This National Inclusion Week, we’re taking a moment to reflect on what it really means to create a world where everyone feels included, valued, heard and able to participate.
For people living with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), inclusion is about so much more than awareness of disability. It’s about having the same opportunities, choices and freedoms as everyone else and being able to take part in everyday life without unnecessary barriers standing in the way.
Those barriers can take many forms. They might be physical, such as inaccessible buildings or transport, but they can also be social, financial or attitudinal. Sometimes, it can be as simple as assumptions about what someone can or cannot do, rather than taking the time to listen to what they want and need.
This year’s National Inclusion Week theme, “Build Trust. Navigate Change.”, gives us an opportunity to think about how we can all play a part in creating meaningful inclusion.
Building trust starts with listening. It means listening to people with lived experience, believing what they tell us about the barriers they face, and making sure their voices are part of the conversations and decisions that affect their lives.
Navigating change means being prepared to adapt. What works for one person may not work for another, and the needs of individuals can change over time. True inclusion means being willing to ask questions, challenge assumptions and find better ways of doing things.
At SMA UK, we know that the SMA community is diverse, with different experiences, priorities, ambitions and support needs. Inclusion means recognising and celebrating that diversity, while working towards a society where disability is not a barrier to living the life you choose.
We also know that inclusion cannot be achieved by individuals or organisations working alone. It requires employers, healthcare professionals, educators, communities, policymakers, families, friends and wider society to listen, learn and take action.
And importantly, inclusion shouldn’t be something we talk about for just one week of the year.
It should be reflected in the choices we make, the services we provide, the environments we create and the way we treat one another, every day.
This National Inclusion Week, we’re continuing to listen to the SMA community, challenge barriers and champion a future where everyone has the opportunity to participate, contribute and belong.
Because true inclusion isn’t simply about making space for people.
It’s about making sure everyone has the opportunity to thrive in that space.
We also want to hear from you.
Take part in SMA UK’s survey and share your views to help us shape the future of SMA UK and make sure the voices and experiences of the SMA community continue to be at the heart of what we do.
