Audience: Disability

Stats

‘Neurodiversity’ is a term meaning people have different brain types. The term neurodivergent can be used by people who have neurological condition such as, but not limted to: autism, ADHD, dyspraxia, dyslexia and discalculia. It is also common for  neurodivergent conditions to be co-occuring (a person can have two or more conditions).

Autism is a  ‘spectrum’ condition, with a wide range of characteristics, but which nevertheless share some common features in terms of how people learn and process information.

• Without understanding, autistic people and families are at risk of being isolated and developing mental health problems.
• Autism is much more common than many people think. It is currently estimated there are around 700,000 people on the autism spectrum in the UK – that’s more than 1 in 100¹. If you include their families, autism is a part of daily life for 2.8 million people.
• Autism doesn’t just affect children. Autistic children grow up to be autistic adults.
• Autism is a hidden disability – you can’t always tell if someone is autistic.
• Autism is not something which can be cured, but the right support at the right time can make an enormous difference to people’s lives.
• According to a survey in 2021, Less than half of autistic children are happy in school. [2]
• Three quarters of parents and carers (74%) said their child’s school place did not fully meet their needs. [2]
• There are over 160,000 autistic pupils in schools across England.* Over 70% are in mainstream school, with the rest in specialist education, home educated or out of education altogether. [2]
• Government figures show that autistic children are twice as likely to be excluded from school either for a fixed period or permanently as pupils with no special educational needs. [2]
• Seven in 10 autistic children say that the biggest thing that would make school better is having a teacher who understands autism. [2]
• 70% of autistic young people have mental health problems, compared to 13% of their non-autistic peers [3]
• Autistic people are four times more likely to experience loneliness and social isolation.[3]
•  Only 16% of autistic adults in the UK are in full-time paid work [7]
• The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has published data in 2020 that shows just 22% of autistic adults are in any kind of employment [4]
• Autistic spectrum conditions are not classed as a learning disability in themselves, however, approximately 20-30% of people with a learning disability also have autism and people with autism are more likely to experience mental health problems. [6]
• Around 70% of autistic people have at least one physical or mental health issue, including anxiety disorders, epilepsy and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but these are often unrecognised. [6]

^[1] What is Autism, National Autistic Society

[2] School Report 2021, National Autistic Society

[3] World Autism Acceptance Week, 2023, National Autistic Society

[4] New Data on the Autism Employment Gap, National Autistic Society

[5] The Autism Act, 10 years on, National Autistic Society

[6] People with a Learning disability, autism or both, NHS England

[7] The Autism Employment Gap, National Autistic Society

Organisations

Autism in Mind support individuals who are both newly diagnosed with autism or diagnosed during childhood but have been unable to access support or services during their adult lives.

Autism Independent UK helps to increase awareness of autism to the notice of all, together with well established and newly developed approaches in the diagnosis, assessment, education and treatment.

Dimensions supports people with learning disabilities, autism and complex needs out of institutions, helping them lead ordinary lives in their local communities.

National Autistic Society is the leading UK charity for autistic people (including those with Asperger syndrome) and their families.

Contact support families with the best possible guidance and information, bringing families together to support each other, and helping them to campaign, volunteer and fundraise to improve life for themselves and others.

Stats

• There are over 11 million people with a limiting long term illness, impairment or disability.
• The most commonly-reported impairments are those that affect mobility, lifting or carrying.^[1]
• There are 13.9 million disabled people in the UK. 8 per cent of children are disabled, 19 per cent of working age adults are disabled, 45 per cent of pension age adults are disabled.^[2]
• After housing costs, the proportion of working age disabled people living in poverty (28 per cent) is higher than the proportion of working age non-disabled people (18 per cent).^[3]
• Life costs you £570 more on average a month if you’re disabled.^[4]
• Over a quarter of disabled people say that they do not frequently have choice and control over their daily lives.^[5]
• Around a third of disabled people experience difficulties related to their impairment in accessing public, commercial and leisure goods and services.^[6]
• The spending power of families with at least one disabled person is estimated by the Government to be over £200 billion a year.^[7]
• Disabled audiences are over-represented amongst video buyers.^[8]

^[1] ONS Opinions Survey 2011
^[2] Family Resources Survey 2016/17
^[3] Households Below Average Income, 2015-16
^[4] Scope: The disability price tag
^[5] ONS Opinions Survey 2011
^[6] ONS Opinions Survey 2010
^[7] Department for Work and Pensions
^[8] BFI Audiences Research and Statistics 2015

Organisations

Scope exists to make this country a place where disabled people have the same opportunities as everyone else.
Disability Rights UK want a society where everyone can participate equally.

Centre for Accessible Environments (CAE) provides consultancy, training, research and publications on building design and management to meet all user needs, including disabled and older people.

Mind provides advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem.

Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) is the UK’s leading charity supporting blind and partially sighted people.

Action on Hearing Loss supports and helps people experiencing hearing loss, so they can take back control and live the live they choose.

Contact supports families with the best possible guidance and information. They bring families together to support each other, and help families to campaign, volunteer and fundraise to improve life for themselves and others.

Disability Arts has an extensive database of cinema and arts organisations

Sensory Trust also has a useful list

Whether you are running a specific programme to engage with LGBTQ+ audiences or simply hoping to grow LGBTQ+ representation in your existing screenings, it’s really important to remember some key things to make sure you are sensitively and appropriately programming, promoting, and welcoming audiences in your cinema.

1. Work with LGBTQ+ people themselves, whether it’s working with community or national organisations or with people within your own organisation.
2. Employ a more diverse workforce at all levels. Welcome diverse groups in your job applications and your mission statements.
3. If you can, get training delivered to staff about how to engage sensitively with audiences, and for a better understanding of the experience of LGBTQ+ people.
4. Consider that people have multiple identities so communication needs to work for LGBTQ+ people across your whole programme, and don’t presume that you will only have an LGBTQ+ turnout for your targeted programming.
5. Get LGBTQ+ people to audit your venue to give feedback about how the space feels, about signage, and about the customer service experience.
6. Make sure you take feedback on board and actually use it, and share your reasoning across the organisation.
7. Consider the tone of your signage – can you be gender neutral?
8. Think about lesser told stories – not just the obvious films… Are you including lesbian and trans stories? Think about the filmmakers and if they have credibility.
9. Get LGBTQ+ people to programme and give insights into marketing and audience development. (Best practice with any consultancy is to pay people!)
10. Revise your communications with LGBTQ+ insights – what kind of language do you use? Are you welcoming? Is there subtle prejudice in the way you communicate that needs to be considered?
11. You’ll need to do more community and social marketing. Engage with charities and relevant LGBTQ+ organisations.
12. Use gay bars and clubs/venues and LGBTQ+ centres for your print advertising. If there are Pride events in your calendar, go along…
13. Consider your survey. Do you have all the necessary fields for gender and sexuality? It’s a lot better to ask people to self-identify rather than to designate fields around gender.
14. Could you be gathering deeper, qualitative, useful feedback – can you make yourself available to audiences for interviews/conversations afterwards?
15. Think about opening up a dialogue and your audience will recognise the efforts you are making, and champion you to their networks. Even social media polls can be useful.
16. Make it known that you’re trying to improve and willing to listen and learn.