At Disability Partnership Calderdale, we are currently working on a project designed to help raise awareness of disability and, in particular, equip people in everyday life to better understand, support and communicate with people with disabilities. Here’s a short podcast which explains more about the project, how we are running it and what we have discovered so far. Below the podcast is a full transcript of the podcast.
Transcript
Hello, and thank you for listening.
My name’s Phil, and I work with Disability Partnership Calderdale. I wanted to take a few minutes to talk about a project we’ve been working on over the past few months — and to share some of the things we’ve been learning along the way.
The project is all about disability awareness.
Our goal is to create a short, practical online learning course — something that people can complete in around a couple of hours — that helps build a better understanding of disability in everyday life.
This course isn’t aimed at specialists.
It’s aimed at ordinary people — people working in shops, cafes, GP surgeries, council services… but also anyone who just wants to feel a bit more confident and comfortable interacting with people with disabilities.
At its heart, the course is about something quite simple:
Helping people take a moment… think… and respond with awareness, patience and respect.
Where we started
When we began this project, we were very clear about one thing.
We didn’t want to build this course based on assumptions.
We didn’t want to sit in an office and decide what people with disabilities experience… or what they need.
Instead, we wanted to listen first.
So the main focus of the project so far has been running a series of focus groups.
Each group has brought together people with different types of disabilities — including physical disabilities, visual impairments, hearing impairments, and neurodiverse experiences.
We’ve also had carers, support workers, and people with lived experience contributing.
And what we’ve done is very simple.
We’ve asked questions.
We’ve listened.
And we’ve recorded what people have told us.
What we’ve heard
One of the first things that’s really stood out is this:
For many people, the biggest barriers aren’t always the disability itself.
They’re the everyday situations around it.
Small interactions.
Small design choices.
Small moments that, on their own, might seem minor…
…but when they happen again and again, they become exhausting.
Everyday challenges
People have shared experiences of going into shops and not being acknowledged…
Standing at a counter, not knowing if it’s their turn…
Being handed a card machine without any explanation of where it is…
Or being asked to use a touchscreen system that simply isn’t accessible.
On public transport, we’ve heard about bus drivers who don’t wait for people to sit down…
Drivers who expect passengers to read information they simply can’t see…
Or who respond abruptly when someone asks for help.
And these aren’t isolated stories.
They’re everyday experiences.
Communication
Another really strong theme has been communication.
Not complicated communication — just the basics.
People talked about how often they hear phrases like:
“Over there.”
“Just there.”
“If you look over there…”
Which, of course, don’t mean anything if you can’t see.
What people said they want is very simple:
Clear, calm, specific communication.
Introduce yourself.
Explain what’s happening.
Say where things are — properly.
And perhaps most importantly…
Ask.
“Do you need any help?”
“How can I help you?”
That one small shift — from assuming to asking — came up again and again.
Assumptions and misunderstanding
Another big learning has been around assumptions.
In particular, the idea that disability is obvious… or all-or-nothing.
In one of our visual impairment groups, someone said very clearly:
“It’s a spectrum.”
Not everyone is completely blind.
Not everyone experiences the same challenges.
And yet people are often judged or questioned if they don’t fit a narrow expectation.
People spoke about being challenged for using a phone.
Or being told they should have a carer with them.
Or being treated as though they shouldn’t be out independently at all.
And those moments can be deeply upsetting.
The emotional impact
That brings us to something that’s just as important as the practical side…
The emotional impact.
We’ve heard people describe feeling:
Frustrated.
Embarrassed.
Vulnerable.
Angry.
And sometimes… just worn down.
Because it’s not one incident.
It’s the repetition.
It’s having to explain yourself again and again.
It’s going out already prepared for things to be difficult.
And in some cases, people told us that it can make them think:
“Is it just easier to stay at home?”
And that’s a really important moment for us as a project.
Because it shows how much impact everyday interactions can have.
The environment around us
We’ve also heard a lot about the physical environment.
Things that sighted people might not even notice.
Bollards.
Uneven pavements.
Temporary roadworks.
Scaffolding.
Cables across walkways.
Poor lighting or glare from the sun.
Or spaces where everything is the same colour — floors, walls, doors — making it difficult to navigate.
Again, none of these things are dramatic on their own.
But together, they can make the world feel unpredictable and unsafe.
Technology and modern systems
Another really interesting theme has been around modern technology.
Self-service checkouts.
Touchscreen ordering systems.
App-based services.
These are often designed for speed and efficiency…
…but they can unintentionally exclude people.
Especially when there’s no alternative.
Or when staff aren’t available — or willing — to help.
What good looks like
But it hasn’t all been negative.
We’ve also heard some really positive examples.
Places where staff take the time to get to know people.
Where they offer help naturally, without making assumptions.
Where they communicate clearly.
And where they treat people with respect.
And what’s interesting is…
Those examples aren’t about specialist training or complicated systems.
They’re about:
Attitude.
Awareness.
And simple human decency.
What this means for the course
So, what does all of this mean for the course we’re developing?
It tells us that disability awareness doesn’t need to be complicated.
We’re not trying to turn people into experts.
We’re trying to help people:
- Understand that everyone’s experience is different
- Take a moment before they act
- Communicate clearly
- Ask rather than assume
- And show patience and respect
Because those small changes…
Can make a very big difference.
Where we are now
At this stage, we’ve run a number of focus groups, and we’re continuing to gather input.
The next step will be to take everything we’ve learned…
And start shaping it into the structure and content of the course.
We’re also hoping to include real voices from the people we’ve spoken to — through short audio or video clips — so that learners can hear directly from people with lived experience.
Final thoughts
I think one of the biggest takeaways from this project so far is this:
Most people don’t intend to make things harder.
But a lack of awareness can still have a real impact.
And the good news is…
Awareness is something we can build.
Through listening.
Through learning.
And through small, everyday changes.
Thank you for listening.
And we’ll share more updates as the project continues.