Disability Confident in its Own 'Inspirational' Words

I went through the tweets from attendees at the Swansea Disability Confident event yesterday, pulling out the tweets that show how the attendees see disabled people. Individual names and twitter accounts have been redacted, corporate accounts left intact. I have added commentary below some of the tweets in italics, reflecting on what they tell us about how the attendees understand disability.

Inspiring tales

A moving story from <redacted>, telling the room about his personal journey to employment

- speaker had a learning disability, let's get the pity party started!

<redacted> shares his inspirational story - internships play a big part

Inspiring and powerful stories and such a positive atmosphere

Inspiring morning at #disabilityconfident

<redacted> shares her inspiring story from the TREAT trust

- wheelchair user, 'inspirational' goes into overdrive

<redacted> of  Treat trust giving an #Inspirational talk

@equalapproach <redacted>, Treat trust discusses her personal journey. Never judge a book by its cover

 - sounds okay at first glance, but referring to a wheelchair user? Little creeped out by this one.

Being inspired by <redacted> from TREAT Trust Wales

- that makes four inspirings for a single speaker, interesting, if *headdesk*worthy, reaction to the wheelchair

@indycube "Focus on ability rather than disability" - Inspiring words from <redacted>

- but what about the needs that result from our disabilities? (and five inspirings)

@equalapproach Review your recruitment processes to check they are #inclusive and #accessible

- might want to review your recruiters and managers too, a non-discriminatory process is only as non-discriminatory as those who run it

@CardiffREEDHR Fantastic morning with @Delsion_ in Swansea. 1/3 disabled people WANT to work... #disabilityconfident

- worried a leading national recruiter sounds so surprised!

@CardiffREEDHR THANK YOU for inspiring us to enable the disabled. "our greatest need is to feel needed" 

- What the Actual Fuck?

@CardiffREEDHR Inspiring to hear <redacted> talk about the struggles & frustrations of students with learning disabilities.#disabilityconfident

- Scary our leading recruitment firms are so out of touch on disability

@AdmiralJobs: Amazing Inspirational speakers at #DisabilityConfident #Swansea

- Scary our leading recruitment firms are so out of touch on disability

Fantastic #disabilityconfident employer event today in #Swansea and inspirational speakers

Attended #disabilityconfident seminar in Swansea today #inspirational

@CodenSolutions awesome conference bringing disability on the employment agenda for our city #disabilityconfident #SwanseaCity #inspiration

- another recruiter

And because none of the attendees will understand why this is an issue, the late, great, Stella Young and I'm Not Your Inspiration, Thank You Very Much