Ask An Expert: Public Engagement and Disability: Challenges and Opportunities

ASK AN EXPERT Public Engagement and Disabilities: Challenges and Opportunities

The session will focus on sharing the findings of the research project on the experiences of people with disabilities serving on the municipal accessibility advisory committees in British Columbia. Specifically, the presentation will highlight some of the challenges that committee members experiences when engaging with the cities, unpack the idea of Nothing About Us Without Us in the context of public engagement and disability, and propose the ways to re-imagine the engagement of people with disabilities.

About the Expert: Dr. Alfiya Battalova holds a PhD in Disability Studies and Master’s in Public Administration. She is an Assistant Professor in the School of Humanitarian Studies at Royal Roads University (RRU) in Victoria, BC. Prior to joining RRU, she worked in several disability and health non-profit organizations, including SCI BC, SPARC BC, and Pacific AIDS Network and supported program delivery and program evaluation. Her research interests include community engagement, disability and social policies, and health equity. She serves as a Vice-Chair of the Access West Shore Society and a Board Member of OneAbility. As a person with a disability, she draws on her personal experience, and she is committed to community-based research that promotes disability justice. In her free time, she enjoys hand cycling and traveling.