Friday 13-01-2023 - 14:07

What is Disability History Month?

 

Disability History Month was first celebrated in 2010 to raise awareness of the daily struggles faced by people with disabilities and to celebrate achievements of overcoming barriers. 

 

As a disabled student myself, I faced a range of barriers getting into university, including discrimination and academic learning needs. However, this led to greater resilience. I am now in my final year. This time during the first year, I never thought I’d be where I am now. 

 

I feel this month is important because it helps everyone reflect on the challenges faced when living with a disability and that changes need to be made, for everyone to feel fully included in society.  

 

With Disability History Month taking place through November and December, bringing everyone together was my biggest priority. I arranged events which I thought would be relevant in achieving this goal throughout the month which targeted a range of audiences.

 

Disability History Month at Edge Hill Students' Union

 

This Disability History Month, I organised the followed events:

 

• The Disability Awareness Fair, which highlighted disabilities that different students are faced with in their university experience.  
• Having a student speak about the opportunities and challenges they have faced including being a wheelchair user gave an insight into their lifestyle. For me, this talk showed that you can do anything if you have a positive mindset. 
• Sitting volleyball where both non-volleyball and volleyball team members participated. This bought to light how challenging disability sports can be and helps non-disabled people appreciate first-hand the challenges faced by those with limited mobility.  
• Film Screening of The Peanut Butter Falcon. This film was eye-opening, showing how discrimination can impact someone’s life.  

Are times changing for the better?

 

Schools are currently in the process of moving away from differentiation (when pupils are given different work to their classmates based on their ability level or being given different learning outcomes). Now, schools are moving towards adaptive teaching which involves every pupil working towards meeting the same learning outcomes despite their level of ability. 

 

British Sign Language users also saw a big win this year. In April 2022, the language became an officially recognised language of the UK. 

 

Elsewhere, wheelchair rugby got the recognition that it deserved. For the first time in history, men’s, women’s, and wheelchair rugby participated in the same international Rugby League world cup. The wheelchair rugby final also saw record-breaking attendance. Why is this significant to inclusion you may ask? Not many people know that it is a sport which anyone can play, you do not have to have a disability to play in the World Cup. We’re seeing more and more people get interested in wheelchair sports, and it’s great to see inclusive sport make its way into the mainstream. 

 

There’s still a long way to go for inclusion and equity for disabled people. In 2023, I’d like to explore inclusively further by providing wider opportunities for all and share a greater awareness of disabilities on social media. 

 

“If you believe in yourself anything is possible.”

 

This article was contributed by Disabled Students' Officer Emma Williams (she/her).