Disability awareness campaigns aim to create a more inclusive society. They can be carried out on a range of platforms, including social media.

Being disability aware means being mindful of your prejudices and being more thoughtful of how you interact with people with disabilities. It also includes using identity-first language when speaking about people with disabilities.

Education

A key role for disability awareness campaigns is educating the public, which is a long-term effort. Those who are not disabled themselves must learn to think differently about disability and the impact that prejudice can have on people with disabilities.

This is true for everyone, from employers and HR professionals to teachers and students. The more education that is available to individuals, the more likely they are to create supportive and inclusive environments for people with disabilities.

National Access Awareness Week (NAAW) is a great example of a community-based, nationwide campaign to educate the public about disability. The campaign includes a range of activities, including phone-in radio talk shows, community forums, school packages and workshops, surveys of accessibility in businesses and communities, picnics, sports events and barbecues. It also features a website that provides information and resources for all interested parties. The website includes an extensive resource library with a focus on historical materials on the topic of disability.

Building Inclusive Societies

Disability awareness campaigns can help people recognize the value that disabled people bring to society. They can also show others how to interact with people with disabilities – not out of pity, but out of respect and genuine support.

This kind of behaviour will change the way society views disability and its effect on the lives of the people affected. It’s important to note that this isn’t an easy task, but it can be done.

Another step towards disability inclusion is ensuring that people with disabilities are involved in all aspects of community life. This includes participating as students, workers, friends and family members, receiving adequate healthcare, and engaging in social activities. It’s essential to remember that inclusivity is based on the principles of human rights and fundamental freedoms, cultural and religious diversity, social justice, and democratic participation. Ultimately, inclusive societies are equitable and provide equal opportunities for everyone regardless of their physical or cognitive abilities.

Inclusivity

A big role of disability awareness campaigns is promoting inclusivity. This includes advocating for policies to create supportive and inclusive environments and changing negative perceptions of people with disabilities. This can be done through advocacy and education. It can also be achieved through embracing identity-first phrasing, like using “they” as a gender-neutral pronoun.

This can also be seen through the work of brands that prioritize minority representation and include disabled people in their marketing campaigns. In fact, a recent report found that more companies are including disability and minority representation in their campaigns.

However, it’s important to note that simply raising awareness is not enough to create change. In order to produce change, it takes a combination of awareness, education and activism. Disabled people need to stop viewing their stories as inspiration porn or tragedy tropes, and become active participants in changing the way society views their impairments. They need to take a stand and make the world a better place.

Acceptance

The goal of disability awareness campaigns is to shift people's internalised stereotypes and misconceptions into positive recognition of disabled people's skills, needs and rights. This can be achieved through raising awareness about the impact of prejudices on disabled people and the role everyone has to play in bringing about change.

This can also be done by promoting awareness about the correct language to use when talking about disabilities. For example, using identity-first phrasing such as "person with" instead of "disabled person" and respecting the individual's preferred terminology rather than imposing one on them.

One such example is Localiza's campaign, Xtraordinary Driving School, launched in Brazil. Inspired by the story of a friend with Down's syndrome who dreamed of becoming a driver, the agency set out to help her achieve her goal. The campaign raised enough funds to establish a driving school and pay for all the costs associated with obtaining a driver's licence, including classes, medical exams and legal expenses.