Accessible Leadership: The CYA Journey
- Coventry Youth Activists
- 6 hours ago
- 2 min read
People often tell the members of Coventry Youth Activists (CYA) how "lovely" it is that they’ve been given an opportunity. But if you ask them, they’ll tell you the truth: they weren't given a chance, they created one.
This is their narrative shared at the Connecting For Good gathering, tracking the journey from "the kids with no voice" to the leaders reclaiming the city of Coventry.
This is the narrative of accessible leadership shared by the Coventry Youth Activists (CYA) at Connecting For Good's April gathering. A collective voice representing the whole team, including those who were there in person and those who contributed their stories through digital slides.
Finding a Voice through accessible leadership
Adapting and Growing: The Power of accessible leadership
Joanna: We started with CYA Saturdays — coming together, building confidence and finding our voices. Then lockdown hit, and everything stopped, but not us! We moved online with CYA on the Sofa, creating a space where we could still connect and speak out. Through that, we built strong connections with allies who stood in solidarity with us and supported our Facebook campaign.
Then we started creating resources for others like the Ally Pack, the Playbook and the Let’s Get Voting campaign. Each one built on the last, showing that we could organise, adapt and grow beyond our local group to influence change across Coventry and even nationally.
Creating the Opportunity
Joey: During lockdown, we made a choice… to focus on what good could come out of it. We used that time to teach people about accessibility, hoping that when the world opened up again, things would be different. We believed we could change how people see disability.
Because accessibility isn’t just doors, ramps or lifts, it’s about whether people can take part at all. When parks were closed during lockdown, everyone felt that loss. That’s what it’s like for disabled people trying to access opportunities all the time. We saw a gap in youth leadership and in accessible leadership and we stepped into it. Our journey shows that when we’re given the tools and the opportunity, we don’t just take part, we lead. We just needed the right conditions to prove it.
Lead with Joy
Joey: People often say to us, ‘It’s so lovely you’ve been given this opportunity.’ We’re not here because we were given a chance. We’re here because we created one — and because barriers were removed. Tonight, we want to leave you with this:
No idea is too crazy.
Always pursue your ideas in creative ways.
Nothing is impossible; you just have to find a way to make it happen.
Joanna: I mean, if we can put a sofa on a bike, anything is possible! For CYA Shape Coventry means creating space, trusting young disabled people and building accessibility in from the start. And most of all, always lead with joy.
Ready to lead with joy? The journey doesn’t stop here. If you’re a young person looking to reclaim your voice, or an ally who wants to support accessible leadership, we want to hear from you.
🌐 Explore our work: Download a copy of the CYA Playbook
📧 Get involved: Drop us an email at covactvists@gmail.com to find out how you can become an ally.
Comments