Labels Are For Jars Not People-
Emancipatory Approaches To
Working With Young Disabled People
Available from Amazon and Kindle
This book is based on work spread over forty-five years with
young Disabled people in Bromley, Greater Manchester,
Norfolk and West London. It is written to critically explore
ideas and practices in work with young Disabled people.
The intended readership is young Disabled people themselves and all those
working with young Disabled people in whatever settings this takes place,
including Disabled people working in Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs). It
is also aimed at non-Disabled practitioners, professionals and volunteers working
in a wide variety of situations; in education, in voluntary and statutory sector
youth and community organisations; practitioners in allied health, mental health,
leisure, recreation, cultural and arts settings.
It is designed to provide an introduction to students and academics/lecturers who
are involved in disability studies or subjects that include disability and to inform
practitioners who wish to learn a specialism, or staff in allied sectors who want to
understand more about disability and how youth Social Action work approaches
and coproduction can support their work in this field.
Mark Harrison, Author
“It is good to read a book that centres Young Disabled people and their
participation in the Disabled Peoples Movement. The book draws a balance
between theory and practice by explaining the core values and principles that are
necessary for equity and inclusion which makes it a useful tool for enabling Young
Disabled people’s participation in youth activity, social justice movements as well
as influence policy and decision makers.”
Michelle Daley, Director, Alliance for Inclusive Education
“This book is important. It provides a timely intervention into the key issues
affecting young disabled people’s participation, influence, and authority within
decision-making processes. It highlights the necessity to produce accessible,
participatory, and inclusive spaces, whilst identifying the ideas, and practices, that
deny choice, control, and self-determination. The book engages critically with the
unnecessary restrictions imposed upon young disabled people (and the disabled
people’s community more broadly) and provides ideas and activities to remove
these restrictions. It provides a space for important reflections on the processes
of disablement and the routes towards our liberation.”
Dr Miro Griffiths, Disability Studies Scholar, University of Leeds
“This resource brings together theory alongside practical examples and activities
which support youth social action. In the current climate resources like this are
critical to ensuring that disabled young people are provided with opportunities
which are meaningful and empowering.”
Zara Todd, Disabled Consultant
“Marks book is an essential read for any youth worker, teacher, educator –
disabled or non-disabled anywhere in the world. Although there are references to
UK law which need translated to your country most of this book is dedicated to
universals, principles and practices that would work anywhere for anyone working
with or educating young disabled people. The way that Mark simply explains the
process of coproduction is an essential concept that all people who think that
work with disabled people should apply to their practice if we are going to work
together to build a society that includes all.”
Alan Holdsworth, (pronouns he/him/his)
Disability Equality in Education, PA, USA
Love the title. I’m reminded of the advent (and tragically the demise) of the Warnock Report back in the early 80s.and it’s attempts to invigorate thinking and practice for young people with disabilities in schools and beyond. It didn’t take long for the politicians to erode and demolish the tenets of this deeply human and humane attempt to shift things away from labels to meeting assessed needs in order to allow as full participation in general life as possible. When politicians don’t give a damn (and its hard to work out quite why we are so addicted to voting for self serving couldn’t give a damn politicians who ably undo anything good that slips through their net of exclusion) initiatives crumble.
So get the politics right and then the labels can reside purely and indefinitely with the jam pots!