Distinguishing disability
You’ll need
- Scrap paper
- Pens or pencils
Before you begin
- Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. There’s also more guidance to help you carry out your risk assessment, including examples.
- Make sure all young people and adults involved in the activity know how to take part safely.
- Make sure you’ll have enough adult helpers. You may need some parents and carers to help.
Planning and setting up this activity
- If you want to, you could contact an organisation such as Guide Dogs or National Autistic Society to visit and help everyone find out about disability. If anyone’s disabled or knows anyone who’s disabled (and they’re happy to talk to the group), you could invite them along to talk about their experiences.
- If anyone in the group has lived experience of disability, they could share their story if they feel comfortable to. It’s important that no one’s made to share anything they don’t want to, and no one should talk about someone else’s disability unless that person says it’s okay. All discussions should respect people’s privacy, and a person’s disability should never be disclosed without their direct consent.
- You may wish to tell everyone about the topic in advance of the session.
- You may need to offer reassurance to anyone who may find this topic difficult. Remember to always follow the Yellow Card.
- Find out more about young carers and disability inclusion in Scouts.
Running this activity
- Split into small groups. Each group should talk about what they think the word disability means, and different ways people might be disabled.
- Everyone should share their ideas – what did they talk about? The person leading the game should help everyone understand what a disability is, and different ways people might be disabled. We’ve included some information to get you started and help you explain.
- Get back into the small groups. The person leading the activity should give each group a different impairment or condition to consider. For example, some people could think about sight impairments, others could think about people who use wheelchairs, or people with dyslexia.
- Groups should think about barriers people might face. What sorts of things might mean they’re left out or excluded?
- Groups should talk about things that could get rid of or avoid these barriers to make places and activities accessible. We’ve included some examples, to get you started.
- Everyone should come back together and share some of their ideas. What can you do to make sure everyone’s included?
A disability happens when a person has a condition, such as cerebral palsy, Down syndrome or depression, and they face challenges because of how the world around them is set up. It can make it harder or impossible for them to do something or to be included. For example, some people might not be kind, places like buses or buildings might be hard to use, or there might not be enough help or support for them. (definition sourced from the World Health Organisation).
We can’t tell whether someone is disabled just by looking at them. Sometimes it’s easier to tell that someone will have challenges – for example, if they’re using a wheelchair or have a guide dog. But there are lots of things you can’t see, for example, if some has difficulties with reading, hearing, seeing, walking for a long time, or staying focused. These may be called hidden or invisible disabilities.
At Scouts, we follow the social model of disability. The social model of disability is a way of viewing the world, developed by disabled people. The model says that people are disabled by barriers in society, not by their impairment or difference. Barriers can be physical, such as buildings not having accessible toilets or not having access to an BSL interpreter. Or they can be caused by people's attitudes to difference, such as people assuming disabled people can't do certain things.
The social model helps us recognise barriers that make life harder for disabled people. Removing these barriers creates equality and offers disabled people more independence, choice and control.
You can find out more about the social model of disability on Scope's website.
Remember, although we'll use certain wording, in-line with the social model, it'll vary from person to person on how people view or describe their own disabilities. It's important to take the person's lead, and use the words that they use if you're having a conversation about disability.
Every wheelchair user is an individual, so people’s needs will be different. In general, though, some wheelchair users might need:
- places to have ramps or lifts instead of (or as well as) stairs.
- places to have an accessible toilet with equipment that helps them use it.
- the red cord in disabled toilets to be left loose, so they can pull it if they need help.
- people to make things such as light switches or cupboards lower down, so they can reach them while sitting.
- a space (instead of a chair) at places such as the cinema.
Everyone who is blind or partially sighted (or has a visual impairment) is an individual, so people’s needs will be different. In general, though, some people might need:
- things like boxes of medicine to have braille on, so they know what’s inside.
- television shows, films, or plays to be audio described.
- road crossings to make a noise so they know when it’s safe to cross.
- a bumpy floor near a road crossing to warn them where a road is.
- their computer or phone to read out loud (so they need people to make sure their websites can be read by technology).
Everyone with dyslexia is an individual, so people’s needs will be different. In general, though, some people with dyslexia might need:
- verbal (spoken) instructions rather than written ones.
- text in a different colour, size, or font.
- their computer or phone to read out loud (so they need people to make sure their websites can be read by technology).
- spell checking software.
- more time to do tasks that involve reading and writing (and/or more frequent breaks).
- ways to show what they know without writing (for example, drawing or talking to someone).
Reflection
This activity helped you to respect others. Why’s it important for people to learn about disability and that some conditions may be invisible or less visible? It can help people to be more caring and thoughtful towards other people, as well as develop understanding and prevent people from being unkind or judgemental.
Why is it important to make sure disabled people are able to access things? Why is it important to ask before you try to help a disabled person?
This activity also gave you the chance to care about other people. How do you think it feels to be left out because people don’t make activities accessible? How do you think it feels when people make sure that things are accessible? Why is it important that we think about accessibility? What can we do to help make things accessible?
Safety
All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.
You must run your activities in line with the Safeguarding Code of Conduct for Adults (Yellow Card) and report any concerns to the UK HQ Safeguarding Team.
Groups could think about a game or activity that you enjoy. Are there any barriers? How could it be adapted to be more inclusive?
- No one has to speak to the whole group, if they don’t want to. They could speak to a small group, or even just a partner. More confident speakers could help them feedback.
- Be aware if anyone in your group is disabled or has a condition (or if anyone in their family does). They may or may not be happy to talk about it – always check with them (and their parents and carers) first. If some topics are sensitive, you may need to avoid them.
All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.
You could work towards your Community Impact Staged Activity Badge by taking action around disability.