Experts by Experience poster campaign
The Experts by Experience initiative on invisible disabilities is a collaborative effort between the School of Health and Wellbeing and the College of Science and Engineering (COSE). At COSE, we would like to thank the School of Health and Wellbeing for the subsequent discussions, collaboration and ongoing engagement.
This project is dedicated to shedding light on unseen challenges our colleagues and students experience in work and study environments. By amplifying the voices of "experts by experience" - individuals from academic and student communities who live with invisible conditions - we aim to foster understanding, diminish stigma, and open avenues for discussion.
Raising awareness, reducing stigma and starting conversations
In the UK, 70-80% of disabilities are invisible, affecting over 10 million people or 1 in 5 of us. These include mental health conditions, autism, cognitive impairments and energy-limiting conditions like fibromyalgia. The lack of outward visibility can be a particular challenge. Individuals face dilemmas around disclosing their conditions due to concerns about disbelief, stigma and confidentiality. Our project aims to shed light on these challenges, foster understanding, and facilitate crucial discussions surrounding invisible disabilities in our institution.
An example of an expert by experience poster generated by School of Health and Wellbeing in 2020.
The School of Health and Wellbeing has been at the forefront of addressing invisible disabilities, demonstrating a consistent commitment to fostering a better understanding. Past initiatives have included a half-day awareness-raising conference in May 2019 and the subsequent launch of the invisible disabilities poster campaign in March 2020.
Do you need support? Just a reminder that students can find information about the Disability Service on our GU pages. Staff can find out more using our staff disability pages.
Staff will also find our health and wellbeing page useful. On this page, you can find a range of support options, including Health Assured, Mental Health First aiders, Respect Advisors, Chapliancy, Councelling and Occupational Health, as well as external resources.
Are you a line manager or teaching staff looking for help? You can find both reasonable adjustment training for managers and students on our e-learning platform.
Do you want to share your experiences? You can do so by filling in our anonymous form.
