Emma Shepherd has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and fibromyalgia and is the proud mother of two boys and 3 shih tzus.
She is also the founder of Let’s Talk Disability, a consultancy which started in 2019 that supports businesses in their Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Belonging service and specialises in disability and mental health conditions.
I am lucky! My life has three main strands that intertwine – my family, my business and my disability. I was born with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and was diagnosed in 2023 with fibromyalgia.
I have been in and out of hospital since I was 9 and am a part time wheelchair user.
EDS is a genetic fault in my collagen, and there are different types. Mine is the Joint Hypermobile EDS. I have had countless operations, hospital stays, and accidents due to the instability. It has given me resilience, creativity, determination and grit to carry on and prove that I am just as able as other people, but in different ways. It also goes to show that with the right support, disabled people can work.
It comes at a price as my fatigue can be severe. But my sons help me out, and I always instil in them that you can have a disability and still work. My eldest son has ADHD, social communication difficulties and a poor short-term working memory and he works part time, whilst studying to be a car mechanic.
My Career Path
My career path to inclusive employment started nearly 30 years ago after I gained my master’s in Personnel and Development. I worked for several years as an HR and training manager.
After this position and a couple of years of travelling the world, I started working for a local authority supporting disabled children and adults from a care point of view.
I was very happy doing this, but then the local authority started a Supported Employment service and asked me to apply.
I remember sitting outside the theatre, about to see a pantomime with my two boys, when I received a telephone call to say that I was successful in obtaining the job. I spent the whole weekend deliberating whether to take the job or not.
I decided to take the plunge and accept, and I have never looked back. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made! It was a brilliant job match, which took my understanding of businesses and disability into the Supported Employment field.
I then moved from Somerset to London where I found another Supported Employment role. I started as an agency worker before becoming the Manager. During this time I ensured that the team was well trained using the British Association for Supported Employment (BASE), of which I now do Associate work for. I led the team, as I was trusted and had gained credibility within the council and with employers.
Whatever I was doing, I seemed to be doing it right and I threw myself into everything. I really enjoyed the interactions of working with the variety of businesses that I encountered and seeing how I could support them in their Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Belonging journey and what a difference it made to their culture and ultimately enabling them to employ more people who are protected by the Equality Act 2010. If the environment isn’t right then the supported employment would not have remained sustainable, and all of these years later, I still have people I supported who are still working.
Throughout my career, I’ve had amazing opportunities to help support people with disabilities in the employment realm, including:
- Involvement in a set of four books about supported employment with Books Beyond Words.
- Creating projects that provide Supported Internships.
- Creating a supported self-employment academy.
- Leading Reverse Jobs Fairs.
- Creating a Disability Confident Action Group.
- Involvement in ‘Taking Over the Council’, which allowed 25 people with learning disabilities to shadow the senior team including the Chief Executive.
So, this gave me the confidence that I had something to offer other people and businesses in areas in which I was knowledgeable. I have even received emails from as far away as Hawaii asking for my advice.
Working, having a disability, running my own business, being a mum, and spending time with my dogs is what gets me up in the morning. I am lucky, I love what I do and want to create change and get more disadvantaged people into employment in an environment where they can thrive rather than just survive, as there is so much talent out there. I help employers see that a perceived barrier can just be a small hurdle that will ultimately give them a great and loyal employee.