For us, amplifying is about 2 things: voices and visibility.

• We speak as a collective.
• We are many voices, not one.
• We are people, not an organisation.
• We speak as a group of disabled and non-disabled people. We're devoted to revealing truths, sharing experiences and inspiring action.
• Whenever possible, it's about amplifying other voices with content, stories and quotes.

Why?

• We share stories to show the challenges many disabled people face and how greater opportunities can be created.
• We amplify voices to show how to create the change that’s needed, to remove those challenges and make an equal future together.
• When we're talking as Scope there are millions of voices within.
• As a collective we harness the experience and wisdom of these voices.
• As a movement we inspire others to join our cause.

How Scope communicates

Our use of 'voice', 'speak', and 'listen' have a variety of forms. We could be speaking or listening through:

• our writing and other content
• British Sign Language (BSL)
• alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) devices

It covers any way people communicate as Scope.

Curation of voices

Scope is here to provide a powerful platform for disabled voices. Those voices can come from anywhere. They could be:

• community members
• storytellers
• staff members
• influencers
• campaigners

What they will have in common is lived experience of disability and a point of view which needs to be heard. In this situation Scope is a curator, finding valuable and authentic disabled voices to share. 

Amplifying a voice on one issue does not mean we tie ourselves to this person, though in many cases we will want to support them, perhaps for the long term. By amplifying a voice we are saying that they should be heard and we want to bring their view to a wider audience.

• We speak to expand views.
• We shine a light on lived experience.
• We share truths to change understanding.
• We create space for disability.
• WE DO NOT SHOUT. THIS ISN’T A MEGAPHONE.
• We do highlight issues to transform beliefs.

Expanding views

Scope can be a coach and critical friend. We show and celebrate the best of our community while shining a light on what must change.

As a coach we have the sole aim of bringing out the best in our team and achieving our shared goals.

As a critical friend we can address the problems we see, head on, in a constructive and powerful way.

We do not call out, we call in. We do not stand for, we stand with. We show the injustices many disabled people face, but we always offer a solution we can work on together.

So what do we mean by coach and critical friend?

The coach:

• is part of a wider team
• studies the opposition and decides the best strategies to use
• brings out the best in every member of that team
• celebrates and speaks for the team, but never takes credit for the work they do

The critical friend:

• has a clear-eyed perspective based on knowledge and skills
• can and will ask difficult questions
• speaks truth to power
• is always constructive, even when tackling hard issues

There is crossover between the 2 aspects. They’re complementary and support each other. Leaning towards one or the other will help when tuning a piece of communication towards a specific audience.

We have many platforms to speak through, many different audiences to reach and issues to address as part of our fight for an equal future.

This means we adapt our voice to the strengths of those platforms, to connect with those audiences.

But it is always one voice, recognisably Scope.

Read how to apply our experience principles to how we sound.

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