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Peter Bacon is currently the CEO of Disability Employment Australia – an industry association representing providers of disability employment services. He grew up in the United Kingdom and soon after college was offered an opportunity to join a firm to deal with helping persons with disabilities to gain employment. He quickly realized that he loved the work and wanted to dedicate his life to the efforts of promoting employment and the rights of persons with disabilities.

Our conversation ranges through various aspects of issues about disability employment. He discuss what is currently happening in Australia and how a commission report has just been produced that acknowledges that persons with disabilities are systematically being excluded. Now the real fun begins. As Peter says, the problem has been named.

Our time is well worth your listen. Peter Bacon offers many insights that can be of use to all of us.

About the Guest:

Peter has worked in disability employment for more than 15 years. He started out on the frontline in East London, attracted to the role by a friend who said it was ‘all about drinking cups of tea and helping people’. Pretty soon he discovered that he wanted this to be his life’s work – that the transformative power of building a relationship with someone and helping them achieve their career dreams was unmatchable.

After that he was offered the opportunity to do a variety of business development and strategy roles within disability employment and adjacent spaces, including skills and training, justice and rehabilitation, as well as the opportunity to work in international markets. Throughout, he has always prioritised the ‘voice of the customer’ and impact on the most vulnerable and marginalised communities.

Seven years ago, Peter was offered the opportunity to move to Australia to head up strategy at major non-profit Campbell Page. During his six years there, he took a lead on diversifying the organisation into new markets including social enterprise, through an environmental initiative for young people following the bushfires.

Since February this year, Peter has been CEO of Disability Employment Australia – an industry association representing providers of disability employment services and with the aim of unlocking the potential of people with disability across Australia. Since taking on the role, he has pivoted the organisation to focus on ‘all dimensions’ of disability employment, including the vital role of the ‘demand’ side amid increasing expectations of employer involvement with diversity, equality and inclusion. This is a potentially transformative moment for disability employment in Australia thanks to the Disability Royal Commission Report that details systematic and structural exclusion of people with disability from mainstream Australian life, and as the Disability Employment Service is reformed against this backdrop. Peter is excited to be a part of these debates and to lead a significant, sustained shift in the disability employment rate and as to how people with disability are treated within the workplace.

Ways to connect with Peter:

[email protected]

About the Host:

Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children’s Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Huma