John Lyon’s Charity advocates for increased inclusion through the launch of their inaugural podcast series ‘Stronger Voices Together’, dedicated to exploring the diverse realm of disability and inclusion.

‘Stronger Voices Together’, a podcast brought to you by John Lyon’s Charity and hosted by esteemed disability activist Lucy Edwards, promises to unravel the narratives, challenges, and
successes within the world of disability, with a particular focus on Arts and cultural engagement.

This series will unfold over five compelling episodes, which will be released every two weeks starting from Tuesday 23rd April, and will explore critical topics that the Charity has
identified through consultation with partners as part of their Perspectives
series, including special schools, Arts organisations and other funders.

The first episode focuses the importance of bridging the cultural capital gap, and other episodes tackle topics such as the implementation of inclusive practice and language and the
progression of inclusion needed in both personal and professional spheres. Through engaging discussions and insights from experts, advocates, and young people, ‘Stronger Voices Together’ will be offering actionable solutions for positive change.

Lucy Edwards, Host of ‘Stronger Voices Together’, reflects on why she wanted to get involved with this initiative:
“It is so important to be seen and heard when you have a disability. Representation is everything and seeing me as the podcast host is empowering. Young people need to know that they are not alone and that there are people and organisations out there that
want to help them thrive. I got to talk to so many like-minded people including disabled young people, parents, carers, thought leaders, and the organisations where there are young people with disabilities are involved.”

Stronger Voices Together features as part of John Lyon’s Charity’s latest edition to their
Perspectives series, A New Perspective – a series of reports that aims to promote the provision of inclusive opportunities for D/deaf, visually impaired, disabled and neurodivergent young people.

Dr. Lynne Guyton, CEO of John Lyon’s Charity shares:
“Through our Perspectives series, we’ve challenged arts organisations, special schools, music hubs, and other funders to rethink opportunities for young people with special educational needs and disabilities. We have already catalysed significant changes
in the relationships between the arts sector and special schools and maintain a long-term commitment to fostering collaborations and partnerships that demonstrate best practice.”

“However, there is still much work to be done, which is why we’ve identified the crucial need for the ‘Stronger Voices Together’ podcast. It serves as a platform to advance our shared
mission by amplifying the voices of key stakeholders committed to best practice, enabling them to voice the issues present and promote the provision of inclusive opportunities for all.”

The first episode of Stronger Voices Together launched on Tuesday 23rd
April, and episodes will be released every two weeks. Released episodes can be accessed audibly on Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music, and can be watched on YouTube, Vimeo and the John Lyon’s Charity website via the following link:

Stronger Voices Podcast