“Opportunity should not depend on privilege.”

 Education, training, and employment are meant to open doors — but for too many people, those doors are closed or never even built. We’re working to change that.

Why This Matters

For many people, opportunities to study, train, and work are unfairly restricted:

  • Schools and universities that fail to adapt for disabled or neurodivergent students.

  • Training programmes designed for “standard learners,” leaving others excluded.

  • Employers who demand experience but don’t offer opportunities to gain it.

  • A benefits system that punishes people for trying to work or train.

This means people with talent, creativity, and potential are left behind — not because of who they are, but because of the barriers placed in front of them.


How We’re Creating Change

At Living Reasons, we believe everyone should have a genuine chance to learn, train, and work. Our approach focuses on removing barriers and proving that inclusion benefits everyone.

We’re focusing on:

  • Campaigning for accessible and inclusive education systems.

  • Working with training providers to design programmes that adapt to different needs.

  • Creating routes into employment that are supportive, flexible, and fair.

  • Challenging government policies that penalise people on benefits for pursuing work or training.

  • Using lived experience to highlight what real opportunity looks like.

Projects & Campaigns

  • Inclusive Education Project → working with schools and colleges to improve accessibility.

  • Real Pathways Programme → developing training and job opportunities for people excluded from traditional systems.

  • Benefits & Work Integration Campaign → lobbying for fairer policies that encourage, not punish, people seeking work or training.

The Role of Lived Experience

Our Lived Experience Advisory Board is central to this work. Members share their own experiences of barriers in education, training, and work — from struggling to access courses, to facing discrimination in hiring, to navigating the benefits system.

Their insight shapes our projects and campaigns, making sure we focus on real problems and practical solutions.

Find out more about joining the Lived Experience Advisory Board.

Get Involved

Together, we can create fairer opportunities. Here’s how you can help: