#charitymodel

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Charity and Disability

The more I combine working for a charity with studying disability theory the more often I find myself questioning my professional practice and the organisation I work for’s actions.

It’s really important that although an organisation is a registered charity, that it is not following the outdated and damaging Charity/Tragedy model of disability. Mtewa explores how the charity model views people with disabilities as victims of tragedy, in need of help and support. It does not focus on the strengths or ability of that person but purely on them as an individual in some sort of need. This portrayal of disability encourages a dynamic of victim and hero between those who do have an impairment and those who do not. This dynamic with a disabled person being in a static place of receiving can become institutionalised and prevent people with disabilities the opportunity to gain independence.

The charity model is a point of contention between those with disabilities and some of the organisations that are set up to raise funds and support that community. This is because these organisations’ approaches to raising money and awareness often use the tragedy/charity model, using depictions of people with disability being seen as vulnerable and in need. Images like these are successful in obtaining donations as they are emotive and influence feelings of guilt and pity. However, it has been argued that this perpetuates the oppressive view that disabled people do not have the capacity for independence. In 1982 Donnellan wrote about Children in Need, as it had caught the attention of those critical of this model, describing the program as oppressive and offensive. The program uses images that tend to be tragic and emotive illustrations of children as victims of a variety of circumstances from war and poverty to disability and are typical of the charity model. 

 Although well meaning, Children in Need and campaigns using this approach are framing disability in a way which is damaging to society’s views and expectations of people with disabilities. I understand why it is still happening, because it works. But not only is it damaging for disability stigma but it will only work for so long, people grow tired of seeing the same images over and over. Donating money but things never seem to be getting better. Organisations must approach their campaigns with a strengths approach; inspire people, let them see the positives and the things that people are able to do when organisations have had the funds to intervene.

If interested, here’s some reading:

Donnellan, C. (1982). Disabilities and Discrimination Issues for the Nineties. New York: McGraw Hill.

Shelton, S. (2017). Not an inspiration for existing: How advertising uses physical disabilities as inspiration a categorization and model [Conference paper]. 

Mtetwa, E. (2011). Policy dimensions of exclusion: disability as charity and not right in Zimbabwe. Indian Journal of Social Work, 72(3), 381-398.