The Art of The Possible.

Accessibility refers to the opportunity for everyone to acquire the same information, enter the same building, take part in the same events, receive the same services, and engage in the same activities regardless of their physical, cognitive, or psychological challenges and abilities.

Accessibility plays a pivotal role in ensuring equal opportunities for all members of our society specifically for individuals who suffer from disabilities or health issues.

Speakers

Dr. Ruth Moyse

Dr Ruth Moyse is a Director & Associate at AT-Autism and a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Southampton. She is a qualified teacher and completed her doctoral studies at the Institute of Education, University of Reading, where her work was funded by the John and Lorna Wing Foundation. Her research interest lies in the education of autistic children and young people, particularly the female experience, and more widely in autistic wellbeing. Ruth is an advocate for participatory research and the co-production of knowledge and chooses creative methods of engagement that centre autistic people and their views. She is the autistic co-Lead on an innovative pilot autism Train the Trainer training programme for adult mental health inpatient settings in London and the Southeast. This joint venture between AT-Autism and Anna Freud Centre has been co-created and co-delivered with autistic and non-autistic colleagues, including experts by experience. In addition, Ruth is a guest lecturer/speaker on autism, inclusion, and wellbeing at a range of organisations in the UK and Europe, plus sits on a number of neurodiversity advisory boards and steering groups. She is also a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Southampton. Ruth has two children, one of whom is autistic and ADHD, and is autistic herself.

Prof. Richard Mills

Dr Richard Mills is the Head of Research and Clinical Support and Associate Consultant, AT-Autism, London. He is also a Research Fellow in the dept of Psychology, University of Bath, and visiting Professor at Taisho University, Tokyo, Japan: Senior Research Fellow and visiting Scholar, Bond University, Queensland, Australia. Dr Richard Mills holds other positions as a Consultant, Autism Resource Centre (ARC) Singapore; Advisor: Government of Jersey CI: and as Research Associate, Centre for Practice Innovation, Scottish Autism and Consultant to the National Centre for Neurodiversity, Scotland. He also has a long association and strong connection with Malta. In the early 1990’s he became an adviser to the Eden Foundation, and in more recent years the Inspire Foundation, where he chairs the Research and Innovation Council. He is an Editor of ‘Autism the International Journal of Research and Practice’ Sage, and ‘Advances in Autism’ Emerald. He is a member of the Westminster Autism Commission and a trustee the John and Lorna Wing Foundation. For twenty-five years Richard was with the National Autistic Society, London, UK, as Director of Services, and later Director of Research, a joint appointment with Research Autism, London. His current research and practice interests are in programme and service evaluation, autism and mental health, forensic issues, in particular cybercrime, and in behaviours of concern- the Synergy programme. He is a lead on the SPELL framework programme in conjunction with the Tizard Centre at the University of Kent. He has authored numerous scientific articles.

Dr. Josanne Ghirxi

Josanne started her career as a pharmacist and moved into education as a Science and Biology teacher where she taught in State secondary schools for several years. She has served as an Inclusion Co-ordinator in a number of secondary schools and later served as Assistant Director (Inclusive Education) within the Ministry for Education and Employment for six years until she was appointed Director of the National School Support Services in April 2020. She has been working in the field of inclusive education for many years, and has participated in a number of policies, projects and research in the field. Josanne has a Masters degree in Inclusive Education from the University of Malta and has recently obtained an Educational Doctorate from the University of Sheffield. Her area of interest is inclusive education, in particular gifted students. Josanne is also the Board Representative for Malta at the European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education and serves on Inter-Ministerial Committees.

Dr. Rita Micallef

Dr Micallef is a senior lecturer with the University of Malta and lectures on various topics including: Disability Issues, Communication and Intellectual Impairment, Collaborative Practices, Language and Psychiatry, Challenging Behaviour and has also lectured at various European Universities on ASD. She is also nominated as an expert in the field of emotional intelligence and has lectured at various universities across Europe. She holds a Doctorate in Education: Area researched: Emotions as indicators of performance – Towards a redefinition of professionalism in the post-modern workplace. She is a Licensed Trainer with the National Autistic Society (NAS) and organizes both parent and professionals training programmes in autism at Inspire. Dr Micallef is also an appointed education consultant with the Foundation and a Trustee of the same Foundation. Dr Micallef is the Director Allied Health Services within the Ministry For Health and is responsible for the plan of services provided by 22 Allied Health Professions, in various different locations in Malta and Gozo. She has been nominated on the Positive Parenting Task Force, Chairperson of the Sector Skills Unit (Health and Social Care) MFHEA, and member on the Research and Ethics Board of the IFE. She is qualified in Training and Human Resource Management and in Clinical Speech and Language Studies. She is a Member on the Board of Studies and the Board of Examiners of the Communication Therapy Division – University of Malta.

