From labels shackled to individuals who don’t fit our ‘societal norms’ so that these seldom-heard groups continue to be mistreated, palmed off from having a voice due to other barriers they face when presenting with disabilities, financial, family, gender, sexuality, heritage and their story is often judged and worst still they don’t receive their right to healthcare, unless they have the money or loud enough advocacy to break through the chains cast on them.
A new way of working such as more video calls, a rise in social media to mobilise communities and a multi-disciplinary medical system approach has in some ways given the seldom heard the chance to have their stories mobilised but as with any system or computer-profit driven revolution like social media it may start out as pioneering and progressive – but it doesn’t alway evolve into an ethical, inclusive or even accessible way.
It is why we have evolved from the term of ‘hard to reach’ communities to ‘seldom heard’ – but now’s the time to actively hear, learn and connect human to human through stories… creating a synergy between the labels cast on a hierarchal chain of ‘professionals’ and on ‘patients.’ The core of a truly human-centred approach begins with actively connecting with one another.
Start with the stories, they are not a blot-on.
We must go to the people, not expect people to come to us – we get too stuck in the office system.
We’re different from computers – we’re not machines, as humans we’re heart and soul,” Explains Maff Poff of Camerados at the People Voice’s Conference, The Institute of Community Reporters. As he passionately spoke about the power of ‘Mutuality,’ and incidentally Camerados means ‘we look out for each other.’
A Camerados is halfway between a stranger and a friend, people just alongside each other, no fixing, no agenda, just there.
From hard to reach to seldom-heard to seen and judged. Now finally respected and heard and seen.
