History
of the DRC

We were established by the Birmingham Disability Rights Group in 1992 following successful lobbying campaigns to Birmingham City Council.  As a Disabled People’s Organisation, the Birmingham Disability Rights Group argued that disabled people’s experience of discrimination and inequality often resulted in the denial of the opportunity and rights of disabled people to speak on their own behalf and make their own decisions.
Social Model of Disability

Using the Social Model of Disability, DRC was established to empower disabled people to take control of their own lives and support their transition from the margins of society into the heart of mainstream societal and economic activity.

Whilst we are rooted in Birmingham and in the local communities surrounding our Information, Health and Wellbeing Centre where we first started out over 30 years ago, over the years, we have scaled our work and impact to benefit more disabled people and those with health conditions, including those in older age.

 

Disabled People’s User Led Organisation

As a disabled people’s organisation (an organisation run by disabled people, for disabled people) – 80% of our Board of Directors, 90% of our workforce and 100% of our volunteer team identify as disabled or having a long-term health condition.

Disabled people are therefore represented throughout our organisation providing authenticity and lived experience to the work that we do.