"Nothing about us, without us."
Hi all!
Today is Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) and is a moment to reflect on how accessibility drives lasting and meaningful culture change in our messaging and within our organisations and our communities. When we commit to designing systems, environments, and products that are accessible to all - including those with visible and invisible disabilities - we’re reshaping cultures.
It’s about true Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
Accessibility is DEI in action. It ensures that everyone has a seat at the table and the tools to participate fully.
It builds mental health and resilience
Removing accessibility barriers reduces stress and creates space for people to bring their full selves to work. That’s how we build mentally healthy environments where resilience can grow.
It unlocks high performance
Workplaces, systems and processes with accessibility built-in from the start, enable people to thrive. When individuals have what they need, they can better focus on the work and will perform at their best, as will their teams.
It creates positive impact
More accessible organisations across all sectors are not just better for those with disabilities, they are better for everyone. And the more it becomes the norm to bake accessibility in from the start of whatever project your organisation is working on, the wider the positive impact on society as a whole.
Will Pike, with The Disability Taskforce, has been working with organisations to identify and advise on accessibility issues that are relevant to their sector. His team consists of people with a variety of disabilities who bring insights that can only come from lived experiences.
Over to you Will…
"The problem with disability inclusion, for so many organisations, is that it’s a step into the unknown that raises more questions than answers:
- Which disabilities do we prioritise?
- How much do we need to invest?
- What language do we use to be inclusive?
Quandaries such as these create a form of inertia that paralyses progress and halts any attempt at implementing reasonable adjustments.
In fairness, this is entirely understandable. But it should not mean that good intentions should go to waste.
Of course, you can find legal guidance on how to accommodate disabled people. But that won’t inform you how people with different disabilities actually engage with your environments, systems, personnel, communications or product. The key to unlocking the right inclusion tools is listening to those with a lived experience of disability.
That’s why I formed The Disability Taskforce.
I realised soon into my career as a disability spokesperson with THC that I could only truly represent a small portion of the disabled community with legitimate authenticity i.e just because I am classified as disabled doesn't mean I know what it’s like to be blind or deaf or have ADHD. So, The Disability Taskforce is comprised of 14 individuals each with a different experience of disability - 'it’s not about ticking boxes, but yeah…we’re ticking boxes'.
It’s early days for The Taskforce, but I’m already so proud of some of the work we’ve done - particularly with Excel London.
Moving forward, we plan to target different sectors where we feel we can make a difference.
First up is the advertising industry....
To kick things off, I’ll be hosting a free 30 minute webinar at 12pm on June 24th to chat about how we can add value to different stages of the process, from strategy, to creative ideation, to execution and production.
Of course, you don’t need to be in advertising if you want to attend - there will be a Q&A afterwards if you want to ask me anything about disability inclusion. The Disability Taskforce is here and ready to answer any questions and think creatively about your brand, clients and environments.
Register for your free place and we’ll take it from there!"
Until next time,
Team THC x