Types of speaking engagements

·Keynote:

• for employers inspiring change and expert perspective around disability inclusion in the workplace

• providing unique insights into her own experience of being disabled

Motivational:

• inspiring others to embrace challenge & exceed expectations

• for disabled individuals, particularly students at the start of their career
  
  

Example Topics

The following are examples of topics Helen can speak about. To discuss specific requirements please contact info@myplusconsulting.com.

Disability and Employment: Navigating the workplace, breaking down barriers, and advocating for inclusive hiring practices.

Diversity and Inclusion: Promoting a more inclusive society, advocating for equality, and creating spaces where everyone can thrive.

Personal Empowerment: Overcoming challenges, fostering resilience, and building self-confidence

Inspiration & Adventure: Stories of personal achievement including learning to scuba dive, becoming a black diamond skier & completing the London Marathon

About

Helen Cooke, CEO of MyPlus, is widely recognised as a leading expert in disability employment with a particular expertise in student recruitment. Helen founded MyPlus in 2005 with the vision of ensuring that having a disability or long-term health condition doesn’t prevent anyone from having the career they want to have. She is passionate about developing the confidence of employers and disabled students when it comes to employment.

Through MyPlus Helen works with organisations to provide them with the expertise to be disability confident in their strategy, their processes and their engagement, and realise the possibilities of hiring and retaining more people with a disability. Clients include: BP, EY, Enterprise Mobility, J.P.Morgan, Linklaters, and the BBC. Helen is also behind the innovative MyPlus Students’ Club award winning career advice website for disabled students.

Helen is a passionate and engaging speaker with nearly 20 years speaking experience at D&I Conferences, Corporate motivational events, Disability Awareness Days, Career Insight events for disabled students and disability employment training sessions. Organisers of events Helen has spoken at include the Business Disability Forum, Institute of Student Employers, NADP or Associate of Graduate Carees Advisory Services, Nikon, Enterprise Mobility, Facebook, Allen & Overy, KPMG, Thames Valley Learning Partnership, Australian Disability Network; and the Australian National Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services.

The uniqueness of Helen’s approach comes from her expertise in HR and graduate recruitment gained from working at Marks & Spencer and Mars, combined with her first-hand experience of disability; Helen is a wheelchair user as a result of a childhood spinal injury. Having grown up in the 70’s and 80’s before Equality Laws or disability rights existed Helen fought to be included in mainstream school and ‘hoped’ employers would see past her disability, developing a determination to succeed in a world that wasn’t inclusive of people with disabilities.  This has formed the basis of Helen’s work, to help other disabled individuals succeed and for non-disabled individuals and businesses to recognise the strengths that disabled individuals can and do bring to any situation, particularly working environments.

Achievements

• Corporate Livewire Innovation & Excellence Award 2023

• Helen is listed in the 2018, 2020, 2021 and 2022 SHAW TRUST Disability Power 100 List of ‘Most influential disabled people in the UK’

• TA Tech Top 100 Fall 2002 ‘Most influential Talent Acquisition Thought Leader’

• Cranfield University’s School of Management Women to Watch for 2021

• Helen was a Commissioner for the UK Centre for Social Justice’s 2020 Disability Commission led by Lord Shinkwin

• Helen designed and ran the Backup Trust’s ‘Back up to work’ course and was a Trustee for 5 years from 2016

• Prior to starting MyPlus Helen took a sabbatical from work to volunteer for the Whistler Adaptive Sports Programme. A programme that aims to get disabled individuals skiing, regardless of what their impairment is. A keen skier herself, Helen drew on her own love of the sport to inspire others to have a go

• MyPlus has been appointed as a member of the Valuable 500 Directory

• MyPlus is accredited as a Level 3 ‘Disability Confident Leader’ of the UK Government’s Disability Confident scheme

• MyPlus Students’ Club website won the National Online Recruitment Awards 2021 'Best Innovation in Online Recruitment award'

Fees and booking

If you are interested in booking Helen, please contact info@myplusconsulting.com to discuss your event requirements. Fees can be tailored to suit your budget.

Gold and Platinum membership of the MyPlus Recruiters’ Club includes consulting / training days that can be used to engage Helen Cooke as a speaker. If you are interested in using your inclusive benefits or finding out more about the MyPlus Recruiters’ Club, please contact info@myplusconsulting.com

For details of Helen’s previous and planned engagements visit our speaking engagement page.