"Nothing about us without us"
is a slogan used by the disabled community to communicate the idea that no policy should be decided without the full and direct participation of people affected by that policy.
The Disability Taskforce
There are roughly 14 million disabled people living and working in the UK. More often than not, they are failed by inaccessible environments, a lack of representation and negative attitudes toward disability.
At THC, we believe it is vital for disability inclusion to take a prominent position within EDI agendas. But we also accept that the breadth of disability makes it difficult for organisations to know where to start and what to prioritise. Indeed, one size definitely does not fit all.
That’s why we formed The Disability Taskforce.
Born out of a need to engage with a wider set of lived experiences, we are growing a team of consultants with a range of disabilities. This means we can provide deeper insights and firsthand knowledge to guide your company’s inclusion journey.
Think of us as your one-stop-shop into the world of disability, where you can ask us anything and everything about disabled access, reasonable adjustments, inclusive design and more.
Perhaps you’re thinking about how to recruit disabled people to your business and need to make the workplace accessible or you’re on a pitch for a new design project and want to ‘bake in’ accessibility features. Maybe you’re a content producer and need to ensure that you’ve fully considered the representation of disabled people…The Disability Taskforce is here to guide you!
“Will and The Disability Taskforce now play a critical role in our design process. From informing the future of hospitality, to shaping the HS2 end-to-end experience, the team have inspired big innovations and detailed executions that move inclusive design forward.”
Will Pike
Disability: Paraplegic
Assistive Technology: Manual wheelchair + power attachment
”It’s great to do inspiring talks on disability, but what I love about the Taskforce is that it provides a platform for us to create actual, meaningful change.”
Carly Ashdown
Disability: Cerebral Palsy
Assistive Technology: Ambulatory power-chair
“Now that I’m involved with The Taskforce I feel like my entire life experience as a disabled person has taken on a new value and meaning – I’m excited to see what projects we can help with.”
Andy Shipley
Disability: Visual impairment
“When Will approached me to get involved with The Taskforce I knew it would be a great opportunity to put my wealth of knowledge to good use - to continue to push the envelope on access and create a genuinely inclusive experiences for future generations.”
Amalie & Rod Baber
Disability: Complex Neuro-disability, Cerebral Palsy GMFS Level 5, Epilepsy, Cortical Visual Impairment
Assitive Technology: Powerchair, Gastronomy tubes, Profiling bed
”It is far easier to climb Everest than raise a disabled child. But I believe with small changes we can make a big difference to improve accessibility and Quality Of Life for families with disabled children.”
Lady Marie Dawson-Malcolm
Disability: Tetraplegic
Assistive Technology: Power-chair
“I am dedicated to making the world a better place for the next generation of disabled people – The Taskforce helps me achieve that.”
Antony Walker
Disability: Cerebral Palsy
Assistive Technology: Elbow Crutch
“It is an unquestionable fact that The Disability Taskforce is equal parts noble and necessary, and I am sincerely proud to be a part of such an exceptional team”
Hayley Brackley
Disability: ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia
Assistive technology: None
“Growing up as the neurodivergent one in a neurotypical world, I've experienced exclusion and marginalisation first hand. I became a coach and trainer to change this! Inclusion is never about ticking a box, but welcoming each other to a sense of belonging.”
Sassy Wyatt
Disability: Visual impairment and early onset Arthritis
Assistive Technology: Ambulatory wheelchair
“I want to make the world a more accessible place, but this is not a solo mission. That's why The Disability Taskforce is so perfect - we are basically the disabled avengers.”
Ruben Reuter
Disability: Down’s Syndrome
Assistive technology: None
“I am so happy to be part of The Taskforce because I know learning disabled people like myself are capable of bringing amazing contributions to all kinds of projects - given the right opportunity, environment and support.”
Martine Monksfield
Disability: Deaf
Assistive Technology: BSL Interpreter and/or Closed Caption
“I’m delighted to be part of the taskforce where I can address issues around Deafness. I’m particularly keen to look into T-loop/Bluetooth systems that could provide better listening conditions for deaf people at music festivals, as well as captioning at theatres and the cinema.”
Layla Blackwell
Disability: Cerebral Palsy
Assitive Technology: Powerchair
“I have been lucky in life and had the support of wonderful people to find and use my voice as a disabled person. For many years now, it’s been my focus to use my writing to highlight the realities of living with a long- term disability and use that experience to help others.”
Harriet Shaw
Disability: Autism, PTSD, Depression, Anxiety, Asthma
Assistive Technology: Manual wheelchair + power attachment
“I believe the Taskforce is important because disabled people deserve to be included in everything. And we can be included in everything with just a bit of care and consideration”
Lucy Hobbs
Disability: Autism and ADHD
Assistive Technology: None
“My current specialism is neurodiversity, which covers hidden disabilities and cognitive differences. Joining The Disability Taskforce enables me to have a more holistic approach to disability, where I can pursue my interest in the Social Model.”
Stephen Ancliffe
Disability: Deaf
Assistive technology: None
“With my background in audio engineering and experience of hearing aids, I have an excellent understanding of the limitations and requirements of people with hearing loss.The opportunity to be a part of the Taskforce allows me to share my experience for the benefit of all, with or without hearing impairment”
Disability Awareness: Keynote Talks, Panels and Webinars
At THC we believe it is important for everyone to hear about the lived experience of being disabled. The involvement of The Disability Taskforce in your panels and events helps attendees to hear first hand about the challenges that these disabled people face, remembering that they don’t speak for all people with disabilities.
Online or in-person, our Taskforce members all speak with passion about their life as a disabled person in today’s society. They speak with clarity about the reasonable adjustments that have worked for them, along with those that haven’t. Their involvement can be adapted so that it meets your specific objectives.
60, 90, 120 minutes depending on your requirements
Inclusive by Design: Bespoke Consultation
The projects we love the most are those where we are consulted from the very start – so that disability access gets baked in to processes, systems and physical environments from the offset. we applaud any inclusion efforts and also lend our insight to the reasonable adjustment process and making amends to existing structures. Our modular approach means you can tailor the ideal Taskforce session for your project. This means having the right conversations, with the right members for maximum value. We can work with you to design the structure and number of sessions as well as which Taskforce members will best suit your needs.
The Taskforce will provide thoughtful and relevant insights to equip you to come up with the best solutions.