"Back at Plymouth: Sharing My Story and Sparking Change at the EDI Conference"

By Ellise Hollie Hayward Disabilities Correspondent

I'm beginning to be a familiar face at Plymouth University, it was so great to be back again!


For the third year in a row, Plymouth University invited me back to be a keynote speaker at their very last Equality, Diversity and Inclusion conference 2025.

I had the pleasure of delivering a presentation to an audience of upcoming new educational professionals, which was part of their EDI topic and developing their skills in inclusion and disability.

My presentation was based on my experiences in mainstream schools and what I went through as a student with cerebral palsy.

My main message was ‘ask, never assume’ and working and communicating as a team to ensure that all needs are met and allowing the student to have a voice. 



I believe everyone who works in education makes a positive difference in someone's or many people's lives.

I often see a lot of passion in trainee teachers and I really love when they really take everything in that I say and see them making notes. Nothing greater than seeing a room full of hands up with their questions to ask me afterwards, it is one of my favourite parts of being a motivational/public speaker. 


I always love it when organizations ask me back to speak to them again, I always feel a sense of happiness and love and it reminds me why I do this and the impact that I made in sometimes a space of 20 minutes.

It really is one of the best feelings in the world!

For more stories by Ellise and Jill Dando News click here