Ms. Olivia Farrugia

Olivia Farrugia is the Head of the Jobseeker Services Division within Jobsplus, the Public Employment Service. Within the Public Employment Service, she had different roles including that of an employment advisor within the Inclusive Employment Unit, Training Coordinator, Human Resources and management roles. She managed the provision of specific and specialized services/incentives and several EU Funded projects that assisted job seekers as well as employers. In her current role she is responsible for the design and implementation of Active Labour Market Programmes targeting mainstream jobseekers, persons with disability and vulnerable individuals including those with socio-economic difficulties. She is part of the Board of Administrators of the Lino Spiteri Foundation, which public private partnership was set up to facilitate the entry in employment of persons with disability. She participated in working groups and fora during the development of national strategies including those related to disability and integration.

Mr Mattew Bonello

Matthew Bonello is pursuing a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, specialising in 3D Printing and Product User Experience Design. He graduated in 2020 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering and subsequently worked as a researcher at the University of Malta. His research focused on developing a smart wearable for paediatric habilitation, working alongside a multidisciplinary team, including engineers, occupational therapists and other academics.

Mr Oliver Scicluna

Mr. Oliver Scicluna, CEO of Aġenzija Sapport, holds degrees in informatics, youth studies, and public administration. He has extensive experience leading voluntary organizations, including the Disabled People Organization Breaking Limits, which spearheaded self-advocacy in Malta. Mr. Scicluna has served as Commissioner for the Rights of Persons with Disability. In this role, he actively encouraged more individuals with disabilities to join him in shaping policies and initiatives. A core tenet of his advocacy is not only advocating for the rights of persons with disabilities but also ensuring their active participation in leadership roles. Mr Scicluna also held positions on various Boards across different entities such as Transport Malta, Valletta18, National Commission for the Promotion of Equality, Jobs+, Malta Community Chest Fund, the Foundation for Information Technology Accessibility, and Public Broadcasting Services, with a steadfast commitment to advocating for the rights of persons with disabilities. Additionally, Mr. Scicluna was co-opted into the Maltese Parliament, serving as an MP from 2021 to 2022, during which time he contributed to the advancement of several legislative initiatives. He has also presided over the Parliament International and European Affairs Committee. Over the years, Mr. Scicluna has played a pivotal role in the development of key policies and legislation concerning disability rights in Malta. This includes his involvement in crafting the first national policy for the rights of persons with disabilities, shaping the national strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities (2021-2030), amending the Equal Opportunities Act, enacting the Blue Badge legislation, passing the Maltese Sign Language Act, implementing the Autism (Empowerment) Act, establishing Access for All standards in the built environment, founding the Malta Business Disability Forum, and most recently, spearheading the Personal Budget and Personal Assistant reform.

Mr Joseph Seychell

Joseph Seychell joined the Malta Communications Authority (MCA) in 2016, bringing over 20 years of experience in the Information Technology sector, having served clients both in Malta and across Europe. At the MCA, he oversees the digital services regulatory programme, which encompasses intermediary platforms, eCommerce, digital trust services, and website/mobile app accessibility. Joseph is currently spearheading the Authority’s digital services regulation initiatives that aim to balance regulation and awareness, adopting a forward-looking regulatory approach to digital services while ensuring stakeholders are informed of their rights and responsibilities. Additionally, he plays a key role in the Authority’s supervisory process for trust service providers and manages the web accessibility monitoring and enforcement efforts. Joseph holds multiple IT certifications from leading industry vendors, a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems, and a Master’s degree in Business Management.

Ms Kiki Mizzi

My name is Kiki, a name that has been with me since childhood, that eventually became my identity. As a child, I was known for my caring empathic nature and my ability to connect with others, traits that hinted at the career path I would eventually pursue. For 15 years, I served as a Learning Support Assistant, dedicating myself to working with students who required additional assistance in their educational journeys. Driven by my desire to enhance my ability to support others, I eventually continued my studies, focusing on both Disability and Management. This further education allowed me to deepen my understanding of the unique challenges faced by individuals with disabilities and equipped me with the skills to manage and lead more effectively within educational settings. This knowledge and experience led me to take on the role of Head of Inclusion at two prominent schools in Malta. In this role, I was responsible for developing and implementing inclusive educational strategies that ensured all students, regardless of their abilities, had access to quality education. Today, I am the Head of Education at Esplora, Malta’s Interactive Science Centre. In this role, I lead the development and delivery of informal educational programs that engage and inspire learners of all ages. My work at Esplora allows me to combine my passion for education with my commitment to making learning accessible and exciting for everyone.

