Hi Rebecca! Could you share with our readers some background on your education and co-curricular work so far?
I’m currently an undergraduate student at King’s, studying Biomedical Engineering. Alongside my studies, I’m passionate about advocating for disability rights and creating inclusive spaces for young people.
As the Vice-Chair of the Whizz-Kidz Youth Board, I’ve worked on initiatives to improve accessibility, such as advocating for 24/7 disabled bus passes and ensuring supermarkets are more accessible. I also co-designed the Autistic and OK programme with Ambitious About Autism, which empowers autistic students and fosters greater acceptance in schools.
At the National Citizen Service (NCS), I’ve helped embed youth and disabled voices into the organisation’s structure, ensuring their programme is accessible and inclusive for everyone.
I’m also proud to be a part of the Disabled Children’s Partnership, where I contribute to shaping surveys and reports on education, health, and social care. These efforts aim to inform policymakers and ministers, driving meaningful changes that improve the lives of disabled children and their families.
Were there any experiences or moments that sparked your passion for advocating for young autistic and disabled people?
Being a disabled young person and an autistic young person, I see first-hand the difficulties we face in accessing services, education, employment and the community. I also see that there is too much that is done for disabled people without consulting us and these actions typically have far less of an impact as they aren’t made for the people that they are focusing on. However, I also see how good things could be if just a few small changes were made. We deserve equity and things can improve, we just need to be listened to and worked with.
Can you tell us about someone who has made a lasting impression on your journey so far?
I think the staff at NCS have made a lasting impression on my work. Many of them are non-disabled but still, they listen intently to the experiences of disabled people and really want to - and do - take action to improve accessibility. They continuously strive for improvement, value lived experiences and representation, and share our voices across their work and departments to create lasting change. This showed me that people without lived experience of disability can have a real impact when their mindset is right, and they have the tools and information from disabled people to take forward to create meaningful, disabled-led change.
Once again, congratulations on the BEM! We have to ask - how did you react when you received the news?
I was incredibly excited, happy and honoured. My dad sent me a picture of the envelope which said “On His Majesty’s Service” on the front as well as “Cabinet Office” and “Ceremonial Office”. I saw it in the break of my lecture and I wanted to get home to open it to find out what it was! Just to think that my hard work has been recognised is really rewarding.
With your involvement in so many fantastic programmes, what helps you relax and recharge after work?
It’s definitely still a work in progress but I try to balance doing things that recharge my mental energy such as the sports that I do (wheelchair cricket and tennis) and things that recharge my physical energy such as playing games.
And finally, what inspired you to study Biomedical Engineering at King's, and how have you found your time here?
I chose to study Biomedical Engineering because it combines my passions for healthcare and disability as well as problem-solving and engineering. I chose King’s after speaking to Professor Kawal Rhode at an open day about the accessibility of the programme, which no other university could confidently talk about. The course at King’s also sounded really interesting and, is the only one based at a hospital (St Thomas'). My time at King’s has been good, I’ve made some lovely friends and accessibility is improving all the time.
Quick-fire round:
Favourite cricketer? Tricky to choose just one, so Jamie Smith and Cameron Steel because they always say hello to me when I’m watching Surrey play.
Your go-to hot drink in freezing January? Hot chocolate
Morning person or night owl? Morning person
What's a fun fact about you that our readers won't be able to guess? I love Pandas!