S1E13 – Interview with Nick Ruane – Disability advocate and leader
Nick Ruane
Nick Ruane has a long history of community involvement, advocacy, leadership, and disability activism.
Nick has a Master of the Arts (with Honors) in Political Science and Government from Victoria University.
He is a board member for New Zealand Riding for the Disabled and was co-chair of the Wellington Accessibility Advisory Group for 5 years, giving advice to Council on Accessibility.
He is currently the Workbridge Group Foundation Advisor, advising on establishing a Philanthropic giving program, establishing a small grant program, and re-launching the Foundation website.
He also posts about disability politics topics at https://nicholasruane.substack.com/
Dr Pam’s Disability Self-empowerment module one is now available !
Disability Self-empowerment: Module One: Take charge of your future! Available to purchase on amazon
[00:00] Introduction – Disability Disrupters Podcast
[00:21] Introduction to Podcast Guests
[00:56] Advert – Disability Self-empowerment: Module one: Take charge of your future!
[02:26] Interview with Nick Ruane
[19:24] Employment Matters – part 2
[25:14] Advert – Fast braille translation service
[26:12] Introduction to United Blind Leaders Webinar segments
[27:28] United Blind Leaders Webinar segments
[47:15] Goodbye from Dr Pam
[47:32] Advert – Tipjar support for the podcast
United Blind Leaders Webinar recap
How Leadership Changes the Way We Advocate
United Blind Leaders recently hosted a powerful and deeply personal webinar exploring how stepping into leadership changes the way we advocate—and how advocacy, in turn, shapes leadership.
Facilitated by UBL Co-founder, Emma Bennison, the session brought together three distinguished speakers with decades of lived experience, activism, and leadership: Susan Thompson, Martin Stewart, and Dr Pam MacNeill.
Together, they unpacked the shifts required when moving from independent advocacy to organisational leadership, shifts that call for strategic thinking, political savviness, and an unshakable commitment to the communities we serve.
Each speaker reflected on the delicate balance between working within systems to create change whilst staying true to grassroots advocacy. Dr Pam McNeill shared candidly about her 18 years working within the New Zealand government, navigating complex relationships with ministers while staying loyal to disabled communities. Her approach? Find strategic alignment without compromising values—and don’t be afraid to stir the pot when necessary.
Susan Thompson spoke of earning respect through active participation across all parts of an organisation—from client committees to internal operations—while never losing sight of her identity and responsibility as a blind person. She emphasised the importance of choosing battles carefully, maintaining emotional discipline, and being “part of the blind community, not above it.”
For Martin Stewart, the shift from activist to advocate was also a deeply personal journey. He described moving from anger-fuelled protest to organisational leadership, crediting his role at Blind Citizens Australia as a transformative turning point. “I wanted to be a reputable person,” he said. “And now I’m happy to be swimming in the mainstream.”
About United Blind Leaders
United Blind Leaders (UBL) is an international movement of blind and vision-impaired people advocating for authentic representation in decision-making roles, particularly in organisations that provide services to blind people. We believe leadership by people with lived experience is essential—not optional—when it comes to shaping the future of our communities and the organisations that serve us.
Learn more and sign up to our mailing list at
http://www.unitedblindleaders.org
to stay updated on upcoming events, campaigns, and opportunities to get involved.
Want to join the conversation? UBL-Chat is our community discussion list where blind and vision-impaired people can connect, share ideas, and debate issues that matter. To join, send a blank email to:
ubl-chat+subscribe@groups.io
Disability Responsiveness New Zealand offers personalised mentoring and workshops
Audio Shorts, background music provided by http://www.andrelouis.com
Podcast audio and transcript editor : Britta Offergeld
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