For the past year I've been working with Scope on their Scope for Change Program, now it has officially ended (noo!) I wanted to let you all know how it went!
Scope for Change is an incredible program, designed to improve the campaigning skills of motivated disabled young people aged 18 to 25! I won't get too much into what the program actually consists of, but if you'd like to know, check out the Scope website! (https://www.scope.org.uk/campaigns/scope-for-change)
When I joined Scope for Change, I was one of the youngest campaigners, at just 18! But somehow I felt right at home alongside everyone else, and even went on a residential away from home alone for the first time without friends or people I had previously known! The self development this program has helped me to achieve is somewhat unreal to me!
From Embarrassed to Open!
Before Scope for Change I hadn't spoken up much about my own disabilities, because times when I had announced it I felt met with shame and torment. The very things that made me who I was (and still am!) were ridiculed against and to admit them even to myself was a challenge. I suppose that is the issue with invisible disabilities, they are so easy to hide! However just days after the residential I had begun campaigning, announcing to the world that I too was disabled and that I was no longer ashamed of that. Why the quick change? Because I was inspired!
At the residential I was greeted by so many incredible people, from all around the country. And every single one of them was just like me. Sure we had different disabilities, but we were all striving to make real positive changes in society.
At the same time as being similar, we are all vastly different from each other. We all have individual needs, some of us in wheelchairs, others with no mobility issues at all, some of us super fussy eaters (sorry to the chefs!) and some of us would eat it all (the buffets were great!). Many of us had experienced bullying and abuse for our differences, but now we were in a homely space where we could all understand one another. I've never felt a feeling quite like it, but it just felt safe.
Learning all their stories, and seeing all the challenges they have overcome was incredible and motivated me to be happier with who I was. It made me see the capability within myself if I just accepted who I am. So though it wasn't easy, Scope definitely gave me that push I needed for self-confidence!
What did we do at Scope?
The idea behind Scope for Change is developing campaigns that make real changes in the lives of the disabled. Many many campaigns have been started thanks to this program! Here are some of the amazing campaigns set up so far...
Alfie Fox - Campaigned to his Hospital for a disabled access toilet, to find one had been mislabeled! He is now in the process of changing this and making the toilet accessible to everyone :D
Amy Walker - 'Neurodiversity Works', an ingenious idea to create a job platform for matching neurodiverse individuals to job prospects that suit them!
Chloe Morgan and Sophie Thomas - 'Make the World Flat', a brilliant campaign focusing on creating a more accessible environment for those who struggle to get around, especially within Schools!
Claudia Burrough - 'See the Able', an inclusive campaign to help protect disabled people and allow them the same opportunities as others, because we are all able even if some of us have different needs!
Emily Child - '#FailedbyTheSystem' a life changing campaign into ensuring the inclusion of children with additional needs/mental health issues in Schools. Her campaign mainly focuses on the experiences of children whom have been excluded for these issues and preventing this outcome.
Freya Matthews - 'Invisibly Valid' a much needed campaign designed to ensure that we can live in a world where invisible disabilities are just as recognized and valid as physical ones!
Raisa Hassan - 'Right Words, Right Mind', an eye opening campaign into how the language we use around the disabled affects them, and what we can do to challenge and change the use of this language!
Samantha Thomas - 'Right to Diagnosis', following her battles with getting a Crohns diagnosis, Sam has designed a campaign to prevent weight being used as an excuse for misdiagnosing or ignoring many medical conditions!
My campaign - 'Educate Don't Discriminate', a campaign to improve the education of disabilities and other social issues, in the hope that understanding will reduce the discrimination surrounding them!
I will create more blog posts in the future as all these amazing ideas continue to develop! :D
So why am I writing about this now?
Yesterday we all GRADUATED! :D Most of the amazing campaigners went down to London and met at Parliament for our awesome Graduation Ceremony on Valentines Day 2019. There must have been some love in the air, because the room was full of smiles and joy all day!
We even had guest speakers including the incredible Samantha Renke, a disabled Actress and Campaigner, and Stephen Timms a brilliant MP who cares a lot for the people he (and we!) support! Both of these epic guest speakers gave encouraging talks about campaigning and created a wonderful platform for which we could discuss our own campaigns to the group! Even if we were all slightly envious of the amazing metallic spoke guards on Samatha Renke's wheelchair! (Maybe that was just me!)
What does the future hold?
The main Scope for Change is sadly over, but Scope is still going to feature massively in our lives! I am sure all the other campaigners can agree that Scope is one of the most supportive charities out there (don't worry I am not being paid to say this #noAd haha!). We have all been told that Scope will be there for us in continuing to get our campaigns off the ground!
If you want to follow everyone's progress, check out Scope on Facebook/Twitter for any updates, and follow personal accounts too!
Here is all the information...
Amy: @NeurodiversityWorks (insta), www.neurodiverityworks.uk
Chloe and Sophie: @maketheworldflat (insta),@mtwf_UK (twitter), maketheworldflat.wixsite.com/mtwfuk
Claudia: @seetheable18 (insta and twitter), seetheable.co.uk
Emily: #FailedbyTheSystem
Raisa: rightwordsrightmindcampaign.blogspot.com
Freya: @InvisiblyV (twitter), meabledisabled.blogspot.com
Samantha: @right_diagnosis (twitter), samanthathomas.wixsite.com/righttodiagnosis
Me: @taschen_naschen (instagram), @natasha_krywald (twitter) n.krywald.wixsite.com/hnppandme
So in summary, how did Scope for Change change me? In super simple terms, it showed me my potential and gave me a pathway to reach it! But to go a little bit more in depth, Scope has given me a new outlook on life and one I couldn't thank them enough for. I am happier in my own body and now know the real changes I can make to other lives! It has massively inspired me to be the best person I can be :D I could give you a thousand or more reasons to join Scope for Change, but not a single reason why not to! So if you ever get an opportunity GO FOR IT! :D
Finally, some of us also have petitions which we would super appreciate you signing if you'd like! Many of these huge issues still need your help to be resolved :)
Chloe and Sophie: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/230402?fbclid=IwAR2IIvYTDmfU19yWiFNx-vbfr9yxIjHmczcfCfX7xCLbln7QxBz662QDFyc
Emily: https://www.change.org/p/special-education-needs-officer-change-the-system-not-the-person
Samantha: https://www.change.org/p/national-institue-fo-stop-gps-ignoring-ill-disabled-patients-because-of-their-weight
Thank you for reading guys! :)
See you Soon,
Tasha x