Last week CSIE delivered disability awareness workshops to pupils, with ages ranging from 11 to 16, in schools in Oxford and Glasgow. In each group 95-100% of participants (pupils and staff) said that they found the workshop helpful. A handful who said that they found it unhelpful, commented that it did not add to what they already knew. Some of the reasons pupils and staff gave for finding the workshops helpful were:

I have found this workshop helpful because…

…it’s changed my views on disabled people in society.
…it helped me to know that disabled people can do things in their own way.
…I didn’t realise how intelligent and smart disabled people could be. It is amazing.
…it encourages everyone (teachers included) to challenge their perceptions/beliefs about disability.
…I now know that no matter how your body works you are the same as everyone else.
…I now understand disability more.
…eyeopening.
…it shows a different side to disability.
…I have learnt a lot about what it is like for disabled people.
…now I know not to judge by first appearance.
…I now see disabled people differently.
…the way in which disabled people are presented is unlike other presentations; it does not present them as victims we must feel sorry for, but instead people who are very similar to us and are not that different.
…it has opened my eyes and mind a lot.
…I have understood the value of inclusive education.
…it opened up my mind to new perspectives and helped me to understand more about disability.
…now I will think more about how the disabled person feels.
…it made me think behind my thoughts on disabled people.
…it shows you not to make fun of disabled people and to try and get a different perspective to see them.
…it helped me understand disability from the point of view of disabled people.
…it breaks barriers.
…it was not used to preach or ‘re-educate’ but to reflect on perspectives.
…I was very interested to hear about the difference between disability and impairment and hear what disabled people think about changes regarding them.
…it has given me a valuable, interesting and complex perspective on disability.
…it helped me see disability from a new perspective.
…it has made me think differently about disabled people.
…I found out disabled people are not much different from us.
…as a class teacher I found the content very informative and relevant.