Making disabled people’s voices heard in parliament

Our campaigns officer, Steven, was part of a team from Sense who recently travelled to 10 Downing Street to hand in our latest petition, and to speak to MPs about the pressing issues facing disabled people today. Here, Steven reflects on why the experience was so powerful, and the importance of hearing directly from disabled people about the barriers they face.

Recently, Sense held an event in parliament to speak to MPs about the barriers faced by disabled people. 

It was an opportunity to speak to those who can make a real difference. From the need for more funding for children’s and adult social care, to supporting more disabled jobseekers, we covered a broad range of issues.

But the real highlight was the involvement of some of our amazing campaigners, who were able to speak to MPs about their own experiences.

MPs hear from organisations like Sense all the time – but hearing directly from the people impacted by these issues really brought the problems to life. 

Giving a voice to people who are too often unheard

One of the best parts about the event for me was that Sense was represented by three campaigners, all of whom communicated differently. Mo, for example, communicates through speech, while Gavin uses Block to communicate. 

“Disabled people face many challenges, but too often they aren’t heard from and so the impact of these barriers isn’t understood or acknowledged by decision-makers.”

Too often, MPs don’t hear from people with different communication needs, because of the communication challenges.

Disabled people face many challenges, but too often they aren’t heard from and so the impact of these barriers isn’t understood or acknowledged by decision-makers.

We had staff at the event who were able to break down these barriers and facilitate really meaningful conversations. Some MPs may even have gone away knowing a bit more about Block alphabet!

Challenging negative depictions of disability

The media is awash with negative stories about disabled people at the moment. It’s more important than ever that we get a chance to redress the balance and tell our own stories. 

Our campaigner Mo, for example, was able to speak directly to the Minister for Disabled People about his challenges with finding a job. 

When MPs hear personal stories like this, it humanises the issues for them, and emphasises how urgent it is for them to act.

When we’re constantly hearing that too many disabled people aren’t working, it’s powerful to hear directly from someone who faces daily barriers to securing employment. Mo’s voice will hopefully linger in mind when policies are being drafted. 

Backing our plan for change for disabled people

At the end of the event, we handed in Sense’s plan for change petition, which calls for the new government to put the needs of disabled people at the heart of everything they do. It was signed by over 23,000 brilliant supporters. 

This campaign was built on the stories of disabled people. People reach out to Sense all the time to tell us how they are struggling: perhaps they are unable to afford the essentials, or they can’t access community because of a lack of social care support. 

At this event in parliament, we had the opportunity to bring some of those stories directly to policy-makers. 

And handing in a petition with over 23,000 signatures demonstrates to the government that disabled people’s stories must not continue to be ignored.