At the University of Kent, we believe in being part of the drive for a more inclusive society, where diversity is celebrated, opportunities are created and voices from all corners of our community are amplified. As we approach Disability History Month (16 November – 16 December), here are some opportunities to share your perspective and get involved in showcasing and growing inclusivity at Kent and beyond.
Share your experiences with disability
Are you interested in being involved in a campaign to raise awareness this Disability History Month? We’d like to give everyone at Kent an insight into the experiences of our community in disclosing parts of identity, so we can better understand and support one another.
We’re inviting students past and present as well as staff to share your experiences by writing a blog post, attending a storytelling event to share in person with others, or being professionally filmed for a few minutes at a location convenient for you. To structure what you say or write about we’ll have some questions available that you can think about ahead of time, but you are also welcome to can make up your own question or theme which draws out your particular lived experience of disability and study/work/opportunities at Kent, or how it set you up for where you are now.
Interested in sharing your story at a live evening event in December, in short-film form or written word? Please fill in the online form. so we can contact you about being involved.
Paid internships for disabled students – apply now
Applications for the Change 100 internship programme are now open.
This programme of paid summer work placements, professional development and mentoring matches progressive employers with university students and recent graduates with any disability or long-term condition – including physical, visual or hearing impairments, mental health conditions and learning disabilities and difficulties like dyslexia and dyspraxia. It aims to remove barriers experienced by disabled people in the workplace, to allow them to achieve their potential.
Find out more and apply online before 5 January 2023.
Appointments and drop-in events on accessible information and technology
Whatever your discipline or programme of study, every Kent student will encounter a great deal of information over the course of their degree. Accessing this information can seem especially daunting for learners with additional challenges, but the Accessible Information Team are here to help.
Face-to-face appointments with the team are available on both the Canterbury and Medway campuses. They can cover:
- Identifying the best software for your requirements and preferences
- Training to use the software and other services in place at Kent
- Creating alternative formats to access study materials in your preferred way
You can book an appointment by:
- Contacting Student Support Wellbeing reception
- Emailing Nik at digitalaccess@kent.ac.uk
- Completing our online booking form.
Appointments are available to students who are registered with Student Support and Wellbeing – you can register online if you haven’t already.
Want a demonstration of assistive technology and how it can help you?
Come along to a pop-up sessions in the Templeman and Drill Hall Libraries in the coming weeks, or come to an informal ‘Tech and Tea’ session to try assistive technology hands-on with help from the experts.
- Accessible Information pop-up from 12 to 2pm on Wednesday 9th November in Templeman Library, Canterbury
- Accessible Information pop-up from 12 to 2pm on Thursday 10th November in Drill Hall Library, Medway
- Tech and Tea from 12 to 2pm on Wednesday 16th November in Keynes Seminar Room 6, Canterbury
- Tech and Tea from 12 to 2pm on Thursday 17th November in Room M2-29, Medway
Want to know more about what’s happening to make Kent accessible? Check out this episode of Kent Voices: Making Kent Accessible on Apple Podcasts, or search for Kent Voices on your preferred podcast provider.
#DHMKent22 is coming soon!
Stay tuned for events and resources as we approach Disability History Month 2022 #InclusiveKent @UniKentSSW.
Written by Natalia Crisanti and Joshua Stevens, Student Services 20.10.22