Convenor’s Report
In the previous
issue of Open Door, I referred to the CEHR which before it commenced work was
restyled The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). I understand this was at the behest of the
overall commissioner, Sir Trevor Phillips.
Based in Glasgow but possibly
locating to Edinburgh,
EHRC has been allocated £70m to run its affairs. A staff of 56 will support the Commissioner
for Scotland,
Morag Alexander. The Director for Scotland, Ross
Micklem, is speaking at our forthcoming AGM, so it would be unfair to pre-empt
her comments to us but suffice to say staff are currently working on the
strategy for development of the service in Scotland which they do not
anticipate completing before the spring.
It would be
wrong for me to try and allay all the concerns expressed by some people with
disabilities that, among the other five strands for which EHRC are responsible,
disability will take a back seat.
However, having met EHRC in Glasgow,
I feel much more confident that we will get at least equal consideration.
In addition to
Baroness Jane Campbell, the UK
Commissioner with whom I worked at NCIL, we still have Sir Bert Massie on
board. In a recent conversation with
him he clearly indicated his intention to ensure that the disabled fraternity
were not sidelined.
It is very much
for us individually and collectively to punch our weight and ensure we give
full support to those policies of EHRC that benefit us but also vigorously
oppose those we consider dilute our hard won advantages.
Having now
served almost a year as your Convenor, I would like to assure you we are
working hard to enhance SDEF and to lose no opportunity to represent your views
at the top levels of decision making.
I would
particularly like to thank all the SDEF staff for their hard work and effort on
our behalf and my fellow directors for their support.
My best wishes
to all members for Christmas and the New Year.
Peter
Ingram-Monk
Convenor
Legal Services Agency
Legal
Services Agency is a user controlled charitable Law Centre. It
provides case work services to individuals – including advice and litigation in
all relevant Courts and Tribunals – runs Seminars, produces publications and
makes comments to central and local Government on policy. LSA is committed to
using the law to achieve peace and social harmony through justice as defined in
the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and set out in the preamble to the
European Convention on Human Rights.
Area based services
Glasgow: a
free drop in Surgery (for defended eviction cases only) Monday 11.00am – 12.30pm. Surgery on any
topic
Wednesday
11.00am – 12.30pm and 2.00pm – 4.00pm.
Or
a meeting by appointment. Telephone advice on
Tuesday
and Thursday from 11.00am – 1.00pm.
Advice
desk outside the Eviction court. Telephone 0141 353 3354.
Strathclyde:
LSA’s Mental Health Legal Representation Project: advice and
representation for those suffering from mental health problems, dementia or
acquired brain injury and their carers. Telephone 0141 353 3354.
Edinburgh
& Lothians: LSA’s Mental Health Legal Representation
Project: advice, appointments and representation for those suffering from
mental health problems, dementia or acquired brain injury and their
carers.
Telephone 0131 228 9993.
Inverclyde:
LSA’s Housing Rights Project providing free telephone advice,
appointments and a drop in surgery every Tuesday and Thursday from 10.00am –
1.00pm,
together
with free advice and representation at Greenock Sheriff Court. Available for all
Inverclyde residents threatened by homelessness.
Telephone
01475 553309.
North Glasgow: free
advice and representation for North Glasgow
residents at the North Glasgow Advice Centre supplied by LSA and Glasgow
Central Citizens Advice Bureau.
Telephone
0141 770 7869.
Themed
specialist services
Mental
Health, dementia or acquired brain injury:
the
services of a total of 9 lawyers providing casework, representation, training
and publications .
Defended
Eviction: a team of 8 providing advice and representation for
tenants, or those with mortgage arrears and their families.
Criminal
Injuries Compensation: a unit providing a full range of services.
Housing
and debt: education, training, advice and representation on a
wide range of housing matters.
Women
& Children or Unaccompanied child asylum
seekers:
a specialist Women & Children’s Department providing a comprehensive
service in all relevant courts and tribunals on asylum, human rights, housing
and support, as well as on preventing violence and abuse.
Seminars
and Conferences: a wide range of unique events. On average one a
week! To keep up-to-date, register with our email network by emailing
seminars@lsa.org.uk
About LSA
LSA’s
casework services are provided by its lawyers in the firm of Brown & Co. It
is a charity controlled by its membership. It receives funding from the
Scottish Executive for Seminars and Publications, Mental Illness Specific Grant
and the Scottish Refugee Integration Forum. It is also supported by Glasgow
Homelessness Partnership, Communities Scotland (HomePoint), Glasgow Community
Planning Partnership and Comic Relief. It receives funding from Glasgow City, the City of Edinburgh, East Lothian,
Midlothian, West Lothian
and Inverclyde Councils.
