The community as a whole has a poor perception of the reality of what living with a disability means. Charities and media representations contribute and reinforce this by creating polar stereotypes of disabled people casting them either as super human or someone to be pitied, sometimes even feared. Rarely does the community see disabled people living (or wanting to live) ordinary lives, doing ordinary things.
Starting out in 2014 as a blog platform for its creator, Jazz Shaban, Small Voice Projects has evolved into a not-for-profit disability-led, consultancy facilitating a creative hub and social justice community platform.
Our Mission and Values
Our mission is to change public perceptions about disability through the amplified, authentic voice of disabled people and galvanise collective action to bring about change.
- Inspire Action – share stories
- Foster Community – work collectively
- Influence Change – promote good practice
“It is only by disabled people being at the centre of the story, creating it, driving it forward, will the shift in perceptions happen, and ultimately turn the tide of exclusion ”
Jazz Shaban
What we do
Small Voice Projects works with disabled people, locally and internationally, to learn new media production and web based skills, provides a platform for them to connect and be part of a movement of people who are often silenced or unheard because of their personal, physical and environmental circumstances.
Working through strong partnerships with others who share our vision, Small Voice Projects:
- Provides disability inclusive media consultancy services to disabled individuals, groups and organisations on disability-inclusive media.
- Develops, co-produces and facilitates bespoke, face to face and online training and support in inclusive storytelling, photography, video skills and media driven advocacy.
- Hosts an online repository for personal stories/videos/photos created by disabled people that can be shared with other isolated disabled people experiencing the same things providing a snapshot of the reality of disability.
- Facilitates networking among disabled individuals, organisations of disabled people disability groups and their allies enabling peer support and collaborative social action.
- Produces capacity building resources and shares good practice on disability-inclusive media production, acting as a hub for those who want to share their learning and promote a more authentic ways of working.
- Provides a networking hub for sharing learn/ideas and coproduction between those with the experience and those with the resources.