Welcome to BDEF (Bristol Disability Equality Forum)
Who are we?
We are a Disabled people led organisation where all decisions are made by Disabled people. We create the space and support for Disabled people in Bristol to speak for themselves, to each other, and to those in power.
*Please note, our website is currently going through a review and being majorly updated alongside our rebranding. Watch this space for our modernised, newly branded website telling you all about what we do.
We use the Social Model of Disability, which means that it is environmental, organisational, and attitudinal barriers that disable people and prevent our full participation in society, not our medical conditions or impairments.
Within this definition of Disabled people, we include anyone who faces barriers in society due to an impairment or medical condition. This includes d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing people, people with a visual impairment, people with a physical impairment, people with learning difficulties or are neurodivergent, those who are chronically ill, and those who have experienced mental health conditions, along with those who may not consider themselves a Disabled person but who experience the same structural inequity and barriers as those who do identify as Disabled people.
Our approach is rooted in the lived experiences and expertise of Disabled people, ensuring that their voices are central to decision making and development of solutions.
The Social Model is the idea that it is not our impairments that Disable us, it’s other people’s attitudes and the way society is organised that is the problem. For example, buildings with steps to the entrance and complicated and jargon-filled information, both of which are not accessible to a wide range of people. You can read more about the Social Model of Disability here: About us – Bristol DEF.
Everyone who identifies with this can join us. If you are interested, please find out more here: Become a member – Bristol DEF.
Our vision is for a society where Disabled people are respected and valued, where they have Independence, Choice and Control of their own lives, and where they are fully included in their communities and the country as a whole. BDEF envisions a future where Disabled people in Bristol are not only more included, but are active leaders in shaping the city’s policies, services, and cultural landscape.
Our long-term impact aims to unite the Disabled people community, moving from isolated experiences to collective empowerment; empower Disabled individuals to make informed choices and advocate for their rights; and making sure that the voices of Disabled people are part of, or leading, decision making conversations.
We fully support and follow the principles of the Disabled people’s MovementW
- Independence, Choice and Control of our own lives;
- Nothing About Us, Without Us, and;
- Full inclusion of Disabled people in society.
We are active in most areas of Disabled people’s lives...
…where they face barriers to being an active and valued member of their communities, the workplace and the wider environment.
Our three pillars of work are:
- Community Development: adopting a Disability Equity / Asset-Based Community Development approach to re-engage and empower Disabled people, especially those who are multiply marginalised. This will mean a revitalised and more united Disabled People’s Movement in Bristol, shifting from fragmented or individual struggles to a collective force for change.
- Peer Support: to build a stronger, more accessible, and consistent peer support network across the city that offers solidarity, wellbeing support, and space for shared experiences. This is a community where identifying as a Disabled person isn’t stigmatised, with opportunities to build confidence, identity, and leadership.
- Voice and Influence: meaning policy makers, public services, and designers co-create policies, services, and environments with Disabled people rather than for them. This involves us supporting and facilitating Disabled people to speak on issues that are important to them.
We are also developing our work on:
- Disability Equality Support: We are building an offer of a range of services to statutory and voluntary sector organisations. These include Disability Equality and Equity Training, undertaking Equalities Impact Assessments, policy advice and event organising.
- Co-design and Co-production: to foster stronger relationships between people who access services and providers, ensuring that services are better aligned with the needs of the community.
Underpinning and running through all our work is a focus on:
- Activism: Support for Disabled people wishing to take action on an issue that is important to them and/or getting together with other Disabled people.
- Information and signposting: This might be on issues such as access, directing individuals to appropriate support and advice and/or legal advice.
Aside from our work directly with Disabled people, we also work with allies who are those who recognise their role in supporting the rights and inclusion of Disabled people i.e. individuals or organisations who are actively committed to learning from Disabled people, taking action to dismantle barriers, amplifying Disabled voices, and using their power or resources to make lasting change. We also work with carers, friends, and neighbours (some of whom are Disabled people themselves) who are part of the everyday lives of Disabled people and part of the wider network of change.
Disability Activism Bristol
Disability Activism Bristol: a History is a part of the Forging Our Future project. It was funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund to tell the story of the Disabled People’s movement in Bristol from the 1980’s to 2010.
We are active in most areas of Disabled people’s lives...
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