By Us, For Us — A Disability Messaging Guide is the product of an urgent and groundbreaking research project to shift public narratives by testing and developing messages that build widespread support for transformative disability policy change.
By Us, For Us – A Disability Messaging Guide, produced in partnership with Disability Advocacy Network Australia (DANA) and Australian Progress, is the product of an urgent and groundbreaking research project to shift public narratives by testing and developing messages that build widespread support for transformative disability policy change.
Mainstream narratives influence public opinion, in turn shaping political decision making. To create a society that works for all of us, we must build and demonstrate widespread public support for transformative disability policy change, shifting mainstream narratives and public sentiment from prevalent deficit frames, into strengths and values-based frames.
The project is based on a proven theory of change for messaging that has shifted national narratives and public support on issues from First Nations justice to refugee rights. It responds to both the identified capacity building needs of disability advocates, and external factors like public sentiment and the opportunities to influence political change in the coming 12 months.
People with disability have the solutions needed to realise this vision, but advocates have let us know that right now, shared, persuasive messaging that’s tested and proven to build public and political support for these solutions is a critical gap.