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Trailblazers

January 1, 1970

About the campaign

Trailblazers is a campaign network run by young disabled people. Their aim is to ‘fight against the social injustices experienced by young people living with muscle diseases and related conditions to access mainstream opportunities, facilities and services’

So far Trailblazers have set up the first every All party parliamentary Group for young Disabled people, carried out national investigations and campaigns on improving services and access for disabled people. Through their campaigning they the airline company Easyjet have removed their 60kg wheelchair limit. They are also in talks with cinema companies about improving inclusion; Trailblazers articles have also had a direct result on 10 young people entering higher education. The campaign has had such an impact that they are regularly consulted by government and businesses on the wants and needs of disabled young people.

To find out more about Trailblazers click here

This Campaign won the outstanding recognition award in the Hearing unheard Voices campaign awards!

What Trailblazers think about the awards!

What made you apply for an award?

We thought that as a young campaigners network led by young disabled people we would fit the bill for HUV Awards. Young disabled people’s voices often go unheard and through Trailblazers we are ensuring that the things that are important to young people with muscular dystrophy are being communicated to politicians, the media, decision makers and the wider public.

What process did you go through to apply e.g. did young people fill out the application form, how did you decide what to say?

As with all things connected to Trailblazers young disabled people were involved in the application process. We asked members of the network what they thought were the greatest successes of the network in 2010/11 and the articulated these in the application form.

 How did you and the group feel when you found out you had been shortlisted?

The Trailblazers were genuinely excited when we saw that HUV have recognized our work by shortlisiting us. We immediately wrote a news story on the Trailblazers website that ensured we shared the new with all 280 members of our network.

http://www.mdctrailblazers.org/news/867_trailblazers-shortlisted-for-outstanding-contribution-campaigns-award

The feedback we got form the group was amazing and really positive and members started requesting a place at the event at St James’ Palace.

What do you think about the HUV Awards?

I think the HUV Awards are a brilliant and essential way of recognizing the campaigning work of young people who too often go unheard. For us to be able to showcase our campaigns and the issues we are working to address is so important. Through the HUV Awards we can ensure we get the campaign messages of disability awareness and access across to more people.

After the Awards!

We caught up with trailblazers to find out how they think the awards went and what it meant to them to win.