Huw Davies, former CEO of BASE recognised in New Year's Honours List

Having a good job is the single most important thing in empowering people to have money, choices, friendships and dignity in life. It roots people in their communities and helps to ensure full inclusion in society. My goal has always been to support the movement of disabled people from dependency on segregated services to full social and economic inclusion. Professionalisation of the Supported Employment sector is critical to achieving this and employers can be our greatest allies.  I look forward to the day when all disabled people can have ready access to high quality, local support to develop their chosen career: Huw Davies

On behalf of the BASE Community, we congratulate Huw Davies on being awarded a CBE for services to employment for disabled people in the 2023 New Year's Honour list.

Most people will know of his more recent, relentless endeavours as the CEO of BASE, however, the majority of Huw's working life has been spent championing inclusion for disabled people in society.

In 1993, he managed a local authority supported employment agency which provided employment support for disabled jobseekers, care leavers, recovering drug misusers, minority ethnic communities and job retention projects until 2007 when he became the Regional Employment Team Coordinator for North West Care Services Improvement Partnership. This year long strategic role supported the regional implementation of Government policy on mental health and employment.

From 2002, in addition to his full-time role, Huw volunteered as the chair of the Association for Supported Employment (AfSE), and in 2006 he became the chair of the newly formed British Association for Supported Employment, following AfSE's merger with the National Association of Supported Employment (NASE), becoming BASE's first Chief Executive in 2008. 

During Huw's stewardship of BASE, there have been many government policy developments and some setbacks as supported employment providers remained hidden gems, quietly changing the lives of disabled people in the background. Huw has been part of some pivotal moments in the supported employment sector's history, including the development of the National Occupational Standards, the creation of a Level 3 qualification for Supported Employment Practictioner as well as the development and implementation of a Supported Employment Quality Framework.

By keeping an open dialogue with policy makers across government, Huw laid the groundwork for BASE to be valued as the trusted voice of the supported employment sector, which has contributed to ring-fenced funding intiatives for the sector such as the local supported employment intiative and the Internships Work.

Following Huw's retirement in May 2022, he continues to support professionalisation within the sector, through his work with EUSE and by delivering training and quality audits as an Inclusive Trading associate. He continues to passionately advocate for the everyone to have the chance of getting the right job with the right support and have the chance to realise their potential. 

Congratulations Huw.