ImaYDiT - Imagining young disabled people's transitions in a time of major societal change: Research project report

ImaYDiT was funded by DRILL – Disability Research for Independent Living and Learning. This is supported by the Big Lottery Fund. WiltsCIL staff, members of WiltsCIL Coproduction Group and researchers at UWE came up with the original idea for this project. We wanted to support young disabled people to explore and re-imagine their adult lives and have the best future. This involved taking an ‘assets-based’ approach. This is where we focus on what people can do- rather than what they can’t do – which is a ‘deficit approach’. We also thought that there is not enough research about the whole of young disabled people’s lives. Instead a lot of research only concentrates on transitions through the benefits and service system. Wiltshire Social Services and the Wiltshire Parent Council helped steer the project because, where we could, we also wanted to put young disabled people’s hopes and dreams into action. We want to understand how this group of young disabled people can be supported to become the next generation who are aware of their rights, with ambitions for their futures and able to establish meaningful and independent adult lives.