Hidden Disabilities and the Role of Assistive Technology

Digital tools can play a big part in taking an inclusive approach to supporting independence, participation and increased wellbeing of both staff/volunteers and service users.

However, for many people impacted by hidden differences, devices such as laptops, tablets or smartphones can be overwhelming and create further isolation. If the device becomes an added source of stress and is redundant to the user, this compounds exclusion.

What are Hidden Differences?

Hidden differences are the invisible barriers people face, which make day-to-day living harder. These barriers can be a result of things like long term medication, pain management, disabilities and long term trauma. Neurodiversity (learning differences) can also create wide-ranging impacts, when unrecognised and unsupported.

Building on our previous roundtable event, we will be digging deeper into how we can integrate assistive technology and accessible strategies into our approach to tackling homelessness and digital exclusion.

In this 2-hour event, we will have an open, collaborative discussion on digital inclusion with break-out sessions to allow for a solution-focused conversation.

We shall showcase and discuss:

• The importance of assistive technology in digital inclusion agendas
• The impact that anticipatory support has in delivering digital inclusion
• How we can measure participation and change and why it is vital for building a digital inclusion legacy

About the speakers

Atif Choudhury

Atif Choudhury is an award-winning social entrepreneur, with a background in economic justice and disability inclusion projects. Focusing on the inclusion of marginalised communities, Atif has worked on high profile social development projects across the world. He is the co-founder and CEO of Diversity and Ability and Zaytoun CiC (the World’s first Fairtrade Palestinian olive oil cooperative), as well as a trustee for Disability Rights UK.

After piloting a highly successful project with the homeless charity Crisis to enable learners to use assistive technology and other tools to empower their independent lives. Crisis have continued this work for four years with increasingly positive results – see D&A’s blog on Digital Inclusion and Homelessness and Crisis’ Testimonial on D&A’s page.

Greg Headley

Greg is one of Homeless Link’s Partnership Manager’s working across London and the South East; he has worked and volunteered in the homelessness sector since 2002 in Edinburgh, London and Brighton. He is passionate about partnership working; involving the whole community in developing our understanding of the causes of homelessness and working together to bring about permanent change.