It's a simple thing, but it makes it more powerful - being able to hear a member talk and hear their voice in it - it just brings the whole thing to life.
Camden Disability Action is a user-led organisation working to remove barriers for Disabled people. They provide advice and advocacy, and empower individuals to shape services, activities and attitudes so Camden becomes inclusive for everyone.
Meet Tom
In October 2024, Tom McDonough, Engagement and Communications Officer at Camden Disability Action, signed up to a number of our Trust for London funded training courses, attending 3 sessions during winter 2024 and spring of 2025.
Following each course, Tom signed up for one-to-one support on the various topics covered in his courses - Datawrapper, Community Lens, Padlet, video recording software and to explore external data sources.
I've really enjoyed the courses I've done with Superhighways. They've introduced me to a lot of tools that I wasn't aware of at all, so it's really interesting to see all these different ways of monitoring and presenting information.
And it was really great, as well, that Superhighways were willing to meet me afterwards to go through things that I hadn't understood well enough or wanted a bit more information on.
The digital challenge
In one support session, Tom mentioned some limitations with his work mobile phone, and some audio recording kit that he wanted to buy to enable him to record conversations with his members to provide lived experience voice in Camden Disability Action’s campaigns work.
How Superhighways helped
Through our Trust for London funded programme, Superhighways was able to research and purchase a microphone for CDA, which would connect straight into Tom’s Motorola work mobile phone which had limited ports.
We found a good option, delivered it to Tom but then tested the kit together in person to be sure that it could pick up clear audio and that Tom could use it at events.
It's really useful across board, and not just useful, but also motivating and inspiring.
The results
With a new, easy-to-use microphone provided, Tom was ready to apply the skills he gained from Superhighways’ video recording training at an upcoming event.
Tom also shared that the training and new tech inspired him to capture more outcome stories from members.
We did some engagement work with the Council around the environment and Camden's Climate Action Plan, and because of this work I've done with Superhighways, I recorded what one of the members thought about that and put that into our newsletter.
And my manager loved it, because, rather than just a standard write up on the piece of engagement, it had the voice of the member there [...] it gives the whole thing some authenticity.
He plans to record campaign-style interviews on policy issues and their effects, using these videos for social media and the website.
Finally, he stated that he has created two videos recently with his newly acquired skills.
The first was about Labour MP Richard Burgon's speech at their campaign launch on Monday 12th May, where he spoke out against the government’s planned cuts to disability support.
I did use the mic to make a video of the event in May and it really helped with the sound quality.
The second was of Colin Brummage, CEO of Camden Disability Action, sharing his views on the welfare bill that passed on 1st July 2025.
I also used the idea of using Canva to create a visual frame for this video [about July's welfare bill].
Visit Camden Disability Action to find out more about their services.
About Realities of Poverty
Realities of Poverty is a data literacy programme led by small charity digital, data and technology experts Superhighways and funded by Trust for London.
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