MY LIFE: DEVELOPMENT OF A NATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR LIFELONG INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT PLANS FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

Born in 1986 with Spina Bifida, Oliver Scicluna is a lifelong advocate for disability inclusion and social reform. He is the current Chief Executive Officer of Aġenzija Sapport, Malta’s State disability service provider.

Oliver holds degrees in Informatics, Youth Studies, and Public Administration from the University of Malta and the University of Chester. He co-founded Breaking Limits, Malta’s first cross-disability self-advocacy NGO, and has led several voluntary organisations promoting equal opportunities and inclusion.

He served as Chairperson and later as the first Commissioner of the reformed Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disability (CRPD), where he was instrumental in strengthening legislative frameworks and launching innovative initiatives such as the Malta Business Disability Forum, a platform bringing together the business community, disability organisations, local councils, and mental health representatives for constructive dialogue.

In 2021, Oliver was appointed Member of Parliament, where he continued championing the rights of persons with disability and broader social inclusion. As current CEO of Aġenzija Sapport, he is implementing a national deinstitutionalisation policy, introducing personal assistance and personal budget reforms, and expanding community inclusion programmes.

Theresa Shearer FRSE is an internationally recognised CEO, Chair, non-executive director and influential leader in public policy, transformational service delivery, board governance and strategy.

As CEO of Enable, one of Scotland’s leading NGO providers of social care and employability support, she leads a 3,500-strong team supporting 15,000 people to live independently as citizens in their communities. Under her tenure, Enable has more than trebled income from €35m to €115m whilst growing its impact across social care, employability and self-advocate led campaigns.

Her non-executive leadership roles include the Vice Presidency of the European Association of Service providers for Persons with Disabilities (EASPD), the governing Council of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the Board of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games Organising Company, and the Advisory Boards of both the University of Glasgow’s Centre for Public Policy and the Adam Smith Business School.

An award-winning leader, recognised with the University of Strathclyde’s Executive Leadership (STELAR) Award in 2020, the Institute of Directors (IoD) Scotland Chair’s Award in 2023, and an Honorary Doctorate from Edinburgh Napier University in 2024, Theresa is committed to driving impact with partners from the private, public, social and academic sectors to address societal challenges at national and international levels.

Prof Alexiei Dingli is an AI expert and Professor at the University of Malta. With over 20 years of experience in the field, he has helped numerous companies successfully implement AI solutions. His work has been recognised as world-class by international experts, and he has received numerous awards from organisations such as the European Space Agency, the World Intellectual Property Organisation, and the United Nations.

In addition to his considerable peer-reviewed publications, he is also a member of the Malta.ai task force, working to position Malta as a global leader in AI. He is also the founder of Digital Brain, an AI company specialising in training, consultancy, and developing innovative AI-driven solutions.

Estelle Houtart is a Junior Policy Officer at the European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities (EASPD), where she leads EASPD work on inclusive housing and contributes to other policy areas such as independent living, early childhood intervention, inclusive education, employment, supported decision-making and legal capacity.

Estelle Houtart holds a Master’s degree in Law with a professional focus on State and Europe from UCLouvain, Belgium. Her academic background includes a strong emphasis on public law, European integration, and human rights. She also completed an Erasmus+ exchange in Global Governance Law at the University of Helsinki, Finland.

Her professional experience includes a traineeship at the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), where she contributed to legal and policy analysis and stakeholder engagement. She was strongly involved in projects related to the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), including the political participation of persons with disabilities.

Estelle has a longstanding commitment to disability rights, demonstrated through her volunteer work with two student-led initiatives promoting inclusion and support for people with disabilities.