Dignity, Equity, and Self-Determination in Action

01 Aug 2025

In this Disability Pride Month feature, we spoke with Sean Stowers, Chief Executive of Spectrum Group, about championing inclusion for disabled individuals in Aotearoa New Zealand and the systemic barriers they’re working to dismantle. This is what he told us:

Spectrum’s Vision: Making Dignity and Equity Everyday Realities

Disability Pride Month isn’t just a celebration of identity. It’s a reminder of what still needs to change.

Because dignity, equity, and self-determination shouldn’t be nice-to-haves. They should be must-haves. Woven into how we fund, support, house, and include disabled people every day.

At Spectrum Group – across Spectrum Foundation, Spectrum Care, and Homes of Choice – that’s the mahi we show up for.

It starts with leadership. Spectrum Foundation is the only disabled-led philanthropic funder in Aotearoa. Funding is directed by a panel of people with lived experience of disability, with over 70% of last year’s funded initiatives being disabled-led. We expect every initiative to contribute to self-determination, and to demonstrate disability leadership, equitable access, or social connection.

We hold ourselves to the same standard. The Foundation Board includes people with lived experience, and we’ve recently achieved the Accessibility Tick – part of our commitment to making accessibility the norm, not the exception. That includes who we hire. Because real inclusion won’t happen until disabled people are hired everywhere. Not just in disability roles, but across all sectors, at every level.

Our support services follow the same principle. Spectrum Care’s A-Team, a paid group of advisors with intellectual disability, shapes how we design and improve our services. And in housing, Homes of Choice centres co-design and accessibility. Because housing isn’t just four walls and a roof. It’s about choice. It’s about belonging.

We know these efforts don’t stand alone. Systemic barriers continue to shut disabled people out. That’s why we partner with others to back what works and change what doesn’t.

We co-fund initiatives like Autism New Zealand’s diagnostic service, which now includes a Kaiārahi to support whānau in culturally grounded ways. We’ve launched Programme Astra, a disability-led training initiative giving support staff the tools to be allies, not caregivers. And with projects like Gig Buddies, which pairs disabled people with volunteers who share their interests, we’re helping build real social connection through shared experiences.

Because that’s the world we believe in.

And it’s on all of us to build it.