The Scope of Public Awkwardness

UK disability charity, Scope, has uncovered that almost two thirds of the Great British public feel uncomfortable when speaking to people with a disability.  A recent report commissioned by the charity also says that over a third of people tend to think of disabled people as not as productive as other people.

Lack of Understanding

Scope has found that many people feel discomfort due to a lack of understanding, as almost half of the people asked don’t know anyone with a disability.  The biggest source of awkwardness was people’s fear of saying the wrong thing and concerns about accidentally offending the person they were talking to.

Many headlines report on physical barriers faced on a daily basis by people with disabilities but the Scope report focuses solely on the attitudes many faced from members of the public.  A staggering 76% of the people surveyed were of the opinion that all disabledpeople were in need of constant care and didn’t believe that they were capable of looking after themselves.

Need for Education

The report findings support various other studies about attitudes towards disabled people and show that a significant amount of the population think that people with disabilities are less capable and more dependant than non-disabled people.

The results show a lack of understanding in the public domain about disabilities in general and the capabilities of people with disabilities.  Scope highlights the need for education and helping people understand that disabled people are no different to non-disabled people.

Positive Interaction

Some of the feedback from the report suggested that positive interaction between the public and people with disabilities would help and a third of people suggested that being able to ask a disabled person questions would make them feel more comfortable in the future.

The report has been the basis for Scope’s newest ‘End the Awkward’ advertising campaign, which includes advice and information on what not to say and assumptions to avoid.

Star of their television adverts, Alex Brooker, who wears a prosthetic leg says:  “I don’t think people are awkward because they don’t care or because they’re ignorant – it’s completely the opposite.

“People can become quite awkward because they do care and they don’t want to make someone feel conscious about themselves.”

To find out more about End the Awkward or Scope, visit their website herewww.scope.org.uk/awkward.