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Whaikaha Ministry of Disabled People View our
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Become a member of the GLE Lived Experience Disability Council

The Global Leadership Exchange (GLE) provides opportunities for people to share their leadership expertise and insights to overcome challenges and improve the health, well-being and services for disabled people and people with mental health or substance abuse issues.

There is an exciting opportunity for disabled people and their family/whānau who have been involved in the Global Leadership Exchange (GLE) external URL - previously known as the International Initiative for Disability Leadership (IIDL) or the International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership (IIMHL) -  to apply to become the first members of the GLE -  Lived Experience Disability Council.

New Zealand was one of the first sponsors of IIDL and remains one of about 12 countries that continue to sponsor the now re-branded Global Leadership Exchange.

The GLE is now seeking nominations from New Zealand for the GLE Lived Experience Disability Council. 

The nominations process

We invite disabled people and their family/whānau who have been involved in IIDL to nominate either yourself or someone else to be a member of the Disability Lived Experience Council. Your nomination will be processed through a New Zealand recommendations panel.

The New Zealand recommendations panel will review the applications and recommend up to three people to the GLE Disability Lived Experience Council. Please be assured this is a fair and transparent process.

The New Zealand recommendations panel will represent a cross section of people/organisations who have had, and continue to have a close involvement with GLE – Disability. Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People, will support the New Zealand recommendations panel in its deliberations.  

Clenton Farquharson CBE from the United Kingdom will be the Chair of the GLE – Disability Lived Experience Council. Diversity and representation from groups often marginalised in access to services and support will be an important consideration in the make-up of the Lived Experience Council.

Please be aware that being nominated or self-nominating to the NZ recommendations panel, and being recommended through the panel, does not guarantee a place on the Council as GLE is only able to appoint six members to the Council.

How to apply

  • Please send your application form to pauline.melham001@whaikaha.govt.nz by 5.00 p.m., 22 February, 2024. 
  • The NZ recommendations panel will review nominations/self-nominations in the week commencing 26 February.
  • The recommendations from the NZ recommendations panel will need to be with GLE international panel by 2 March 2024.

Important information for applicants

If you wish to be considered for membership of the GLE - Lived Experience Council:

  • Read all the attached information and complete your application form and send to Pauline Melham by 5.00 p.m. 22 February 2024.
  • The information you will provide for the nominations process will only be used for that purpose and will only made available to those people involved in making recommendations to GLE. 
  • Please note, if you are nominating someone for this council, please make sure they are aware of and have accepted your nomination before sending the forms to Whaikaha. 

Key documents