Having been diagnosed with Dyslexia and Dyspraxia in my first year at Roehampton, I understand just how debilitating a disability can prove to be in an academic environment. I don’t want anything to hold you back from achieving your best and making the most of your time here at Roey, which is why I’m committed to furthering the causes of accessibility for, and visibility of, ‘disabled’ individuals in higher education.

Among other things I’m committed to expanding students opportunities to receive free Dyslexia screenings as early in their university career as possible. The Disabilities service at Roehampton are a wonderful group of hard working people, which is why I plan to raise awareness amongst students for these services so that they might be taken advantage of. The screening is a short informal conversation, and I would like to hold these as often as possible, as well as opening the way for academic staff to recommend to students who might be struggling, that they receive a test.

I will campaign to ensure that our beautiful campus is as accessible as possible, with a focus on improving access paths on campus and lobbying to improve the access inside buildings. When a building is inaccessible, the choice to keep it that way is a choice to let certain people in, and keep others out. As a university, we have a duty to be inclusive so a students potential can be met, and prospective students are not afraid to take a place because of our lack of access paths.

I want to continue the excellent work of your previous Disabilities officer by pushing for fully subtitled students union videos, a campaign nearing completion, and keep pushing for sign language interpreters at university events.

An issue of particular importance to me is visibility. With a focus on learning differences such as dyslexia, because such a high proportion of us suffer with these issues, I would like to run a campaign to encourage education and understanding of disabilities that might not be visible. Just because you might not notice that someone is struggling, doesn’t mean that they aren’t.

I will liaise with Department Disabilities Coordinators across all department to feedback the experiences of students to ensure your needs are being met while you study. I intend to collect this feedback through an online social media presence and a student panel that I will chair regularly.

I am always open to hearing new ideas. So if you find an issue that needs a voice, or spot a step that needs a ramp, don’t hesitate to get in touch, and we can work together to solve it!

If you’re struggling, or you care for someone who is, vote Josh for Students with Disabilities Officer!