Dr. Stefanie Turk

Dr. Stefanie Turk holds a PhD in linguistics from the Philipps-University Marburg in Germany where she also worked as a Research and Teaching Assistant. During her time in Marburg, she investigated speech and language processing in neurotypical and neurodiverse populations, such as individuals with depression, schizophrenia, dyslexia and intellectual disabilities. With a special interest in the processing of written language, she also investigated the usefulness of rules set forth by German organizations for inclusion to make written language more accessible and whether they truly lead to a better understanding of texts in persons with diverse disabilities. Dr. Turk also holds a master’s degree in psychology with a focus on clinical and neuropsychology from the Goethe University Frankfurt am Main (Germany). During her studies in psychology, she worked in research and practice with individuals suffering from different mental health issues as well as neurological, neurodevelopmental, and learning disorders including depression, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), dyslexia, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). She moved to Malta in February 2024 and took on the role of Research Support Officer at Inspire Foundation in July of this year.

Ms Hope Brincat

Hope is 20 years old. She is a twin with her sister Yvonne, and she has an eldest brother, Craig. Hope likes watching Musicals and theater on the You Tube. She also enjoys watching local football games on her devices. Hope has achieved a MQF level 2 certificate in Hairdressing. She also has achieved an Award in Retail, both from MCAST. She attends the Malta School of Music (MAVC) for her violin lessons. A musical instrument that she is very fond of. She loves attending youth groups to meet up with her friends, she loves shopping and her very favorite food is Sushi. Additionally, she has recently won the Cupi Spoon Gastronomy Competition. Cupi’s Spoon, an initiative by UNUO, involves representatives traveling across various European countries with a van equipped for individuals with disabilities to prepare their dishes or cocktails. The van tours European countries throughout the year until winners from each country are selected. Hope will be competing in Croatia with the other winners in October.

Ms Sara Accettura

Born in Italy, where she started her dance career and achieved a Diploma for a Proficiency Course for dance teachers at I.D.A. (Ravenna) and a Master in choreography at European Dance Alliance (Rome), Sara graduated in 2007 with a First Class Degree in Dance Studies at the London Contemporary Dance School (University of Kent). Since then, she has danced for several companies in the UK, amongst them the National Dance Company of Wales, Cedar Dance Theatre (Wales), Diciembre Dance, Combination Dance (London), Leila Dance(London) and Maddogs Dance (Leeds), whilst teaching in several dance schools in London. In 2009 Sara achieved a Master of Arts in Performance at the London Contemporary Dance School, and started working as a freelance dancer for various international choreographers, amongst them Marc Brew, Leila McMillan, Janet Randell, Douglas Thorpe, Yoshua Cienfuegos, Dana Raz, Mavin Khoo, Lucia Piquero, Moritz Zavan, Oden Ronen, Francesca Tranter. Sara has recently passed her PhD viva in Dance and Autism at the University of Bedfordshire, and is expected to graduate at the end of this year while working as a freelance dancer, choreographer and educator. She is the artistic director of Junior Dance Company Bari and Malta and the summer school Dance Master Class, co-director of the inclusive dance project Dance For All (Italy), Assistant Lecturer for the School of Performing Arts Dance Studies Department and guest lecturer for the Department of Disability Studies at the University of Malta. Since 2021 Sara has joined Opening Doors Malta as a dance leader and she is also a Board member since 2023.

Ms Mary Ann Cauchi

Mary Ann Cauchi provides overall direction to the strategy and funding teams, setting the strategy and vision for Arts Council Malta and coordinating programmes and initiatives aimed at supporting the cultural and creative sectors. Mary Ann oversees the funding processes and the coordination of the various strategic areas, both within Arts Council Malta as well as for the Public Cultural Organisations. She is currently also EPALE Ambassador for Creativity and Culture 2022-2024. Throughout her career, Mary Ann Cauchi has occupied various positions in the cultural and creative sectors including Head of the National Malta School of Music and Founder-Director of Artsphere International, a company based in Malta with international networks. Prior to that, she also worked at the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts, on numerous large-scale artistic and cultural events and the initiation of arts funding support.

Noel Aquilina

Noel Aquilina, aged 46, I consider myself a dedicated sports leader and advocate for disability sports. President and Founder of the Malta Wheelchair Basketball Association, an organization committed to promoting inclusivity and empowering athletes with disabilities through the sport of wheelchair basketball. Academic background, a degree in Youth and Community Studies and a Master’s in Physical Education and Sports. A passion for community development and sports has driven me to create opportunities for individuals with disabilities, fostering an environment where they can thrive both athletically and socially. I strive to continue to make a significant impact in the sports community in Malta. I believe that together we can make a difference

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