Disability Research on Independent Living and Learning (DRILL) is an innovative research programme which will gather evidence on the social barriers to independent living and learning faced by disabled people. Research findings will be used to develop pilot projects and inform policy development and practice to bring about real improvements to the lives of disabled people.
In 2015 Big Lottery awarded £5 million funding over 5 years to a partnership of national disability organisations including Disability Wales, Disability Action Northern Ireland, Inclusion Scotland and Disability Rights UK. Disability Wales are managing the DRILL programme in Wales.
A unique feature of the project is that disabled people will lead and coproduce research projects in partnership with academics.
Most disability research is led by academics, who may involve people with lived experience of impairments or chronic health conditions, but still retain control of the research process.
We have turned this on its head. We believe this to be the world’s first major research programme led by the priorities of disabled people, working co-productively with academics and policy and practice leaders.
We aim to ensure delivery of solid research which addresses the priorities of those directly affected, and which is useful to people leading change in policy and practice.
