ENABLING ENGAGEMENT Breaking down the perceptual barriers between students and people living with disabilities. TAMSIN OXFORD
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he world was designed by the able-bodied. The stairs, the complex architecture, the office spaces and the access points – these simple things that are taken for granted by the able-bodied instantly sideline those living with disabilities. The office worker in a wheelchair who can’t reach the second floor or the sight impaired person who can’t easily navigate beautiful, yet complex, architecture, for instance. These moments and structures add unnecessary complexity to lives that are just as dynamic and capable as those who are able-bodied. To change these moments and to shift perceptions, there is a
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need to break down the walls of perception that people have about those living with disabilities, so that the world adopts a more inclusive approach to people, disability and environments. This is the vision of the Wits People for Awareness of Disability Issues (PADI) programme.
PEOPLE FOR AWARENESS OF DISABILITY ISSUES Designed to transform perceptions, PADI connects disabled people to able-bodied students in a six-month collaborative relationship, effectively breaking down the barriers that limit
