Film offers an accessible medium that can be easily shared across social media platforms. We have co-produced the majority of our films in Living Life to the Fullest with our young co-researchers. We have primarily used free software to make the films: Powtoon; iMovie and most has been recorded on camera phones, with little specialist equipment and relatively little cost.
We would advocate that all films have accessibility features such as audio description and subtitles. Where this isn’t possible, we recommend providing a transcript in a format (e.g. Microsoft Word) that is readable by a screenreader, a form of assistive technology for people with visual impairments and others.
In this short documentary, Living Life to the Fullest Project Co-researchers – all young disabled people with what are known as ‘life-limiting’ and ‘life threatening’ impairments – explain how the Collective developed, its role, and the expertise it brings as a group of young disabled people co-leading a research project of this kind. The Co-Researcher Collective also outlines its innovative use of on-line methods and, more broadly, the ways in which it is shaping the wider project.
Our first Living Life to the Fullest Arts Retreat for disabled children and young people with life-limiting and life-threatening impairments (LL/LTIs) was covered by BBC Breakfast and televised on Friday 27th October 2017.
The following films, made as part of our sister-project, Human Activism, a collaborative project funded by The University of Sheffield, were made professionally. These films showcase the experiences of people with the label of learning disability. To learn more about Human Activism please see here.
In this film we meet Debbie who has worked for many years for Clean Sweep, a cleaning company run by and for people with learning disabilities. She details the struggles she initially faced as someone with learning disabilities looking for work, and the barriers that were in place. We also hear from Keith Bates, supported employment expert and Director of Mutually Inclusive Partnerships, who has supported the business over the last 20 years.
Over the last 30 years Speakup Self Advocacy in Rotherham have been championing the rights of people with learning disabilities. In this film we learn more about their work, and the cuts self-advocacy services have faced in recent years.
William has a job, a rich social life and pursues a number of hobbies. William and his network of support – his circle – explain how he became a got a job, found volunteering opportunities and became a valued member of his local community.