How to contact LSA:
Telephone
0141 353 3354 for further information.
Legal Services Agency,
3rd Floor,
Fleming House,
134 Renfrew
Street,
Glasgow G3 6ST
Tel: 0141 353 3354 Fax: 0141 353 0354 E-mail: lsa@btconnect.com
Carers to earn
more without losing out
Carers will be able to earn more money without
losing their benefits, Work and Pensions Secretary Peter Hain has announced.
From 1 October 2007, the maximum amount of money carers in Britain will be
allowed to earn without losing their entitlement to Carer’s Allowance will rise
from £87 to £95 a week, after expenses such as income tax and national
insurance contributions have been taken into account.
Peter Hain said: “Carers play a vital role in our
communities, providing invaluable help and support for their loved ones. It is
right that where we can offer further support we do so."
Tune out Tinnitus
On 31st July 2007 RNID
launched a new website “Tune out Tinnitus” - for people who may have just
started to worry about tinnitus. Since the launch around 22,500 people have
visited the site but, as there are an estimated 7 million people with tinnitus
in the UK,
RNID know they could help so many more.
In October a
tinnitus fundraising appeal was launched to raise money for research. RNID is also running a short survey to get
input on awareness raising. All who
take part in the survey will be entered into a prize draw.
For more
information visit the RNID website www.rnid.org.uk
or call:
Telephone 0808 808 0123
Textphone
0808 808 9000
Insight Radio
Insight Radio, Europe’s first radio station for blind and partially
sighted listeners, previously only available in the Glasgow area, has been launched throughout
the UK
on Sky Channel 0188.
The station
broadcasts from 7am to 6pm Monday to Friday.
You can also
listen online at www.insightradio-net.com
Audio Description Included As Standard
For Sony TVs.
Sony has begun
shipping its Bravia range of integrated digital TVs with audio description
included as a standard function. The first of the new Bravia models were launched
in June, and the company aimed to equip the entire Bravia range with audio
description by the end of September 2007.
Earlier this
year TV manufacturer Panasonic made a similar move, enabling consumers to
access audio described broadcast content without buying extra equipment such as
a set-top box.
At present, the
audio description facilities provided by both Sony and Panasonic are restricted
to programme content only, and so do not include an accessible electronic
programme guide.
For further information:
www.bravia.sony.eu
www.panasonic.co.uk
How
Sustainable Is Your Group?
‘Sus It Out’
sessions are designed for any group working together for a common purpose. They
last between 1½ and 2 hours and are completely free. Using an interactive
toolkit, facilitators help you think about the decisions you’re already making,
explore how you can contribute to sustainable development and look at how your
group can build on what it’s already doing.
The toolkit takes an holistic approach to sustainable
development, and includes issues such as tackling injustice, involving your
members in decision-making, saving energy, re-using, recycling materials and
doing things locally. Sessions can be run during the day or evening, and can
take place in any part of Scotland.
Feedback on ‘Sus It Out’ has already been very positive, with groups across the
country calling the sessions 'really useful' and 'very worthwhile'. The 'Sus It
Out’ website tells you all you need to know about booking a session for your
group, and the benefits involved. To find out more, go to www.susitout.org or
Telephone 0131 243 2730.
Costa
del Sol
Taking you mother abroad on holiday is a daunting prospect for anyone,
never mind that she’s seventy three, a wheelchair user and never been out of
the UK before!
We had a few problems at check in at Glasgow Airport
– unfortunately the needs of severely disabled people don’t seem to be
understood by some ground staff! However,
the staff who assisted transferring my mother to her aircraft seat at both
airports were excellent.
After a short wait at the airport for our accessible taxi, we arrived at
the hotel and were relieved that it was accessible. The adapted room wasn’t very big, but had
a huge wet room with the correct handrails etc.
All areas of the hotel were fully accessible, although there were some
steep ramps, and the lifts were tiny!
We hired some extra mobility equipment at reasonable cost from a local
company which made our stay even more comfortable.
The resort of Torremolinos is not very accessible, although the town
centre is better, and there are no accessible taxis (Eurotaxis) for hire. You can book them from the neighbouring
resort of Benalmadena, but the hire costs three times as much as any other
taxi!
Apart from all the little problems, we had a good holiday and my mother
has now caught the travel bug and is planning her next trip to the continent.
Companies we used in Spain
were:
www.mobilitycosta.com Call Steve on (0034) 626 219 133
Email: steve@mobilitycosta.com
www.homeabilityspain.com Call Colin on 01908 679699 (UK)
Or email homeability@hotmail.com
Both gave excellent value and a first class
service.
