STAMMA
Charity
Changemaking Organisations
STAMMA’s mission is to create space for people who stammer. Stammering is just how some people talk, it is their natural voice. It affects around 8% of children and up to 2% of adults. It is primarily neurological.
Over the last 5 years the British Stammering Association has modernised, expanded their services, run award-winning public-facing campaigns tackling the ignorance around stammering, and encompassed the social model of disability. Work which was kick-started in 2019 with an award-winning re-brand, STAMMA.
Since 2019 STAMMA have grown their support base from around a thousand in 2018 to over 6000 and provide around 40,000 incidents of support annually. Services include a a free phone, webchat and email service for people who stammer and those who support them; regular workshops and parent to parent groups for families, an Employment Service for employees and employers, an Advocacy Service for those who feel they’ve been treated badly (discriminated against) because of how they talk, and a Minecraft group for young people.
Their award-winning campaigns have focussed on: The language used around stammering, (Find the Right Words, 2020). They worked with Wikipedia on an international campaign to change the negative language around stammering on their site. This scooped Communications Campaign of the Year 2020 Representation in the media (No Diversity without Dysfluency, 2021) calling for people who stammer to be represented in the media. The campaign film reached an audience of over 4 million in cinemas across the UK and a positive response from Ofcom.
Acceptance (It’s How We Talk, 2022) which captured people mid-stammer, encouraging viewer to understand that stammering is simply how some people talk, which has received many plaudits within the advertising industry, and more awards.
They faced down Apple in 2021, forcing them to stop their devices prompting a woozy face emoji when the word ‘stammer’ was typed, in every language across the world.
STAMMA’s current focus is tackling the barriers faced by people who stammer in accessing goods and services, such as healthcare.
“Stammering has until now, got a pass when it comes to disability. It is seen as something people should simply ‘stop doing’. We are delighted to be included in this prestigious list. Anything to help us highlight the need for people who stammer to be able to apply for jobs, order a coffee or communicate with a bank without discrimination.”
Disability Power 100 2023 profile information has been self-submitted by the profile subject. Shaw Trust understands and respects that disability and impairment descriptors and language use varies from person to person. Shaw Trust assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or discrepancies in the content of this, or any other, profile page.
Credits: The film was created by Daniel Liakh/VMLY&R London, with images by David Vintiner.
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