Through the Glass: A Live Forum
Untapped Light and the Future of SEND Talent
A live conversation on creativity, capability and employability
Autumn 2026 · Central London (venue to be confirmed)
In person (full experience) · Selected segments livestreamed
About
In autumn 2026, Reflections of The Lord Mayor will convene a hybrid forum bringing together voices from the arts, education, business and civic life.
This edition of Through the Glass focuses specifically on SEND talent and employability — how creativity and capability are recognised in neurodivergent and SEND individuals, how confidence is built, and how pathways into meaningful, sustained work can be strengthened.
The forum sits alongside the Untapped Light stained glass commission — a professional artist’s interpretation of potential that is present, though not always recognised.
Why This Forum Matters
Too often, discussions about SEND focus on support needs rather than strengths.
As national SEND reforms strengthen inclusive schooling and earlier intervention, the next frontier is employability. Support within the classroom must translate into opportunity beyond it.
Strengths, insight and capability do not disappear at the point of transition into adulthood.
The question now is how those strengths are recognised, valued and progressed in the workplace:
- How is SEND and neurodivergent capability recognised in recruitment processes?
- What enables confidence to translate into employability?
- Where do systems unintentionally disadvantage candidates with additional needs?
- How can employers move from accommodation to purposeful inclusion?
This forum centres the transition from education into employment — and the leadership required to ensure SEND individuals are recognised, supported and progressed within the workforce.
What Will Be Explored
The panel will focus on practical, transferable insight for employers, educators and civic leaders:
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Practical ways employers can recognise, and evidence SEND capability — including neurodivergent strengths and non-linear career pathways
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Real examples of recruitment and progression barriers — and how they have been addressed
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Leadership behaviours that foster psychological safety, confidence and measurable inclusion for SEND employees
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How education providers and employers can align to strengthen SEND transitions into sustained employment
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Cross-sector collaboration that results in tangible employability outcomes
Each speaker will be invited to share at least one practical insight, approach or resource that others can adapt within their own organisation.
Evening Programme
(Indicative timings — subject to confirmation)
5.30 pm – Arrival & Welcome Reception
A hosted reception with drinks and light refreshments.
In person only.
6.30 pm – Artist Insight: Untapped Light
Interpretation of SEND capability through stained glass.
Livestreamed.
6.55 pm – Panel Forum
SEND talent, recruitment practice, workplace progression and inclusive leadership.
Livestreamed.
7.40 pm – Shared Supper & Conversation
A hosted supper creating space to connect, reflect and build relationships that strengthen SEND pathways into employment.
In person only.
8.50 pm – Audience Q&A
Focused on SEND recruitment and inclusive practice.
Livestreamed.
9.20 pm – Reflections & Key Takeaways
Advancing SEND employability and workplace inclusion.
Livestreamed.
9.40 pm – Presentation of the Commissioned Roundel
Recognition of commitment to SEND employment pathways.
In person only.
10.00–10.30 pm – Continuing the Conversation
In-room connection before departure.
In person only.
Panel Members
A cross-sector conversation with leaders in creativity, education, and civic life
The discussion brings together voices who share a commitment to widening opportunity, celebrating diverse talent, and championing creativity as a pathway to meaningful futures. Each panellist contributes a distinct perspective shaped by experience in public service, artistic practice, education, disability inclusion and creative industries — helping us explore how Untapped Light can become a shared civic endeavour rather than a single commission.
Additional Speakers TBC
Additional Speakers TBC
Additional Speakers TBC
FAQ
Why “Through the Glass”?
Stained glass refracts light — shaping how it is seen.
The metaphor is deliberate.
The question is not whether light exists.
It is how we design systems — in recruitment, workplaces and civic life — that allow SEND capability to be recognised rather than obscured.
Attendance
In-Person Attendance (Central London)
Confirmed date, venue and ticket pricing will be announced shortly.
Guests wishing to receive priority booking information are invited to register their interest.
Online Participation (Livestream Access)
Complimentary registration will be available once the event date is confirmed.
Participants joining online may submit questions via live chat. Where time permits, selected contributors may be invited to raise their question live during the discussion.
Selected livestreamed segments will be edited and published on the Reflections YouTube channel shortly after the event.
Who should attend
This forum will be of particular interest to:
- Employers and HR decision-makers
- Recruitment and talent acquisition professionals
- Education leaders and SEND practitioners
- Further and higher education providers
- Careers and employability leads
- Civic and local government leaders
- Professionals committed to widening access to meaningful work
The Live Forum Experience
In person (Central London) | Selected segments livestreamed
The full atmosphere of the forum — reception, shared reflection and cross-sector conversation — is experienced in the room.
For those who cannot join us in person, selected segments will be livestreamed to ensure broader access and participation.
Selected livestreamed segments will be edited and made available on the Reflections YouTube channel shortly after the event.
Part of the Untapped Light Initiative
This livestream accompanies the Untapped Light – Championing SEND Talent in Careers, City & Community stained glass commission, with the winning design unveiled at the 2026 Reflections of The Lord Mayor Gala Evening at Guildhall.