At Access Dorset we do not believe that the poverty, disadvantage and social exclusion experienced by many disabled and older people is the inevitable result of their impairments or medical conditions, but rather comes from attitudinal and environmental barriers. This is known as ‘the social model of disability’, which underpins Access Dorset’s approach in all that we do.
For example, you are a disabled person who wants to enter a building with a step at the entrance but you can’t use stairs. The social model says the problem is not with the person but with the building and would suggest adding a ramp.
Not everyone uses the social model of disability and that’s okay – how someone talks about their disability is up to them!
www.the-ndaca.org
