Pathways to Leadership is a not-for-profit organisation, established as a pathway for people with a disability and their families to develop networks, enhance skills and leadership roles and further build personal capacity. This enables everyone to gain new skills and to share their knowledge and capacities with others. As the organisation has evolved it has enrolled professionals as partners and allies and directors.

 The Directors of Pathways to Leadership have worked with families and government in all states of Australia. As individuals they are also part of other training, business and non- government organisations that have a proven record of developing innovative practices, developing skill enhancement and training courses and being influential members of both Australian and International networks.

 The uniqueness of the organisation is leadership by individuals with a disability and families together with individuals and families working together with professional partners. By bringing individuals and families together to learn contemporary theory and practice in a way that is meaningful and relevant to them, enables them to plan and action a desirable future. This model is one in which the most important customers are reached through the creation of community leaders, who carry the approach forward.

 Our Mission: The Mission of Pathways to Leadership is to: Facilitate opportunities for people with a disability and their families to lead self -directive lives, demonstrate leadership and build partnerships.

 Our aim is to provide peer support, skill enhancement, coaching, mentoring and leadership opportunities for individuals with a disability and their families in partnership with professionals. This enables and encourages linking formally and informally with their peers-networks of individuals and their families, and allies across Australia and internationally. Community leaders build their own and others capacity for success.

 Our Philosophy: Pathways’ is oriented in every way towards families and the needs of their members with a disability. We base our actions on family-related principles, use experienced and qualified family members, individuals with a disability and professionals to provide learning and development opportunities, and focus our efforts on outcomes that promote the inclusion and contribution of people with a disability.

 Our commitment is to provide programs of direct relevance to individuals with a disability, as well as to families, in order to support self-direction and actions to obtain the best outcomes for their members who have a disability. We work with family and individual led organisations, support groups, professionals, service providers and government agencies to identify specific needs and prepare suitable approaches, including courses and workshops to fulfil those needs.

 We believe in quality facilitation, our facilitators have training and/or education qualifications. We have found that people learn most effectively from those who have had similar experiences. Consequently, Pathways’ has two approaches to its facilitation. The first are facilitators who have personal experience with disability – either directly as an individual with a disability or a parent and/or close family member, with ongoing responsibility to support family members and relatives with a disability. The second are professionals who have extensive experience in supporting individuals and families in self- directing their lives. This approach builds and strengthens partnerships, enabling learning from each other, and sharing our skills and strengths.