DW is proud to present our new Strategic Plan, launched at our recent AGM, which outlines how we aim to work with members to achieve our vision for an inclusive, equitable and barrier free society.
Following cuts in our funding due to the cost-of-living crisis, the new Plan stems from our strategic review which involved Directors, staff and members in developing a more sustainable future for DW. With valued facilitation from Cranfield Trust volunteer consultants, the review included strategic planning workshops with Directors and staff, and engagement with members via an online survey and break-out sessions at our AGM last year.
Members told us that their priorities for DW included: working with Disabled People’s Organisations and individual disabled people; campaigning and influencing policies; as well as educating the public on disability issues and the Social Model of Disability.
For DW, we concluded that with a small team of mostly part-time staff, to be sustainable, we need to be clear and focussed on our agreed goals and areas of expertise and maximise our resources by working collaboratively with others.
Key to this is DW’s role as the national membership body of Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs) i.e. groups and organisations that constitutionally are run and controlled by disabled people.
The relationship between DW and member DPOs is multi-faceted. We recognise our vital role in community building DPOs through provision of information, support and training as well as acting as the representative voice at national level.
In turn, member DPOs will very often be the leading experts on specific policy or community issues and/or provider of services such as information and advice and peer support to disabled people across Wales.
This offers rich opportunities for collaboration, sharing of information and resources and collective campaigning to maximise the prospects of achieving our vision for an inclusive, equitable and barrier free society.
Through our new Plan we seek to achieve our strategic goals by strengthening the relationship with existing member DPOs and supporting the growth of new disabled people led groups in Wales.
In the New Year, we will launch a dedicated web page featuring member DPOs to raise the profile of their valuable work across Wales.
Furthermore, a priority action is to secure funding to establish a DPO Wales Forum that brings groups together to act as the collective voice of our movement, campaign on common issues and support each other.
While there will be a strong focus on our work with DPOs, we will continue to deliver national strategic initiatives which directly benefit individual members.
These are aimed at developing the leadership potential of disabled people and ensuring greater representation in public and political life.
Current programmes include Equal Power Equal Voice, Access to Politics Grassroots Network and the Access to Elected Office Fund.
Alongside DPO community building, the new Plan highlights our other main activities which accord with members priorities: championing the Social Model of Disability and campaigning to influence public policy and attitudes.
Our new Manifesto, informed by members views, will be launched soon ahead of the Senedd 2026 Elections, and will set out DW’s campaigning and policy priorities over the next few years.
Our strategic review is ongoing, and we are working on plans to help with achieving our goals including sustainability of our funding and consistent communications with members and stakeholders.
Reviewing the membership structure, fees and benefits is another important strand and we will be announcing the outcome of this in the Spring.
As an organisation well known for being values driven, we have updated these to reflect our commitment to being ‘bold and unwavering’, ‘inclusive and authentic’ and ‘trustworthy and considerate’ in how we work and in all we do.
We greatly appreciate the ongoing support of members during this period of review and look forward to working with you all to achieve our mission of building a more inclusive Wales, through representation of Disabled People’s Organisations and collaboration across society.
