Honorary Honour for Head of Enable

The chief executive of the human rights charity Enable has been awarded an honorary doctorate by Edinburgh Napier University (ENU).

Theresa Shearer (pictured above) was presented with the honour for devoting her career to improving the life chances of people with learning disabilities.

Theresa has been credited with helping the charity to inspire public policy development, provide human rights advocacy, build sustainable employment, and deliver human rights-driven health and social care.

In recent years Enable has partnered with Edinburgh Napier University to establish the Breaking Barriers programme. In conjunction with professional services firm EY, it supports young people with learning disabilities make the transition to university and higher education through a combination of study and work placements.

“It is a real honour to receive an honorary doctorate from Edinburgh Napier University, an institution which lives by the values of diversity, equity and inclusion that have inspired and driven me throughout my career,” said Theresa.

“From researching the interplay between disability and inclusion, to training and developing the next generation of health and social care professionals and acting to widen access to university for disabled people as a partner in the Breaking Barriers programme, Edinburgh Napier University is a shining example to organisations and businesses across sectors.

“To be recognised for my contribution to the charity and social care sectors is truly a privilege, and I hope this will emphasise the critical contribution that these sectors make to our economy and society, now and in the future."

As CEO of Enable Scotland, Theresa leads 2,500 staff in supporting 13,000 people to live independently in their community.

To find out more visit https://www.enable.org.uk/