The Representative Voice of our movement: Disabled People’s Organisations
Empowering Representation, Driving Change: Unveiling the Power and Purpose of Disabled People’s Organisations. Welcome to the DPO Development Landing Page – Your National Hub for Empirical Research, Capacity Building Resources, and Development Projects Championing Change for DPOs and Disabled People-Led Groups. Connect, Discover, and Lead with Us.
What Are DPOs?
Disabled people's organisations, or DPOs, are organisations that are led and controlled by disabled individuals. Unlike non-representative charities, these organisations are the authentic voice of the movement and play a crucial role in advocating for the rights and needs of our disabled community, and they provide valuable support and services to their members.
While there is no universally accepted definition or standard for what constitutes a DPO, Disability Rights UK (DR UK) recognises an organisation as a DPO where Disabled people represent at least 75% of the board and 50% of staff. Additionally, a DPO actively demonstrates its commitment to the Social Model of Disability through its work.
The sphere of DPOs, is by nature a complex network. Under the umbrella of DPO are Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisations (DDPO), User-led Organisation (ULO’s) and User-Led Disabled People’s Organisation. Some aren’t non-formalised organisations, but groups led by disabled people; Disabled People Led Groups (DPLG’s) are often at the forefront of grassroots activism. Vitally, Organisations and Groups representing and working with communities of disabled people with multiple intersecting experiences, called Intersectional DPOs have led the push for greater intersectionality in the movement to ensure that all disabled people are represented and respected.
The DPO sector exists to provide disabled individuals a representative platform to have their voices heard within the discourse of their own rights and activity. Disabled people are still not adequately represented in mainstream society and marginalised even by institutions discussing their own rights. DPOs provide an authentic space where disabled people can come together to share their experiences and perspectives and to work towards improving our lives.
References:
R Edwards, Disability Rights UK. (2023). DPO Sector Analysis: Part 1. The DPO Sector Research Report (1st ed.) Page 9
Want to know more about Disabled People’s Organisations?
Read our Innovative and Coproduced Research on the Sector. In a mixed-method analysis of the DPO Sector, Disability Rights UK, outlines the sector of DPOs in the current socio-economic climate, including increased competition for funding, demands for rigorous evidence-based campaigns, external bias, and a decreasing workforce.The comprehensive research reports illustrate the UK’s sole sector assessment model and provides evidence-based recommendations for developing a sector led by disabled people.
Our DPO Development Projects
Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs) are the true representatives and originators of the Disabled People's Movement in the UK. In contrast to non-disabled people-led charities, DPOs are the authentic voice of disabled communities and monitor the UK's implementation of the Equality Act and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
With support from the Legal Education Foundation, we've launched a series of initiatives to develop the DPO sector—building capacity, fostering connections within the broader social justice ecosystem, advocating for funding justice, promoting intersectionality, and co-producing targeted training and digital resources.
Check out our current initiatives!