Why we are doing this

Disabled people across the North East have powerful stories, skills and insights. But too often the employment system works against them: built around assumptions that do not reflect disabled people's actual lives, and full of barriers that stop people from participating on equal terms.

Difference North East is leading a two-year, disabled-led project with the North East Mayoral Combined Authority (NECA) to understand what good employment support really looks like in this region, and to help change what is currently not working.

We are also looking for employers who want to demonstrate what inclusive employment can look like in practice.

About the project

This project runs as part of NECA's work to better support disabled people who are not currently in paid work. Across the project we will:

• Gather lived experience from disabled people across the region
• Create photography and filmed stories that reflect disabled people's real lives
• Develop research and insights to help improve public services
• Work with employers to understand and challenge workplace barriers
• Share learning widely so disabled people have better opportunities in future

Everything is led by disabled people. We are not researching disabled people from the outside. We are working with disabled people to build the evidence that makes change possible.

This work connects directly to our wider campaigning on Access to Work, inclusive recruitment, and workplace inclusion across the North East.

Who we are looking for

Disabled people

We want to hear from disabled people who:

• Have experience of employment support, positive or negative
• Have not engaged with support at all
• Feel unsure, isolated or left behind by the current system

You can take part in different ways depending on what works for you:

• Interviews and discussion groups
• Creative photography and filmed stories
• Helping shape insights and recommendations
• Testing ideas with service providers and employers

You choose what you want to do. We pay you for your expertise. See our involvement payments and reimbursement policy for details.

Employers

We are looking for three employers across the NECA area who:

• Already employ disabled people and have a positive story to share
• Want to help shift public perceptions of disabled people at work
• Are open to photography, filming and discussion with our team

If you are an employer who fits this description, or know one, please get in touch.

Register your interest

We are collecting expressions of interest now. You do not need to commit to anything at this stage. The form takes around 3 to 5 minutes.

If the form is not accessible to you, you can open it in a new window, or contact us directly:

hello@differencenortheast.org.uk

When emailing, let us know your name and postcode, whether you are a disabled person, employer or partner, and anything you want us to know about your situation.

What happens next

We will read every submission. If there is a good match, we will be in touch to discuss how you might be involved, including any paid opportunities. There is no obligation at the expression of interest stage.

Whether or not you take part in this specific project, you are welcome to join Difference North East as a free member and stay connected to our wider work on employment, welfare and disability rights across the region.