Julian John, the founder and managing director of Swansea-based award-winning inclusion and disability consultancy Delsion has been named on the auspicious People Management Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) power list.
People Management is a human resources magazine which for the first time has published a Power List to celebrate 20 people who have impacted Diversity and Inclusion on the ground, and in companies and organisations across the UK.
Julian is recognised, along with others such as Sir Lenny Henry and champion for older people Baroness Ros Altmann, for his work in promoting inclusion in companies and organisations nationally and spearheading Swansea in becoming the first Disability Confident city in the UK.
Julian said of his place on the Power List: “I am extremely flattered and proud to be included in this prestigious list. I have been working in inclusion and diversity with Delsion for five years and since then I have seen a big shift in attitudes, and I hope that we have been a part of that.
“We aim to make companies and organisations see what people can do, rather than what they can’t and embed inclusion across all facets of their businesses. The economy and the workforce will all benefit in the long run.”
Julian and Delsion has already been leading the way in one health board in Wales. Believed to be the first of its kind in a health board, Cardiff and Vale Health Board has been working with Delsion to deliver inclusive leadership courses for its managers. Enabling them to better understand barriers to inclusion, identify opportunities to remove them, and fully appreciate the value of diversity to the organisation.
Julian explained: “It has been great not only seeing, but working closely, with a forward-thinking health board such as Cardiff and Vale on this programme. Through our work its managers will really see how important diversity is for all organisations, and how ultimately inclusion helps create a better, more collaborative workplace.
“It has been inspirational working with them on this pilot project and I can’t wait to see the strides the health board takes in this area.”
Julian knows the barriers to going back to full time work himself, as he has first-hand experience. He had a successful career in HR before suffering brain damage believed to have been caused by a bacterial infection. He suffered blackouts, had to learn to walk again, was left unemployed, house bound and eventually homeless.
After nine years of unemployment, Julian decided to help others in a similar situation to himself and in 2015 launched Delsion, a People and Development company specialising in Learning, Development and Inclusion solutions for employers.
Delsion helps people and organisations reach their true potential through the provision of training models, people orientated solutions and other development programs, created with a view to promoting maximum inclusion at all times.