STUBS-Disability LIFE

03/12/2025

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

The international day of persons with disabilities is observed world wide every year on the 3rd of December

The United Nations hosts this day to promote the rights and well-being of people with disabilities, encouraging inclusivity and the removal of barriers.

The 2025 theme is "FOSTERING DISABILITY INCLUSIVE SOCIETIES FOR ADVANCING SOCIAL PROGRESS"

02/12/2025

INCLUSION is an action

A'verb' a doing word, it time to not just talk about it, but do something about it, for or to improve it in your spaces or circles

02/12/2025

ACCESSIBLE VERSES INCLUSIVE

The difference ACCESSIBILITY removes barriers so people can use a service or product

INCULSIVITY is about ensuring everyone is welcomed, valued, and can participate fully, going beyond just access to include representation and belonging

ACCESSIBILITY is being invite in and even being shown the path to get in. INCLUSIVE being offered or provided an appropriate place to sit once your in.

One focuses on creating environments where all individuals, from diverse backgrounds, feel welcome and represented

The other focuses on removing barriers that prevent people from using or understanding a product or service.

28/11/2025

26/11/2025

26/11/2025

" ITS A HAMILITON THING YOU WOULDNT UNDERSTAND "

Todays spotlight 💡 is NICOLAS HAMILITON he is a racing car driver, author, professional speaker living with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy.

This form of cerebral palsy affects muscle stiffness and coordination, particularly in his legs. HAMILITON was born with the condition and was initially told he would never walk, but through what appears to be a family attitude has " grit his teeth and got on with it" has become a racing driver. HAMILITON now races in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) and is the first disabled driver to compete in the series

Where Lewis Hamiltion (Nicolas brother) is working to shift narrative of race / ethnity in the sport. Nicolas HAMILITON to is actively working to change the narrative around disability by defying expectations, sharing his personal journey with cerebral palsy, and creating tangible opportunities for other disabled individuals in motorsport. He uses his platform as a professional racing driver and motivational speaker to champion a message of possibility, self-reliance, and inclusion

HAMILITON views his condition not as an obstacle, but as a "stepping stone" that has driven him to pursue his dreams. He races against able-bodied drivers, demonstrating that physical limitations do not define a person's potential in a sport where everyone has the same engine power. HAMILITON speaks about failure being and essential part of an individuals success story, as through these experiences we grow and learning.

HAMILITON speaks about epic experiences like crashes literally and mentally. "Driving in the rain, in real life, separates the men from the boys".

HAMILITON is todays reminder to step out have fun forget limits as what you persue for fun may become passion and career. Give life a try and dont let your fears stop you from living the life you dreamed.

LESSON : Sometimes the reasonable adjustmemt required is our attitude to life, not aids or adaptions. Where will you attitude take you today ?

24/11/2025

REASONABLE ADJUSTMENTS

Reasonable adjustments are changes made to minimise or remove disadvantages, barriers or challenges faced by people with disabilities in the workplace, education, or when using a service

Under the Equality Act 2010, these adjustments are considered a legal requirment. This can include modifying physical spaces, changing working arrangements like hours or duties, providing necessary equipment or support, or altering rules and policies.

WARNING :

Reasonable adjustments do not always feel reasonable to the person with the disability. When employers are considering reasonable adjustments they may consider economical impact and impact to work environment or service

23/11/2025

EQUALITY ACT 2010

Under the Equality Act 2010, a person is considered DISABLED if they have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

"Substantial" means more than minor or trivial, and "long-term" means it has lasted or is likely to last for at least 12 months or more

20/11/2025

20/11/2025

LISTEN WITH YOUR EYES

What a perfect time to do a spotlight💡feature on a new discovery ( new to me) than the start of DISABILITY HISTORY MONTH where the focus is identity and value.

Todays spotlight SIGNKID (Kevin Walker) , a black british Deaf music producer, writer, and performer from London. He is a pioneer in making music accessible to the Deaf community. He integrates British Sign Language (BSL) into live hip-hop, rap, and urban music performances, translating lyrics into a visual language for both Deaf and hearing audiences.

SIGNKID lost his hearing to meningitis as a child, losing his hearing at age three. Articles read state he developed his passion by watching and developing strategies to enjoy music by feeling the vibrations through the floor or speakers and watching dance moves of siblings or popular artist like Michael Jackson.

Further developing his craft while studying media at college, where he decided to start making his own beats. His unique process consists of first writing lyrics, then feeling the beat and instruments, and finally interpreting the lyrics into British sign language

What caught my attention when reading extracts of SIGNKID's story is the impact of what he saw " listening with his eyes" on what he considered attainable goals. How this then fueled his passion to become another trail blazer in our community

Article read stated SIGNKID found reading Tupac Shakur's book of poetry, The Rose That Grew From Concrete, a motivation to write his own music about the struggles of being a Black, deaf man

Then reading that Beethoven who deaf reminded him the being a musician and deaf can be synonymous or work partnership

SIGNKID has overcome industry barriers by creating tactile and vibratory "sign songs" and has gained recognition through performances at major festivals and appearances on national media

SIGNKID is todays reminder that the capacity to connect is our most powerful asset.

Sometimes " open your eyes to listen better"

17/11/2025

SIBLINGS MATTER

A 14-year-old from Perivale has been shortlisted for a national award recognising siblings who provide vital support to disabled children. Raphael Chiwandire has been named a finalist in the Sibling Award category at the Contact Awards. The awards, run by the charity Contact, highlight the experienc...

13/11/2025

SPOON THEORY

Spoon theory is a metaphor that explains how people with limited energy, particularly those with chronic illnesses, disabilities, or mental health conditions, manage their physical and mental resources. Each "spoon" represents a unit of energy and daily activities, from getting out of bed to socialising, "cost" a certain number of spoons