Universal Recognition

Aim

We seek funding to cover the cost of our essential community work, ensuring fair compensation for our disabled community's contributions.

Universal Recognition CIC are a grassroots community interest organisation led by Disabled people. We ensure service providers and top decision makers make best practice design choices around accessibility for all. 

We educate on and practice design-justice and Disability-justice approaches towards  the making of services and service provision. We advise and guide service makers and service providers in all industries including (but not limited to) healthcare, environmental planning, leisure, culture and public infrastructure.

This work is important as 1 in 5 people globally are Disabled. This statistic rises when we look at the amount of households that include a Disabled loved one. Every community will include Disabled neighbours, colleagues and friends whether we realise it or not. Over the course of our lifetimes as we age or face unexpected health challenges we are all likely to be affected by Disability either personally or through the care of a loved one. 

Accessibility ensures that our lives and futures are ready for this reality. Design and accessibility impacts all groups and all people intersectionally. For example: Ramps enable people in wheelchairs or carrying equipment to easily access buildings. Low stress services aid those who are experiencing financial hardship or difficult life events. The health of our communities are best served when medical textbooks, services and diagnostics are suitable for and recognise black and brown people’s health. 

Disabled people from all communities with lived experience are best placed to consult on and co-produce accessibility and best practice design. They have the experiential wisdom and knowledge to co-create safer and fairer accessible aproaches. 

We use education about accessibility to ensure future services, products and environments are fit for us all. 

We run a wellbeing support programme for our community of Disabled creatives working in accessibility.  

Our community programme ensures otherwise excluded Disabled workers have access to :

- Peer-led wellbeing support and advocacy 

- Community-led initiatives for dismantling barriers and discrimination 

- Pathways into meaningful work and sustainable livelihoods 

- A platform for sharing their experiential wisdom so needed in today's society 

- Opportunities to shape fairer and safer services that accommodate us all

We need funding to cover the cost of this essential community work. Design and Disability Justice cannot be achieved unless our Disabled communities are paid fairly and sustainably for their experiential wisdom and work.

This project closed unsuccessfully on 3rd June 2026