Conner Meechan couldn’t hear the rapturous applause that reverberated around the University of Strathclyde’s Barony Hall as he graduated last month, but he could see the audience rise to their feet in appreciation as he crossed the stage.

Born with quadriplegic athetoid cerebral palsy, the 26-year-old from Kilsyth in North Lanarkshire is profoundly deaf, but describes the moment of being handed a certificate in applied business skills as one of the greatest achievements of his life so far.

Conner, who is a wheelchair user, is one of the graduates of the pioneering Breaking Barriers programme, a partnership founded by Enable, Strathclyde Business School and ScottishPower in 2018.

The initiative, which has since expanded to include corporate partners Dayforce, Balfour Beatty and EY, gives young people with learning disabilities access to education and work experience opportunities, and so far, has seen 163 graduates come through the award-winning scheme.

Life changing

But Conner, who was able to attend mainstream primary school before moving on to Ashcraig School, which provides tailored support for young people with Additional Support Needs, says that he was initially nervous about the ‘life changing’ programme, which enables young Scots to achieve an accredited qualification and gain real work experience with some of Scotland’s largest employers.

He said: “I think I was a little apprehensive about how it would all work. Until now people just looked at what I can’t do, instead of recognising I have potential to do anything with the right support, just like every other person. 

“I never thought I would be given the opportunity to attend University and live my best life. Many young people, like me, become very isolated and end up socialising with our carers, but it’s far better to be in such a dynamic environment.

No one on the Breaking Barriers Programme wants you to fail. They are all there making sure you are coping, know what’s expected and selecting mentors they feel with help you to best achieve your goals. 

You have nothing to lose and a lifetime of skills, development and opportunity to gain. I tell everyone who will listen how amazing the Breaking Barriers Programme is and the benefits and opportunities it provides.

The initiative, which was crowned the Widening Participation or Outreach Initiative of the Year at the Time Higher Education Awards in 2019, runs across two faculties – Strathclyde Business School and Science – at Strathclyde.

Besides the transferrable skill set, the main objective is to contribute to improving learners' aspirations by offering them the opportunity to participate in learning within the university environment.

Mentor system

Students are allocated support through a mentor system, with the student mentors first completing a course on working with people with learning disabilities.

Conner says that the learning was intense, but he received a huge amount of support from Enable Programme Lead Lewis Robertson, his personal assistant Erin Berry, University staff, BSL signers, and also his family. He was able to participate in classes through a voice generator.

Once the academic learning is completed, students are offered an applied learning opportunity with an industry partner and must deliver a portfolio of evidence of their tasks, along with a reflection on their experience.

Conner secured a placement with ScottishPower and said: “I loved the learning experience and then putting that into practice on the placement was the icing on the cake.  My line manager saw my potential and just ran with it, giving me more responsibility than first anticipated.  In my last week I presented to the Customer Services Director for the UK.  It was an epic moment for me.”

Special moment

The graduation ceremony alongside his peers and with his tearful parents Angie and John in the audience, was a special moment.

He said: “My family have been my greatest advocates.  From when I was young, I was encouraged to try new things and experience different activities.  Many had the attitude ‘oh poor wee soul’.  I don’t need people’s pity, I need people to understand that I am capable. 

My graduation was a culmination of all that effort coming to fruition. I am so proud of what I and my classmates have achieved through Breaking Barriers. Every one of us has faced difficulty being recognised for the amazing people we are.  So well done to all of us. 

“The audience reaction to all of the graduates was astounding. Although I could not hear the applause, I could see and feel the happiness in the beautiful Barony Hall. It was a moment to saviour and remember.”

Conner has since secured a job as an Administrator at Enable, based at Eurocentral in North Lanarkshire. Enable approached Microsoft to make his communication device even more powerful, and he is now being mentored by their Global Director of Accessibility, Hector Minto, who will create bespoke versions of tools such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Minto, originally from the Scottish Borders, was a technician who helped to modify Stephen Hawking’s speech synthesiser.

Optomistic future

The new graduate, who has also started a small embroidery business, Conner Creates, which offers bespoke embroidered designs, added: “I feel very optimistic about the future. I am going to grab every opportunity that comes my way.

“You never know I might even be able to change a few attitudes to and inspire others to be the best they can and just give new things a try.”

Academic Director for Breaking Barriers and Senior Lecturer in the Department of Work, Employment and Organisation at Strathclyde Business School, Dr Konstantinos Tomazos, said: “Breaking Barriers is impactful and makes a tangible difference, as Conner’s story clearly shows.

“It was amazing to see Conner being able to participate fully in the class discussions by using eye movement to say whatever he wanted to say.

“It’s always wonderful to see all the students grow in confidence as they come to university and realise that this is something they can do. Many of them tell us that they have often felt underestimated much of their life, but then they just blossom on the programme.

“It really is a wonderful partnership, and we wish Conner all the best.”

Full potential

Professor Sir Jim McDonald, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Strathclyde, said:

As a socially progressive university we are committed to widening access and to enabling students to realise their full potential.

Conner’s journey and fantastic outcome provide a shining example of what can be achieved when barriers are removed, and we wish him every success in his new career.

Enable CEO Theresa Shearer said: “I am so proud to see Conner graduating from the Breaking Barriers programme at Strathclyde Business School, and to secure this opportunity to be mentored by Microsoft.

“Breaking Barriers is a pioneering demonstration of the power of public, private and social sector organisations working in partnership to address societal challenges.

“Ensuring we open opportunities to everyone and do not exclude people from realising their talent is essential not only to being a truly diverse, equitable and inclusive society, but also to our national economic prosperity.”