Join Designability’s team as a Lived Experience Advisor

Designability are looking for 6 to 8 people with lived experience of disability. Whether you’re a disabled person, an unpaid carer, or a parent or carer of a disabled child or adult, Designability would like to work with you to on designing and running a groundbreaking study on disability and inclusive design. You don’t need to be a researcher or expert to take part. Just someone with lived experience who wants to make a difference. This is a paid opportunity to work alongside their team and make sure the voices of disabled people lead the way to inform the design of inclusive products and services.

What’s the project about?

This project is about finding out what gets in the way of independence and how better inclusive design can help. This research aims to be clear, useful and shaped by you. Designability aim to work with you on:

• Exploring what’s working and what’s not
• Sharing real ideas to improve design
• Showing what great accessibility looks like

What are Designability looking for?

You don’t need any research experience to take part. Designability values your perspective, your story and your ideas. As an advisor, you’ll work with them to:

• Design the study: Shape questions, methods and materials
• Review drafts: Give feedback on surveys, reports and communications
• Test things out: Try out materials and share your thoughts
• Share findings: Help them tell the story in your own voice – through blogs, videos, events and more. You’ll be supported by the team on this.

What you’ll help create

• Research questions shaped by lived experience
• Co-designed materials
• Tested and refined tools
• Findings shared in your voice
• Helping Designability improve their inclusive research practice

Flexible and accessible working

You choose how you’d like to be involved. Whether it’s joining group calls, chatting 1:1, online or in person or both, or giving written feedback, the team will work in ways that suit you best:

• Online workshops
• 1:1 chats via Zoom, Teams or the phone
• Written feedback by email or comments

Project timeline

The project runs from September 2025 to the end of 2026. You’ll take part in workshops, feedback sessions and planning meetings. The team will chat you through the timings when they make contact.

Support from the team

You’ll be supported by the Designability team throughout. Whether it’s a quick question or a longer chat, they’re here for you in whatever format works best.

Let them know your access needs. They’re here to support you every step of the way. They will have a conversation about these in the initial 1:1 onboarding session.

How to apply

Fill out the application form. Beth, Designability’s Research Manager, will then arrange a friendly chat about the role, your preferences and any adjustments you’d like.

Designability know organisations need to do more to include people who are often overlooked and they want to do better. To help them, they ask a few optional demographic questions in the form. These help them see who’s getting involved and who they might be missing, so they can take action to reach more voices. When selecting people to take part, they’ll consider:

• Representation across different communities and experiences
• Availability and capacity to join in
• Support needs they can reasonably meet
• A good balance of perspectives in each activity

They’ll be in touch with other ways to get involved, and it’s completely up to you whether you’d like to join in.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Beth at research@designability.org.uk

Closing date to apply: 20^th October 2025