Mat Fraser - President of NADP
The board of NADP is delighted to announce that Mat Fraser has agreed to be President of the organisation. Mat is an actor, writer, comedian, regular podcaster for BBC OUCH, and engages in a wide range of campaigning activities relevant to NADP, with a focus on Disability Arts.
The position is voluntary and Mat has already given freely of his time in meeting with board members, and email correspondence, in order to gain an understanding of the aims of NADP.
Mat is not going to be active on the list, but will receive regular updates from the Chair, and you can expect to meet him at conference, unless commitments with paid work make this impossible. Details of the job and person spec will be made available soon.
The statement which follows from Mat indicates his clear grasp of the values of the organisation.
When I was at school, disabled people were largely segregated. I was the only disabled pupil in my school and vividly remember the look on the face of the careers officer who clearly had no idea how to advise me about what I could do next. I am delighted that things are changing and disabled students are accessing further and higher education and work based learning in greater numbers year on year. I am also hopeful about recent changes relating to 'Access to Work' funding which should increase the availability of the valuable support it can offer.
I am very pleased to be President of NADP and fully support what the organisation is trying to do in order to diminish barriers which limit educational opportunities available to disabled people after school leaving age.
NADP works in collaboration with disabled people and a range of relevant organisations, and delivers high quality conferences and publications which directly reflect the experience of disabled students and aim to equip practitioners with the skills they need in order to assist students effectively.
A lively email list and discussion group provide other vehicles for working together in order to further equality, quality and quantity of opportunity.
If I can do something as President to contribute to NADP, which clearly sees every disabled student as unique with individual aspirations, and each practitioner as someone with a part to play to assist students to get to where they want to be, then I'm right there with you.
Mat Fraser and Nicola Martin