Scope today launches its second Scope Disability Equality Awards, inviting the public to nominate people across the UK who are working every day to end disability inequality.
The Awards celebrate the achievements of individuals, community groups, businesses, media, celebrities and social media influencers. Equality champions who are paving the way in championing disability equality, challenging attitudes and bringing about social change.
There are 16 million disabled people in the UK, but we are not treated equally in society. Scope research has found that 3 in 4 disabled people have experienced negative attitudes and behaviour from others. The Scope Disability Equality Awards will shine a spotlight on those at the forefront of campaigning relentlessly for change.
Scope held its first Disability Equality Awards in 2022, hosted by Kadeena Cox OBE and honoured a host of disabled pioneers, campaigners and entrepreneurs. The ceremony was also attended by many well-known people including Ade Adepitan MBE, Ben Elton and Christine McGuiness.
The public will have until October 6 2023 to submit nominations at: www.scopeawards.co.uk. To make a nomination, you’ll need to tell us about your nominee’s creativity, impact, and commitment to diversity and inclusion.
The Awards will be judged by an independent and diverse panel of leading public and professional figures from the disability community.
The shortlist will be announced in the new year and the Awards ceremony will take place in London in Spring 2024.
The nine categories for nominations are:
Accessible Product: This award recognises an organisation or individual that has developed a product or service with disability inclusion at its heart. This category spotlights products and brands that use accessible design to improve the lives of disabled people.
Inclusive Workplace: This award recognises an organisation that has created an inclusive place of work. This could be through a commitment to hiring and supporting disabled colleagues. It could be creating inclusive policies or tackling disability inclusion in the workplace, and outside of it.
Campaign: This award recognises a campaign that has made an impact on the lives of disabled people. This can have a local or national focus and should have raised awareness or achieved change on disability equality.
Influencer: This award recognises a disabled social media influencer speaking about disability equality. They will have used their channels to effect change. This could be someone raising awareness of the day-to-day reality of disability. They could be challenging perceptions or educating their audience about accessibility and disability inclusion.
Journalist: This award recognises an individual journalist who has gone above and beyond with their reporting. This could be online, in print or broadcast. They could have championed disability issues or shown strong commitment to disability equality through a sustained body of work.
Media Moment: This award recognises a media moment that has had a powerful impact. This could be a soap or drama storyline, entertainment TV show, film, podcast, or any other media format. The media moment should have helped shift attitudes on disability.
Role Model: This award recognises a disabled public figure who has used their platform to affect change. Role models could be celebrities or professional leaders with an ability to reach lots of people directly or indirectly through their role.
Purple Pioneer: This award honours an individual who has advanced disability equality in their local community. This could be a disabled person, or a non-disabled ally, who has raised awareness of disability issues or worked to change attitudes. This category recognises the work an individual has done to positively affect those around them.
Community Group: This award recognises a community group’s achievements around disability equality. It could be a community group or disabled people’s organisation that brings people together to create meaningful change in their local area.
James Taylor, Scope’s Executive Director of Strategy, Impact and Social Change, said:
“The Scope Disability Equality Awards will shine a spotlight on people and organisations pioneering social change.
“Every day on our high streets, in our workplaces and online, disabled people experience negative attitudes. This can leave many disabled people feeling socially isolated, less equal and excluded.
There is still so much to do to achieve a society where all disabled people enjoy equality and fairness. We know that there are some incredible people, community groups and organisations that are paving the way. The Awards will celebrate them, and we hope their stories will empower and inspire others to join the campaign for equality for disabled people.”
