disability.  

2023 Disability Leadership Program applications are currently open.  Applications close 19 February, 2023

Find out more about program and apply for a scholarship 

Leader-to-leader conversations for Board Directors

As part of the Disability Leadership Program, the Australian Network on Disability will be facilitating a series of Leader-to-leader conversation

This program will provide the opportunity to learn through storytelling and connection as we run conversations between Australian Directors and selected leaders with disability participating in our Disability Leadership Program.

Directors will hear directly from scholars with disability to increase the understanding of the barriers people with disability face across business and the community.

Successful applicants will be invited to attend one 90-minute leader-to-leader conversation in your state. For NSW, VIC and QLD, these sessions will be in person. For ACT, NT, SA, TAS and WA, they will take place virtually.

They will have the opportunity to connect with scholars with disability to listen to lived experience in the workplace and on Boards.

All sessions will be guided by an experienced facilitator from Australian Network on Disability. Following the sessions, each group will be provided with deidentified findings which can be used by Directors to take back to their Boards to help set priorities for disability inclusion.

For Directors wishing to participate in the Leader-to-leader conversations, applications for will open later in 2023.