Dedication to disabled recognised
DEENA COSTER
A former Taranaki man who has dedicated his life to improving the disability sector has paid tribute to his parents for paving his way to get there.
Last week, Grant Cleland received his Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit medal during an investiture ceremony at Government House in Wellington.
He was awarded the gong in this year’s New Year honours, in recognition for his services to disabled people, a special moment witnessed by his family, which included his 91-year-old mother.
‘‘It’s been very cool, it’s been lovely,’’ Cleland said of the occasion.
The former New Plymouth Boys’ High School student, who was born with spina bifida, had spent more than 30 years championing the needs of the disabled.
He joined the Disabled Persons Assembly at the age of
21, before going on to hold executive roles with the organisation between 1986-1992.
The 60-year-old has been a board member of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority since 2021, and served as president of ACHIEVE, a national network which promotes inclusive postsecondary education for disabled learners.
Cleland previously served as a co-chair on the Ministry of Social Development’s Health and
Disability reference group between 2010 and 2016.
For 10 years, he was also the chief executive of Workbridge, which helps the disabled and physically impaired into employment, before leaving the job in 2019. He was the first disabled person to hold the role.
Based in Christchurch, Cleland now runs a consultancy business, providing advice, training and other services to give guidance on employment and education for disabled people.
In reflecting on his achievements, he said his parents, Jill and the late
Maurice, had always had the same expectations of him growing up as his siblings, but had also been fierce advocates for him when he needed extra support.
It set a template for his own career aspirations.
‘‘Effectively, I got into this work because I really wanted to make a difference.’’
He believed experiencing a disability himself was a strength in all the roles he had, and was most proud of the work he had done in education and employment, as well as developing action plans for the vocational and tertiary sectors.
‘‘It is leading to really good conversations about what support needs to occur to make it easier for disabled students.’’
Cleland said he still enjoyed strong ties with Taranaki, often visiting the region to catch up with family.