Bronwyn O'Neill
As a mature student studying for my MA in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), I bring over five years of dedicated experience supporting people with disabilities. I am neurodiverse myself and have an autoimmune disability, so I have a strong personal understanding of the importance of fostering an inclusive environment for all.
If elected as your Disability and Neurodiversity Officer, I will advocate for the rights and needs of disabled and neurodiverse students, ensuring our voices are heard and respected. As well as improving awareness and training, my key priorities will include:
- Accessibility of Assessment: Timely and accurate assessment is incredibly important. The university doesn't currently offer dyslexia or dyscalculia (SpLD) assessments during evenings which is not inclusive of disabled students who work full time jobs or have childcare responsibilities. This is a huge barrier for support and will impact academic attainment for these students. I seek to change this.
- Intersectional Approach: Many disabled students are also members of other minority communities, for example high numbers of autistic people identify as LGBTQ+. I will work collaboratively with other officers to make sure we meet the bespoke needs of students in these intersectional groups, e.g. disability inclusive sexual health information.
