We're excited to share with you an inspiring photo project in collaboration with, Falmouth University student, Rosie Parr. This project highlights the experiences of students with hidden disabilities and amplifies their voices.

An intro from Rosie Parr

Layers of Me raises awareness of hidden disabilities including chronic pain, mental health conditions and learning differences, within a university setting. Students with disabilities face challenges that frequently go unnoticed as their conditions are not visible.

I am Rosie Parr, a final year BA Photography Student at Falmouth University. I was diagnosed with Dyslexia and Meares-Irlen Syndrome at the age of seven.

My university experience has been entirely positive, but I became aware that not everyone’s experience was the same. The aim for Layers of Me is to document individuals’ stories of hidden disability by allowing students to share their unique experiences since joining university. I have captured personal portraits of students in the place where they feel at peace, in the hope of raising awareness and fostering a deeper understanding of the challenges they face in higher education.

After interviewing each participant, it became clear that a diagnosis often brought relief, offering a deeper understanding of what makes them the person they have become. Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) are greatly appreciated, as many felt more supported and understood as a result of having an ILP. However, a common frustration was faculty not taking the time to read or properly implement ILPs, which left some students feeling overlooked and unsupported.

Layers of Me highlights the importance of empathy and understanding among peers, faculty and staff to ensure a culture of inclusivity. Layers of Me seeks to ensure that all students, regardless of their challenges, have equal opportunities to succeed in their academic and personal lives, without being defined by their disability.

Read Layers of Me here