AGL Skills was established in January 2026 by founders who are not disabled, but who have spent many years working alongside people with lived experience of systems that were never designed with them in mind. That experience has shaped how we operate, with co-production at the core, grounded in trust, shared decision-making, and a commitment to using our position to shift power, not speak over it.
For too long, marginalised people have been asked to repeatedly share their stories under the banner of “empowerment.” While lived experience is powerful, it also carries emotional labour. Too often, those stories are extracted and repackaged without real ownership, control, or long-term benefit for the people who shared them.
The Disabled People’s Movement was founded on principles of power, control, independence, and choice. Yet in recent years, we have seen those principles diluted, with equality, diversity and inclusion reduced to a tick-box exercise focused on visibility rather than meaningful change. At AGL Skills, we believe a different approach is both possible and necessary.
The challenges facing marginalised communities in the 21st century demand more than advocacy alone. Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs), established across the UK from the 1980s onwards, have driven real progress, particularly around direct payments and person-centred care. We build on that legacy with respect, while recognising that disabled people and other marginalised voices continue to face systemic exclusion, underrepresentation, and lower lifetime earnings.
When it comes to online training, AGL Skills exist to do their best to support disabled people, DPOs, and other marginalised communities to lead the way and reclaim power in practical ways. Retaining ownership of intellectual property, facing no upfront costs, and generating income through ethical, high-quality courses that challenge thinking and inspire change, delivered on their own terms. And it is only the beginning.