Changing Faces has an amazing history and track record. The dedication and hard work of our founder, James Partridge, and everyone who has worked in and supported the organisation over the years, has resulted in many thousands of people getting support that wouldn’t otherwise have existed. We’ve also seen a positive shift in awareness and attitudes towards visible difference.
Yet there is so much more that we can, and should, be doing. Our new strategy is ambitious because we want to make the biggest impact that we can – increasing access to support and reducing prejudice and discrimination. It also reflects what we heard from you, our community.
Over 200 of you shared your thoughts – thank you for your honesty and your time. We also commissioned an independent survey of over 1,000 people with visible differences because we wanted to hear from people who don’t already engage with us.
Almost half had never heard of Changing Faces, giving us a fresh perspective on what people want.
Our new strategy is ambitious because we want to make the biggest impact that we can – increasing access to support and reducing prejudice and discrimination.
Support with confidence and self-esteem, and with mental health and wellbeing, are your highest priorities. Around 40% of people said the biggest barrier to support was limited availability. And there is unequal access to, or uptake of support across certain groups.
Support in coping with others’ reactions and more public awareness was also very important. Sadly, the proportion of people with visible differences experiencing hostile behaviour rose to 43% compared to 34% two years ago, which shows how far there is to go.
The need for change is on such a scale that we need to be ambitious, bold and determined. We have set two goals for the next five years:
- By 2027, everyone across the UK with a visible difference or disfigurement will have access to the support they need.
- By 2027 we will significantly increase everyone’s understanding and acceptance of visible difference and disfigurement, and reduce prejudice and discrimination.
And our longer-term vision for Changing Faces, which these goals will help us achieve, is:
We won’t stop until everyone with a visible difference or disfigurement is supported and respected.
There is a lot to do over the next five years if we’re to be successful. We will need to grow our own services and work in partnership with others to ensure the broadest possible availability. New forms of support and ways to access it will enable as many people as possible to benefit.
We will work closely with health professionals to ensure there is awareness of the psychological needs as well as the physical needs of people with visible differences, and that those needs are championed in the NHS. And our successful campaigning work will continue with a renewed focus and energy on achieving the acceptance and respect to which everyone with a visible difference is entitled.
We won’t stop until everyone with a visible difference or disfigurement is supported and respected.
It’s an ambitious plan, and we will only achieve it with your help, as a supporter, a campaigner, a partner, or someone who spreads the word in whatever way you can – there is something exciting and important to be achieved. We will only be successful if we do this together, as a community.