STAMMA

Who we are

Set up in 1978, STAMMA is a membership organisation. We provide a free national helpline, email and webchat service, online resources and information, support for local groups and professional networks, for families with children who stammer, and an Advocacy Service for those who have been discriminated against because of their stammer.

We've run national award-winning campaigns (Find the Right Words).  We got Apple to stop linking the woozy face emoji to stammering in 2021, and in 2022, as part of our 'No Diversity without Disfluency' campaign had an award-winning ad, 'Not Just One Day', shown on going Pearl & Dean cinemas across the UK over an 8-month period.

We’ve spent the last five years rebuilding our infrastructure and building and extending our services.  Our strategy now is to challenge organisations to remove the barriers facing people who stammer.

We have a small staff team and a larger brilliant volunteer team. 

VISION

We exist to create a world that makes space for stammering. Where a stammer is embraced as just a difference. Where no-one judges us on our stammer or the way we choose to deal with it.

MISSION 

We will stand up for and empower those who stammer and challenge discrimination wherever we find it. We will provide support and information and fight for speech and language therapy services for those who want it. No matter how you talk, we're here for you. Join us and help the public understand that stammering is not a sign of being shy, drunk, dishonest, nervous or weak. It's simply how some of us talk.

Our culture and values

VALUES

We are a membership organisation with a diverse network, united by the experience of stammering and for people who stammer. We celebrate different voices. It is not our place to make judgements about if or how people choose to manage their stammer.  

• We value collaboration. We work with others to give the greatest voice, best insights, most effective campaigns for people who stammer.
• We value community. We provide spaces for people to come together to support, learn, celebrate and campaign for change.
• We value the individual. We listen to personal stories, provide a platform for sharing and respect individual choices. 
• We value diversity. We seek out and celebrate different voices, perspectives and experiences in respectful debate. Read our Equality & Diversity Policy. 
• We value openness. We are open in our dealings; selfless and generous spirited, honest and straightforward, professional but informal. We are unafraid and speak truth to power.

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

STAMMA is committed to being a diverse and inclusive organisation that is accessible to all.

That is, irrespective of age, disability, gender identity, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy, maternal or paternal status, race (including colour, caste, nationality, ethnic or national origin), religion or belief and sexual orientation.

Being inclusive and more representative of the society we live in is essential if, as an organisation, we want to grow, be successful, relevant and a pillar of support within the stammering community and in our diverse world.

We have recently implemented practices and continue to work to create more diversity and inclusion plans so that we can deliver equality of access and outcomes for our members and beneficiaries from diverse backgrounds and communities.

We will monitor who is using our services, applying for jobs and roles with us. We will gather feedback on the experience service users have with us so that we can measure the effectiveness of our diversity and inclusion initiatives.

CORE COMMITMENTS

ACCOUNTABILITY

Diversity and inclusion (D&I) is a priority for the Board and we hold ourselves accountable to ensure we closely monitor the implementation of D&I practices and continue the discussion at our Board meetings when the opportunity arises. The Chief Executive Officer and Trustees share responsibility on identifying and agreeing measurable criteria against which we will assess our progress.

CULTURE

Individuals are the bedrock of our culture. From the Board members, patrons and employees to our members and supporters, everyone plays a part in shaping the culture of the organisation and we want to ensure it is always positive and progressive.

Representation

We will try to ensure that our communications across all our channels,  social media, website, interviews, events, podcast both represent and reach our diverse community.

SPOKESPEOPLE

Whenever there is an opportunity to engage with the media, we want to ensure that any chosen spokesperson(s) represent the organisation and the audience that will be reached. This is why we will we ensure we select people from a pool of diverse backgrounds.

RECRUITMENT 

We anonymise CVs and application forms to ensure implement of our equal opportunities policy and give all applicants an equal and fair chance and eliminate any unconscious bias.