We’re delighted to announce that Noah Matthews, actor, campaigner and public speaker, will join us as our Lived Experience Speaker at the 16th European Supported Employment Conference in Liverpool this December, with the session proudly sponsored by Medequip.
Taking place on 7–8 December 2026, this year’s conference explores The Art of the Possible: Connecting the Dots, bringing together people from across Europe and beyond to share learning, challenge thinking and explore what good supported employment can achieve.
Lived experience is an important part of that conversation. It helps us keep discussions about employment, opportunity and inclusion connected to the experiences and ambitions of the people at the heart of our work.
Meet Noah Matthews
At just 13, Noah Matthews became Disney’s first actor with Down syndrome when he played Slightly in Peter Pan & Wendy. Since then, he has gone on to become a keynote speaker in the UK and USA, as well as the face of the global Just Evolve campaign and an ambassador for the Down Syndrome Association.
His work as an actor has continued too, including playing Puck in Shakespeare in London and taking the two-person show Are We Friends to the Camden Fringe.
But perhaps Noah Matthews puts the message behind his work best in his own words:
“I am proud of my extra chromosome and never let it hold me back. I am honoured to be a spokesperson for inclusion and hope I can spread the word that having DS doesn’t have to stop you following your dreams.”
It’s a message that feels particularly relevant to a conference centred on possibility, inclusion and connecting the different perspectives needed to create better employment opportunities.
Why Medequip is supporting lived experience
We’re pleased that Medequip is sponsoring the Lived Experience element of this year’s conference.
Medequip shared why supporting this part of the programme is important to them:
“Supporting people with lived experience is incredibly important to us because their voices help shape more inclusive workplaces and communities.” Medequip
By making space for lived experience alongside practice, research, policy and employer perspectives, we want the conference to create conversations that help all of us think differently about what is possible.
Join Noah Matthews and speakers from across Europe in Liverpool on 7–8 December 2026 for two days of learning, connection and conversation.
Book your place at the 16th European Supported Employment Conference
The Art of the Possible: Connecting the Dots,
Liverpool, 7–8 December 2026
