Disability Equality Officer

Mia Benjamin (she/her)

Hello, I’m Mia (she/her), a 1^st year studying Social Policy and International Relations.

I believe I would be the ideal candidate to serve as Disability Equality Officer. Having M.E and chronic pain I know what it’s like to navigate daily inaccessibility and inequality. I serve as Co-President of the Disabled Student’s Society, where I work to fight for better support for disabled students, who deserve to be treated not as second-class students, but as world changers.

My key areas of focus:

1. Continuing the world changers need access campaign – the campaign has been pivotal for disabled students, and the work needs to continue to ensure we receive the education we deserve
2. Accountability regarding accessibility– Lifts and access points are consistently broken for lengthy periods, preventing disabled students from accessing education and social events
3. Working with the Mental health officer to address mental health support for disabled students – Disabled students can be vulnerable to mental ill health, and support that works for able bodied students doesn’t always work for disabled students

Disabled Students deserve accessible education to pursue their passions. I want to bring students together to fight inaccessibility and equality on campus, we can lead this change together.

Zainab Haque (she/her)

Hi! I'm Zainab, a second-year undergraduate Psychology student. Having been diagnosed with my disabilities later in life, I understand the struggle of navigating education without support and the difference the right help can make. My personal experience, combined with my background supporting disabled students in high school, drives my commitment to creating change.

I am particularly focused on the following key areas for improving disability support at our university:

• Making support accessible from day one – clearer guidance during students' initial orientations, proactive outreach, and student disability ambassadors within each course.
• A more student centred approach – tailored study groups for disabled students, targeted learning support, and guidance on managing disabilities to ensure equal access to education. As well as improving consistency in accessibility across courses. 
• Expanding on-campus disability support – reliable and consistent drop-in sessions and more pastoral-style care presence so that learning on campus becomes less daunting.
• Reducing isolation – Disabled students deserve the full university experience, and ensuring that involvement in societies, sports, and daily campus life is accessible is essential. Dedicated disabled student zones, sensory-safe spaces, and regular focus groups with disabled students will help ensure that all accessibility needs are addressed, making the university welcoming and inclusive for everyone.