July is Disability Pride Month – a time to celebrate the strength, resilience, and achievements of disabled people, while also raising awareness of the barriers that continue to exist in society. At The College of Animal Welfare, we are committed to ensuring that all our students can thrive and achieve their goals in an inclusive, supportive learning environment.
Disability Pride Month is not just about recognising challenges; it is about celebrating identity, community, and pride. Whether you identify as disabled, have a long-term health condition, or are neurodivergent, we want you to feel valued, respected, and empowered in your studies.
How we support our students
We understand that everyone’s learning journey is different. That’s why we offer a range of services and adjustments to ensure you have equal access to your course and can reach your full potential:
- Free confidential counselling (in-person or online). All students can access up to six sessions of counselling for support with mental health, personal challenges, or academic pressures.
- Learning Support Team. Our experienced team offers tailored support for a wide range of conditions, including sensory and mobility needs, mental health, and neurodiversity such as dyslexia, ADHD, and autism.
- Assistive technology tools. Read Aloud extensions for Chrome to support online learning
- Our online eLibrary resources allow you to highlight, enlarge, and read aloud textbooks to suit your needs.
- Accessible learning materials. Written materials for lectures are provided in advance to give you time to prepare and engage fully in class.
- Exam concessions and reasonable adjustments. We support you in gaining appropriate exam concessions and adjustments to ensure fair assessment.
- Dyslexia Referral Process. If you think you may have dyslexia, we can support you through our referral process to access the help you need.
Suggestions?
If you are a CAW student or member of staff and have any suggestions on how we can further support people with disabilities, we would love to hear your ideas – please pop them into our online suggestion box.
You are not alone
Disability Pride Month is a reminder that disability is an important part of human diversity and that inclusion benefits everyone. If you would like to discuss any support needs, please do not hesitate to contact the Learning Support Team on learningsupport@caw.ac.uk. We are here to help you succeed and feel proud of who you are.
This July, join us in celebrating Disability Pride Month – and in working together towards a truly accessible and inclusive future.