We Want to Hear Your Access to Work Story
January 13, 2026
Has Access to Work helped you or let you down? Your experience matters and can help make real change in the North East. Deadline: 23rd Feb
Has Access to Work helped you or let you down? Your experience matters and can help make real change in the North East. Deadline: 23rd Feb
We want to hear from disabled people in the North East who are not in paid work. Share your experiences and help shape better employment support. You will be paid for your time.
We’re also looking for three employers who want to show what inclusive work looks like.
Take part in interviews, discussion groups, creative photography, or filmed stories.
Sign up today using our online form or email us. Every voice matters, and together we can make work fairer and more accessible for everyone.
This November marks 30 years since the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) became law. The DDA made it illegal to treat disabled people unfairly at work, school, in shops, and in public services. But full inclusion is still not here. Disability History Month 2025 explores this history under the theme “Disability, Life and Death”. It looks at how society values disabled lives, past harms, and how activism and community work continue to create change. Join events across the North East to celebrate achievements, share stories, and plan for a fairer future.
Learn About Disability History Month
Join a friendly one-hour online session to explore disability, inclusion, and accessibility. Our trainers all have lived experience of disability and share real stories and advice.
Choose from topics like reasonable adjustments, everyday ableism, the social model of disability, or inclusive design. Each session helps your team understand how to make workplaces fairer for everyone.
These sessions are perfect for staff learning or awareness events.
Book now to save money or combine with a full training course for even better value.
To book or ask questions, email hello@differencenortheast.org.uk
Read about what we talked about at our recent Disabled Climate Action Forum meeting, where disabled people got together to talk about climate change and how they would like to become involved.
Read about how we are trying to make it easier for disabled people to use buses.
The NHS might stop giving gluten-free food on prescription. This is bad news for people with coeliac disease. Gluten-free food costs a lot more than regular food. Without help, many people will struggle to pay for safe food. This is not fair. It creates a big problem for disabled people. We believe everyone should get the food they need to stay healthy. Join us to fight this change. Your voice matters. Together, we can make sure everyone is treated fairly.
Here are 5 ideas that can make transport better for disabled people. so that they can travel more easily.
People in Stockton-on-Tees met in May 2025 to share their experiences of disability and everyday life.
They talked about transport problems, with very few accessible taxis and buses that do not always provide clear information.
Shops and public places were often hard to use, with not enough Blue Badge parking or mobility equipment available.
Many people described stressful benefits assessments and systems that make them fight for support.
They also spoke about losing jobs, rebuilding confidence, and finding strength through community.
The group wants practical changes and to be involved in decisions, so access is designed with disabled people, not without them.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has just announced