Meet the team – Roxane

7 February 2023

We’re proud to be user-led and have a variety of staff, associates, and National User Group members all contributing their knowledge and lived experience to our work. In today’s blog, we talk to Roxane, one of our associates.

Tell us a bit about yourself 

I am an inclusion and involvement consultant and trainer. I’ve been an associate of Shaping Our Lives for almost two years. I deliver training on disability inclusion to a range of organisations and businesses including the United Nations and Transport for London. Previously, I worked as a Co-Production Mentor for a Disabled-led organisation in London. I have a BA in International Relations combined with Communications, Media and Culture and an MA in International Relations 

When I’m not working, I spend my time collecting plants and books, singing in a community choir, weightlifting and exploring London. 

How did you get involved with Shaping Our Lives and what do you do? 

I became an associate following recruitment as a researcher in Shaping Our Lives’ user-led study about digital communication technologies in social work practice. Since then, I’ve worked on several of Shaping Our Lives’ projects on a freelance basis, including planning the Thinking Outside the Tick(box) conference.  

Why did you want to get involved with Shaping Our Lives? 

I wanted to get involved because I’m passionate about using my expertise and lived experience to create social change for all, including Disabled people. As such I was drawn to Shaping Our Lives’ commitment to inclusive involvement and to valuing lived experience. 

Why is inclusive involvement important to you? 

Inclusive involvement is important to me as I believe it’s essential to the development of meaningful policy, research and services. For too long, the public and service users, particularly those who are the most marginalised in our society, have not been meaningfully involved in research and decision-making. I believe this has a detrimental impact on our society. 

Do you have any personal experiences which inform your work with Shaping Our Lives?

My commitment to inclusive involvement and to Shaping Our Lives’ work stems from my own lived experience as a Disabled person. I’ve faced so many barriers to accessing services and I believe that these could be removed if our voices were better included.  

Thanks Roxane!

If you would like to find out more about the people working with Shaping Our Lives, take a look at the Our People page.