Living as a young person with disabilities: An interview with Claire Lock

Cheryl, one of our community liaison officers, has a chat with Claire Lock about her experience as a young person living with a disability and her tips for young people who are interested in getting involved with advocacy and activism work. Claire is a fierce advocate for young people with disabilities and a member of the Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) Youth Advisory Network.

Students with disabilities often face difficulties and barriers in accessing education that is sensitive to their needs and abilities. As a young person with a learning disability, Claire knows about the importance of intersectionality in making sure that education is inclusive for young people with different types of disabilities. In this interview, Claire also talks about the harms of a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to education and the importance of elevating students’ voices so they have their accessibility needs met. In particular, Claire highlights the need for organisations and schools to be proactive in reaching out to students and understanding their accessibility needs. 

Having done advocacy work across a variety of different areas including mental health and education, Claire knows that it can be tough for young people to get their voices heard. 

She talks about her experience as a young activist and shares tips for young people who are interested in getting involved with activism.

Find out more about Claire’s work with the WWDA Youth Advisory Network here.