ncat has as a core value that our work starts and ends with disabled people, and we amplify the voices of disabled people in all decision-making
To do this, in June 2023 we set up the Community of Accessible Transport (CAT) panel and began our call our for disabled people to sign up to be part of our work.
The remit of the panel is to enable members to:
• Get involved in shaping the future of transport for disabled people.
• Share ideas. Learn from others. Find solutions that work.
• Receive incentives for taking part in the research.
Membership is predominately for disabled people but we also welcome parent(s) or carers of disabled children or adults, transport sector workers who want to make transport accessible for disabled people, members of disability charities, and researchers within higher education institutions interested in the work of ncat.
Since we launched over 2,500 people have joined the panel, giving key insights and valuable evidence that ncat and can use to influence policy and drive change. Over 30 panel members were funded to join us in person at the recent Accessible Transport Summit in September 2024, (see image below), to engage directly with transport professionals and policy-makers and directly influence ncat’s research priorities and grant funding programme.
To read first hand accounts of panels members about what they’ve been involved with, and what they’ve got from the experience you can read some recent blogs posts linked below
https://www.ncat.uk/2024/10/17/airports-are-too-bright-too-loud-and-its-never-clear-where-to-go-meet-cat-panel-member-sarah/
To read more or to join the panel please visit the sign-up page.