Arts Access Aotearoa or the Government should push for more funding for screen writers with disabilities. Writers mainly write about what they know, so the solution to the lack of people with disabilities on screen is to become writers ourselves. Assistance for writing funding applications and getting writing jobs should be included.

Writing books is different from screenplays so this would mean separate workshops. It is possible that this could be crowdfunded. Doing this achieves three things:

  1. It would encourage people with disabilities to be creative through writing.
  2. It would provide a pathway to gain employment for the people who were in the programme.
  3. It would increase awareness of people that have disabilities by introducing audiences to them.

While I understand that there is a problem with literature targeting TV would reach a wider audience. To prevent an echo chamber effect people could write about a variety of characters. This will be necessary when approaching mainstream shows such as Shortland Street.

If you are a person with a disability head over to the article at people with disabilities for further inspiration about getting into writing.

Writing workshops to help people with disabilities

 
 

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