Background
Vital Signs is the Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland’s (CFTWN) flagship publication, looking at the needs of the North East region and the role of local philanthropy in helping to address them. It covers a range of thematic areas from health to business to inclusion Vital Signs. CFTWN invited the Director of Difference to be a member of the Vital Signs editorial group as a representation on behalf of disabled people in the North East.
How We Helped
We were sent draft versions of all of the nine reports and invited to critically evaluate the content. We reviewed, edited, made suggestions, recommended inclusions, and otherwise scrutinized the text to ensure the perspectives of disabled people were included in the early stages of development.
Impact
There were direct links from our contributions to changes made in the reports. Changes made from our recommendations often sought to reframe the role and position of disabled people presented in the reports, ensuring disabled people weren’t seen as victims, superhumans, or scroungers. We also attempted to address ableism and disablism wherever it was identified.
Testimony
CFTWN said:
“We were so fortunate to be able to gather a group of trusted and respected peers on the editorial group. I particularly appreciated your constructive challenges around health and disability, keeping us on track to reference the right data and cover critical issues. I hope you feel that your contribution is reflected in the final product.
Difference’s input as a critical friend of the Community Foundation was invaluable. Their involvement was key to ensuring that we adequately captured both the history of the regional disability rights movement and the range of local and national issues affecting disabled people. By ensuring the active participation of Difference members, it enabled us to ensure our reports drew on the views and lived experience of disabled people living in our region“