The latest issue of the Big Issue magazine has been co-produced by people with a learning disability for the first time to mark Learning Disability Week.
Some members of Mencap’s Myth Busters Group, a group of people who are living life with a learning disability and campaigning for change, worked with the magazine’s editorial team to write features, create designs and collaborate on how to make the Big Issue more accessible to those with a learning disability.
The group included CBeebies’ presenter, George Webster, who has written a letter to his younger self; campaigner Nigel Smith, speaking about his experience fighting cancer, and medal winning Paralympian swimmer Jessica-Jane Applegate, discussing the barriers of having a hidden disability.
Mencap Myth Buster Aisha Edwards said: “I really enjoyed working on the magazine as I got to meet so many different people and people like me (who have a learning disability). My favourite part was sharing ideas. It’s so important to have a magazine like this that showcases our work, recognises us and includes us from the get go.”
The Big Issue Group hopes the collaboration with Mencap will help change perceptions – the first step being to feature more people with a learning disability in the media to help increase acceptance and reduce stigma.
They have redesigned the publication to make it more accessible to people with a learning disability. This will include a slight altered colour scheme, including accessible colour combinations for the greater contrast between text and background, to help readability. Larger-scale fonts have also been used as well as the inclusion of easy-read pullout boxes.
Editor of the Big Issue, Paul McNamee added “People speak frequently about hearing from those who are often marginalised in society. At the Big Issue, we believe in giving them a platform to tell their stories. Our collaboration with Mencap is yet another way we’re doing this – breaking new ground by putting this week’s Big Issue in the hands of people with a learning disability.
“It’s not about paying lip-service, but rather wholeheartedly allowing a platform and offering assistance if needed. These fantastic contributors have created an incredible edition of our magazine. We strive constantly to challenge and offer opportunities to those who don’t always have them. This Big Issue is something to be incredibly proud about. As ever, you can pick it up from your local vendor or buy online via bigissue.com.”
Mencap says that the aim of the project was to give greater representation to people with a learning disability as new research from the charity shows that a quarter of the general population (25%) say they have never seen people with a learning disability represented in the media. In addition, of those that have estimate they only see someone with a learning disability in the media once every seven to eight weeks. Almost half (48%) think that disabled people are not represented enough in the media.
Chief Executive, Jon Sparkes said: “This powerful collaboration with the Big Issue puts people with a learning disability at the heart of every story. We are told that there is very little representation of people with a learning disability in the media, and we are trying to change that by working alongside one of the UK’s most recognised social enterprises to put their lives at the front and centre of every page.
“This publication of the Big Issue is a stark reminder of the incredible things that can be achieved despite many societal barriers.”
