The Disabled Researchers Initiative
The initiative
Well Adapt is committed to expanding who gets to produce knowledge about disability and health.
We know that many talented disabled people, particularly those from Black, mixed heritage and other marginalised backgrounds, face structural barriers to entering research careers.
These barriers often appear before PhD study, when people need support to:
develop research ideas
conduct literature reviews
write PhD proposals
access academic networks
For people without existing access and connections in academia, this stage can be particularly difficult.
Our approach
The Disabled Researchers Initiative supports disabled people to develop research careers in disability and health.
Through internships, mentoring and research training we support people to build:
research skills
policy analysis skills
confidence navigating academic environments
Participants gain experience in:
literature review
policy analysis
writing and publication
Our social impact
From our inception, Well Adapt has prioritised creating paid opportunities for marginalised people.
Our team is 75% disabled and we employ 100% people of colour.
We believe that increasing economic opportunity for disabled people — particularly those facing multiple forms of marginalisation — is a core part of creating a more equitable society.
Our work so far
Well Adapt has already:
Delivered three research and research-supportive internships, all with people of colour
For example, one intern contributed to Well Adapt’s work supporting Disabled People’s Organisations as core participants in the UK Covid-19 Inquiry. This work involved gathering qualitative data on disabled people’s lived experiences during the pandemic and translating this evidence into policy recommendations for government. The intern supported this process through written outputs, including articles and public-facing content, and contributed to the development of a publication on Disabled people’s experiences. Through this, they gained experience in qualitative evidence gathering, synthesis, and how lived experience data is used to inform national policy processes.
Offered training opportunities designed for people with no previous research experience
Provided mentoring to research interns within Disabled People’s Organisations
Delivered talks and workshops with research institutes including LSE, St Mary’s University Twickenham, University of West London, and Oxford Brookes on supporting marginalised students
Supported interns to develop research, writing, and policy analysis skills
This work is helping to build a new generation of disabled researchers and policy thinkers.
What comes next
Stay tuned for announcements and opportunities.