The Local People project in Brighton supports and empowers disabled people and unpaid carers who live locally to identify barriers and bring about change to improve their lives, health and wellbeing.
In this piece, we hear from project member Nu about how the project has built his/their confidence to go back and study and become the person he/they are today.
Nu is on the Project Board, who has an active role in decision making, helping to lead the project and welcome new members.
“Since being involved with the Local People project I have been able to discover new challenges that I want to achieve within myself.
Since I was quite young, my passion has always been animation - drawing and character design. Because of the support that I have received from the project, I went on a video game course for two years and I have now started at Greenwich University to do a bachelor's degree in animation for three years.
I want to be able to create strong characters in my animations and drawings that disabled people can relate to. I have a big passion for creating relatable characters that people in marginalised groups can look to and create aspirations from.
It is also because of the project and everybody’s incredible compassion that I secured a part-time internship with Scope. I will be making animated stories about disabled people throughout the UK which is amazing.
Since being involved with the project, my sense of self and overall confidence has grown considerably. If it wasn't for the lovely group of people that I spend time with every week, I wouldn't be the person that I am today.
Being involved with projects and activities such as Disability Pride Brighton, Beyond Ableism and the gardening project has really helped me develop new skills. These new skills have also helped me become a more confident human being.
Disability Pride Brighton has been a particular highlight. It has now run for the last two years. It has been an amazing journey working with such an incredible group of people. It has helped the disabled community to build their confidence, pride and compassion for others.
Because of my involvement, I was interviewed by Scope as part of the Committee for Disability Pride. It was a great opportunity to explain how I felt being on such an important committee in the community, and also to express how grateful I was.
I have been able to see so much possibility and aspiration in my own and other people's lives. People who have been lonely for many years and who are disabled, are now able to connect and develop another way of living. This has really made me happy and gives me confidence in humanity.”
The Local People project is funded by People’s Health Trust with money raised by Health Lottery South East.
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