Everyone Thriving – Exploring Possibilities, 2026
Last year’s Careers Conference was such a success with over 50 people attending that we’re excited to be hosting another one this year. ‘Everyone Thriving – Exploring Possibilities’ is taking place on 4th June, 1.00 – 5.30pm, online over Zoom.
Everyone Thriving – Exploring Possibilities 2026, hosted by our very own Becky Hill – Back Up, Vocation team lead.
Held online, this event will demonstrate the importance of finding purpose through returning to work, study or volunteering after a spinal cord injury. It will highlight what is possible.
We will be joined by a number of speakers and panellists, including:
– those with spinal cord injuries talking about their experiences of working, study and volunteering
– corporate partners and recruitment professionals sharing good practice in support of disabled employees
– health care professionals adding their voices to the role they play in vocational rehabilitation
We are delighted that this year’s event will include guest speakers Jess Hare, Principal Clinical Psychologist, Spinal Cord Injuries – East of England and Mo Belal, Consultant Urological Surgeon at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham.
Dr Jess Hare is a Clinical Psychologist working with patients in the early stages of spinal cord injury in the East of England. Since qualifying in 2015 she has worked with issues around psychological wellbeing in a number of adult and paediatric health specialties, joining the East of England Spinal Cord Injury ‘Hubs’ in 2022. She is interested in principles from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Compassion Focussed Therapy in the context of spinal cord injury. Outside work she is mostly occupied with the joy and chaos of wrangling two feisty children.
Mo Belal is a Consultant Urological Surgeon at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (since 2011), specialising in neuro-urology and urinary tract reconstruction. Educated at King Edward’s School and Cambridge University, he trained at centres including Guy’s Hospital and the Bristol Urological Institute, followed by a fellowship in Melbourne. He has published extensively and is currently BAUS Vice President for Education, formerly Chair of the BAUS Section of Female, Neuro-urology and Urodynamics, and BAUS Mesh Lead with NHS England. He is a trustee of several charities and an SIA ambassador.
Themes we will cover will include:
– Valuing Purpose: the importance of finding purpose and the role of work, study & volunteering in the psychosocial adjustment to spinal cord injury,
– Learning from Others: sharing real-life stories over a wide age-range, demonstrating what is possible
– Sharing Good Practice: demonstrating the range of support available for employees, students and volunteers with disabilities
– Exploring Possibilities: general guidance and practical steps and demonstrating the range of vocation services Back Up provides
There will also be an opportunity to network and speak directly with a number of our speakers and panellists; whether that’s others with a spinal cord injury who have returned to work or one of our corporate partners.
Registration
If you’d like to attend this online event on Zoom, please register here
Careers Event Donation
Back Up relies on the generosity of individuals and companies. Attending this careers event is free of charge but if you’d like to make a small donation in support of our work it would be much appreciated. The suggested donation for attending the careers event is £10. To donate please visit our donation page.
Contact
If you have any questions or want to find out more please email vocation@backuptrust.org.uk.
We look forward to hearing from you and seeing you at ‘Everyone Thriving – Exploring Possibilities, 2026!’
