Fighting for our rights: perceived gains from transforming the curriculum through a narrative of activism

This paper will analyse the gains from 'Fighting for our Rights' project (2016-2018) focusing on the use of real-life experiences in HE teaching and beyond. This was a Heritage Lottery funded project that entailed collecting and sharing stories from people involved in the Disability Rights Movement (DRM) from 1960s to 1990s within Kingston in order to inspire future generations of care professionals and teachers in working with people with disabilities. It was the outcome of a collaboration between two university departments (Schools of Nursing and Education), a centre for independent living (CIL), two social enterprises, oral history consultants, and a local school for children with severe learning difficulties. It captured 30 years of local history (1960-1990) in a permanent digital record of the DRM and produced a school resource pack to enhance public engagement and inform university and school curricula.