Hi! My name is Harriet Cameron and I am the principal investigator for the research project. I am a lecturer in psychology and education in The School of Education at The University of Sheffield. My research so far has focused on experiences of autistic people, dyslexic people or people who identify with ADHD both in education and in everyday life, especially when they have been pushed to the edges and been made to feel that they don't belong or that they are 'less-than-human'. I am interested in the social, cultural and linguistic ways some people come to be labelled as 'disordered' or 'deficient' and how this labelling interacts with how people feel. Before being a lecturer, I worked for 15 years as a specialist teacher for people with learning differences and specific learning difficulties, and others who might fall under the 'neurodivergent' umbrella'. In this project, we want to understand what it is like for people with learning disabilities who have been pushed to the edges and who aren't getting the funded support and resources they require. I am honoured, grateful and excited to be working with this team and to have the opportunity to hear the stories and perspectives of people who have chosen to participate in our research. 

Sunderland People First is a Community Interest Company and all our work is led by self-advocates who have a learning disability or are autistic.

Our team have been working for close to 30 years to promote the inclusion of people with a learning disability and autistic people.

We work together with lots of other organisations and services to achieve this and make positive changes for people and families.

You can find out more about our work by following us on Twitter: @SunPeopleFirst or on Facebook: Sunderland People First Co-operative CIC

As a team, we are very excited about this opportunity.

Hi, I’m Gavin. I am a self-advocate at Sunderland People First and a Director for my local Healthwatch team in Sunderland.  I live with my family and enjoy trips out and trips away with my friend Jodie. My favourite things are barn owls, going to Crufts and holidays in Blackpool. I love meeting and getting to know new people. 

I think it’s important that people get the right support especially for people’s health.

Professor Katherine Runswick-Cole (University of Sheffield) has extensive experience of co-producing research with people with learning disabilities and their families. She will oversee the project. She is also a family carer.

Hi, I’m Samantha. I have lots of different roles. I am a Development Worker at Sunderland People First, a self-advocate and a family carer. I enjoy listening to music, spending time with my family and pets and doing creative projects like drawing, scrap booking and crafts.

I believe that everyone is entitled to a good life but unfortunately in society that doesn’t always happen. This is why charities and self-advocacy groups are so important as they help people who may not be able to access services for different reasons.

Clare Kassa is the CEO of Sibs, the only UK charity dedicated to supporting brothers and sisters of disabled children and adults. Siblings have a lifelong need for information.  In childhood, siblings grow up often receiving less attention, have more worries than their peers and face challenging situations in their home lives. As adults, siblings rarely receive acknowledgement of their expertise or support for their own needs. Sibs provides information for siblings across the lifespan and training for those who support them.

Clare has been working in the voluntary sector for over 25 years supporting disabled people and their families.  Clare says “I am so excited for Sibs to be involved in this project.  So often sibling carers are overlooked in research projects, and we are so delighted to be able to bring the sibling voice to this work.”

I am a senior lecturer at Sheffield University and my research is with adults with learning disabilities. I am particularly interested in learning more about how we can do research with people with disabilities from diverse backgrounds. I am really pleased to be involved with this project because it is such an important topic - so many people with disabilities don't get any money to pay for their support, and they can seem invisible and be overlooked. This project will help to raise awareness of this situation, and we will share what we learn about how and where people get their support.  

Hello! I'm Cameron, and I'm a postdoctoral researcher for the project. I come from a background in psychology and mental health, and particularly like to focus on making research accessible. I'm excited to work on this project because it is co-produced with self-advocates and carers and everyone is passionate about accessibility! I will be involved in every stage of the project. I am looking forward to the interviews in particular as I want to hear the opinions and thoughts of people with learning disabilities and carers. I also created the website and run the Twitter account for this project - if you have any questions, tweet at us!

Sara has extensive experience of working with carers and people with learning disabilities and of using on-line and narrative methods.  She will ensure that every stage of the project is conducted guided by the principles of inclusion and participation to ensure that everyone involved in the project can engage fully and equally. She is also a family carer.  

Dr Rosa Cisneros is an artist, researcher, consultant, filmmaker of mixed ethnic background who has over 25 years managing, developing and delivering projects. She is director of RosaSenCis film Production Co., a company that aims to create inclusive and accessible resources and teaching guides used by major organisations such as the NHS, Save the Children, UK Universities, Council of Europe and other political entities. Rosa has co-authored papers on ethics within dance, intersectionality, sociology and film studies and led projects that explore ethical methods and equitable practices. She has a consistent commitment to projects that make education accessible to vulnerable groups, particularly in the Roma community. She has mobilised her skills as a Flamenco dance artist, filmmaker and writer to make spaces for those often excluded in the academic community, embracing thinkers and practitioners across many fields, including those working in Hip-Hop, African dance and in the broad area of cultural heritage.

This project excites her as it is using a mixed-methods approach and respecting lived experiences. The diversity of the team is inspiring and the area we are venturing into is unknown but so important to explore.

My name is Ned (it’s a short version of Edmund) and right now I am a lecturer in sociology at the University of York. My research is sits somewhere within gender, sexuality and disability studies. I am currently developing interests in the field social care and how that is relevant to people being able to live their best life. 

Dan is a Professor of Disability Studies at the University of Sheffield. He co-directs iHuman - a research institute that explores what it means to be human in the 21st Century - and has been lucky enough to work with self-advocacy groups and their researchers for a number of years. He supports Nottingham Forest.