Disability and poverty in Northern Ireland webinar
Join this webinar launching our new report Disability and poverty in Northern Ireland.
Around one in four people in Northern Ireland live with a disability or limiting long-term health condition. Disabled people experience significantly higher levels of poverty, material deprivation and financial insecurity than non-disabled people, driven by three interconnected factors: the extra costs of disability, barriers to employment, and inadequate social security support.
More about this event
This webinar will bring together policymakers, media, disabled people’s organisations, VCSE leaders and government stakeholders to discuss important new evidence on disability and poverty in Northern Ireland.
During this webinar, you will:
- Hear from leading experts who will present the report’s findings.
- Explore the challenges and opportunities these findings present for policy design and action.
- Engage in a Q&A session where you can ask questions to the panel.
Stephen served as Chief Executive of the Cedar Foundation for more than thirty years, retiring in 2021. During this time, he led the development of a range of services supporting people with disabilities to live independently in their communities. He has also contributed to the leadership of the voluntary sector, including serving as Chair of CO3, the leadership organisation for the third sector in Northern Ireland.
Stephen holds degrees from the University of Ulster and the University of Birmingham, is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute and was awarded an OBE for services to people with disabilities.
Kristel Miller is a Professor of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development at Ulster University. Her expertise intersects the fields of innovation, entrepreneurship, strategy and regional competitiveness. Kristel’s research has attracted over £5million of research funding to date working with businesses, community and voluntary sector and policy makers.
She is the principal investigator of a £4.8 million UKRI funded Local Policy Innovation Partnership called EPIC Futures NI, which seeks to provide an evidence base for policy and programmes related to helping individuals access fair and inclusive employment across Northern Ireland. She is also a co-investigator on a €4 million Shared Island cross-border project, Atlantic Futures, which explores how to enhance regional development on the west coast of the Island of Ireland.
Kristel has published widely in internationally renowned journals, and is a regular speaker at international conferences and events.
She is also a director of Innovation Ulster Limited, which is a university technology commercialisation spin-out vehicle. Kristel is an expert reviewer for the European Commission and the ESRC and also engages with SMEs to help them grow their business.
Craig Moss is the Research Manager at disability equality charity Scope and is responsible for the majority of the social research conducted by the organisation, including the 'Disability Price Tag' programme looking at the extra cost of disability. Craig has worked as a social researcher for over 25 years in research and policy within the third sector, where he has delivered a variety of research projects and initiatives with marginalised and socially-excluded groups.
Craig is passionate about accessibility, research ethics and celebrating diversity and equality for all. As well as working for Scope, he has held voluntary positions as Vice-Chair of the Social Care Research Ethics Committee as part of the Health Research Authority, and as a trustee of the education and literacy charity, Little Free Library UK, which helps to establish small library stations in the community to promote reading and education for children, young people and their families.
Nuala Toman is Head of Accessibility at Disability Action and disability rights advocate. Nuala expertise extends across accessibility, equality, human rights, governance, assistive technology, and inclusive service development.
Nuala's work focuses on improving access, inclusion, and participation for disabled people. Nuala is Co-Chair of the Human Rights Consortium, Chair of the Little Forget Me Nots Trust, and serves as a board member of NIMC and C21 Theatre Company. She is also a Council Member of the CCMS. Through her professional and voluntary roles, she is committed to advancing accessibility, strengthening human rights protections, and ensuring disabled people are represented in leadership and decision-making processes.
The Research Advisory Group (RAG) was established to provide independent advice and guidance on the mixed methods research project that the report discusses. The RAG were there to ensure its successful completion and maximize its impact. Between researchers and the RAG the aim was to gather both qualitative and quantitative insight into the current experiences of living with disability or long-term health conditions/illness in Northern Ireland and to frame credible policy recommendations relevant to the Northern Ireland Executive. Advisory group members brought a range of skills and experience in support of this project and we are excited to hear their voices as part of this launch.
Ursula O’Hare is the Head of Northern Ireland where she leads all aspects of our NI work. Prior to joining JRF, Ursula was CEO of the Northern Ireland Law Centre and Vice-Chair of the Law Centres Network. She previously served as a member of the Department for Communities Joint Standards Committee and a member of the Independent Review on Discretionary Support. Ursula began her career in academia, working at universities in both GB and NI.
Sheena is the Senior Policy Adviser in JRF's Northern Ireland team. Since 2020, she has worked in senior policy and advocacy roles within the Children’s Sector in NI, including Action for Children and NSPCC after returning from living and working in Nairobi, Kenya. She now lives in Belfast with her family, their dog Luna, and in her free time enjoys keeping physically active, volunteering and connecting at local community events.
Who is this event for?
This event is open to anyone who is interested in or working on tackling poverty in Northern Ireland, including:
- policymakers
- journalists
- people working in non-profits.