Joe Kingdom Joins Global Conversation on Self-Directed Support in Canada

"Self-advocacy to me means being at the planning table for my own future," says Joe. 

Earlier this year, Joe joined delegates from across Canada, Ireland and England at the GLE Match: Self Directed Support in Action, an event focused on strengthening choice and control for disabled people. Hosted at the Public Health Agency of Canada, the conference brought together experts, advocates and people with lived experience to explore how systems can better support people to make decisions about their own lives.  

The event was co-chaired by Simon Duffy, Director of Citizen Network and a globally recognised leader in self-directed support, citizenship and personalised approaches to care and support.  

Joe was invited to join an international lived-experience panel, sharing his experiences of self-advocacy, self-direction and overcoming barriers. 

"I was ecstatic," says Joe. "Just the fact that I was asked proved the amount of trust people have in my abilities." 

For Joe, self-advocacy is about more than speaking up. It is about having a meaningful role in shaping your own future. "What makes self-advocacy so powerful is that it gives you a voice that you may not otherwise have had," he explains. 

The key message Joe wanted to share in Canada was clear: "Young disabled people are capable of anything, as long as we put our mind to it." 

"I feel I wasn't given the same opportunities as my peers in the past," he says. "People tend to judge me and my capabilities before they even give me the chance." 

After leaving school, Joe found himself with few qualifications, little real-world experience and, in his own words, "zero confidence". Things changed when his job coaches introduced him to Enable's Breaking Barriers programme. 

"At first, I was obviously a little hesitant," Joe recalls. "But after meeting with the programme lead at the time, I was determined to get into the programme." 

Breaking Barriers proved to be a turning point. Alongside securing his first role at ScottishPower and later gaining a paralegal qualification in company law with Enable, Joe says the Breaking Barriers programme gave him "a renewed sense of determination, and an indefatigable spirit."  

While speaking to an international audience was initially daunting, Joe was sharing a story he knows well - his own. Years of speaking about self-advocacy and lived experience meant he could focus on what mattered most: helping others understand the importance of ensuring disabled people are heard. 

One of Joe's standout memories from Canada was meeting fellow delegates on the opening day. 

"Knowing that we were all there to unite around one common goal - improving self-direction around the globe - was perhaps the most inspiring moment for me." 

The experience also left a lasting impact on how Joe sees his future as a self-advocate. 

"Ottawa was a real eye opener for me," he says. "What I heard from my other co-panellists makes me want to challenge the status quo and, in the future, I hope to be at the forefront of conversations." 

Representing Enable internationally, Joe says: "Quite simply: it means the world." It recognised him as a valued voice for change and gave him the opportunity to contribute to a global conversation about the future of self-directed support. 

His advice to anyone beginning their self-advocacy journey is simple: "Stick at it. Because no matter what, the only person who can truly advocate for you, is you."