The “Independent (Living) Media” project was implemented from January to December 2025 by the ENIL Youth Network. It was funded by the European Youth Foundation of the Council of Europe, through the annual workplan grant.

The project was created in response to young persons with disabilities still being underrepresented in the digital media, especially when it comes to positive narratives, and their voices often not being heard. The existing narratives around disability representation still carry stigma, shame, and lack of an authentic, rights-based approach. Sometimes young persons with disabilities are not well equipped to handle these challenges, lacking knowledge and skills in media literacy and ethics that would help them advocate for themselves. Yet at the same time, there are young persons with disabilities who are experienced influencers and content creators, and groups of young persons with disabilities who already use the power of the digital media to effect change.

With this in mind, Independent (Living) Media was imagined as a tool, community, and platform for young persons with and without disabilities to discuss existing narratives and work together to reshape them, while deepening their understanding of human rights, advocacy, democratic principles, active participation and the Independent Living philosophy.

The project’s main output are the Guidelines on Media Representation of Persons with Disabilities, which were co-created by the participants of the international summer school titled “Crip, Cut, Rewrite!” and built on rights-based representation of disability in the media. Their main goal is to equip young media workers, organisations and advocates with a framework to combat harmful narratives and address stories about disability and persons with disabilities with dignity and authenticity.

Aim and Objectives of the project:

The main aim of the project is to raise awareness about the misrepresentation of the narratives of persons with disabilities in the media and together with young people with (and without) disabilities and young media specialists, prepare guidelines on how to portray stories of persons with disabilities in the media with empathy, dignity and using a human-rights based approach.

The objectives are:

• To analyse how representation, misrepresentation, existing narratives, stereotypes in the media influence dignity and equal access to rights of young persons with disabilities.
• To explore how the media can be used as a tool for portraying and creating a shared understanding of the disabled experience.
• To empower young persons with (and without) disabilities to become active changemakers on local and international levels.
• To exchange experiences and insights on media representation of persons with disabilities among young people coming from different countries and cultures.
• To prepare guidelines on how to portray stories of persons with disabilities in the media based on the human rights approach and informed by the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.