{"id":48054,"date":"2026-03-26T11:55:31","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T11:55:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wames.org.uk\/cms-english\/?p=48054"},"modified":"2026-03-26T11:55:31","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T11:55:31","slug":"wames-joins-disability-wales-as-an-affiliate-member","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wames.org.uk\/cms-english\/wames-joins-disability-wales-as-an-affiliate-member\/","title":{"rendered":"WAMES joins Disability Wales as an affiliate member"},"content":{"rendered":"

WAMES joins Disability Wales<\/strong><\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

WAMES is pleased to announce that we are now an affiliate member of Disability Wales.<\/p>\n

\"\"What is Disability Wales?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

DW is the national membership body of Disabled People\u2019s Organisations (DPOs) in Wales, striving for the rights of all disabled people.<\/p>\n

‘Our vision is for an inclusive, equitable and barrier free society.’<\/em><\/p>\n

Why are we only affiliate members?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Currently WAMES does not meet the criteria for a DPO as our constitution does not stipulate that disabled people are in the majority, so we cannot be a full member of Disability Wales.<\/p>\n

What is a DPO?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

A Disabled Peoples Organisation (DPO) is run and controlled by Disabled people, with it being a constitutional requirement to have the majority of the management committee and membership to identify as disabled, at least 51%.<\/p>\n

When referring to the definition of disability, DPOs use the Social Model<\/a>, which identifies that it is the barriers made by society that disable people, not their individual impairments, neurodivergence or health conditions.<\/p>\n

Are people with ME disabled?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

You\u2019re disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a \u2018substantial\u2019 and \u2018long-term\u2019 negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities.\u00a0 UK gov<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"Not everyone with ME would consider themselves to be substantially affected long-term by our illness or impairment. Severity of illness varies widely and health\u00a0 improvement is possible for some. Others however recognise they are no longer able to participate in society in the same way they used to, like others with different ullnesses and impairments.<\/p>\n

Why join DW?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

DW see their remit as including:<\/p>\n