Project Ability
Annual Christmas
Fundraising Exhibition
Project Ability’s Annual Christmas Show opens on:
Thursday 29th
November 2007. 5.00 – 7.00pm
Don’t miss your chance to snap up some beautiful presents for
Christmas!
We have a range of affordable and unique gifts for sale:
Original one–of-a-kind artworks, Hand-made Jewellery, Limited edition
Prints, Imaginative Paintings, Fused Glass Tiles and Bowls, Ceramic Plates and
more…
The Christmas Exhibition runs from 30th November – 20th December 07
Gallery Open: 10am – 5pm,
weekdays
Also For Sale – Project Ability Charity
Christmas Cards (£4 per pack of 10) and Calendars (£4 each), designed by
artists who take part in our projects.
Order forms can be downloaded from our website.
Project Ability
Galleries 1 & 2
18 Albion Street, Glasgow, G1 1LH
Tel: 0141 552
2822
Email: info@project-ability.co.uk
www.project-ability.co.uk
Scottish Charity
Number: SC005226
Angus Access Panel
Angus Access Panel’s Rod McFarlane Award has been
presented to Parkview Primary Care Centre, Carnoustie, and a Highly Commended
Certificate has been presented to Montrose Sports Centre.
Provost of Angus (in the
centre of the picture) presenting the Award to the doctors of the Parkview
Primary Care Centre
The Award was
presented by Angus Provost Ruth J Leslie Melville, MBE, on Wednesday 10 October
at the Parkview Primary Care Centre. In
attendance were three of the doctors from the practice, the practice manager,
Mrs Agnes Mackay (Chairwoman) and Miss
Marion Elrick (Secretary) of Angus Access Panel, the Chairwoman and a fellow
member of Carnoustie Community Council, which nominated the Centre for the
Award.
On the following
Wednesday, 17th October, Mrs Agnes Mackay and Miss Marion Elrick
visited Montrose Sports Centre to hand over the Highly Commended
Certificate. Mr Harper and Miss Ogilvie,
from Angus Council’s Property Division – Corporate Services Department, who are
members of the team which designed the refurbishment of the Centre, also
attended the presentation.
Chairman
of Angus Access Panel, Mrs Agnes Mackay, presenting the Highly Commended
certificate to the manager of Montrose Sports Centre, with two members of the
design team looking on
In the opinion of
the judges, both Centres had been well designed, and the facilities for
disabled people made them easily accessible.
The decision as to which should get the Award was an extremely difficult
one.
Each year this Award
is presented to buildings or facilities in Angus which demonstrate the best
examples of positive efforts being made to encourage the inclusion of disabled
people.
Seven buildings in
Angus were nominated for the Award and all were inspected.
The Rod McFarlane Award is named after Rod McFarlane, who died in 1994
and was a great campaigner for disabled people through his work as a regional
councillor, a director of Disability Scotland, the chairman of Forfar and
District Access for the Disabled Trust and the first chairman of the Angus
Access Panel.
Moray Access
Panel
When the panel received the Scottish Executive funds of £10,000 they
discussed the best way to spend the money and bring the work of the panel to
the attention of the public.
It was felt that a website might help, as well as brochures and booklets,
to get the message to the wider public.
A web designer was approached to develop a site and a local graphic
designer to produce brochures and booklets.
Two portable display stands were also bought, outlining the panel’s aims
and objectives. An official launch was
arranged to bring together the final work of the website displays, brochures
and booklets.
After the launch it was felt that rotating the displays around all four
main libraries in Moray would lead to increased awareness. This strategy has proven very successful
with increased awareness and enquiries to the panel.
Furthermore, the money paid for a colour laser printer, so certificates
can be awarded to facilities that have paid particular attention to access.
In conclusion, the £10,000 has helped the panel to increase public
awareness of the panel and its work. In
the longer term, awarding certificates for examples of good access, Moray will
hopefully become a more accessible place.
Iain Stephen
Treasurer, Moray Access
Panel
Visit the panel’s website:
www.morayaccesspanel.org
We started on an Access Guide in October
2006 using some of the money from the Scottish Executive. It proved to be very
hard work going round everywhere in Oban and an eye opener. The results were: -
·
A wheelchair user could access 55% of places
· 22.5% have one
step.
·
22.5% have more than one step.
·
99% of staff are willing to assist someone with a
disability.
·
65 places have a disabled toilet.
·
41 have loops.
·
24 have automatic doors.
·
18 places could
offer info in large print.
·
51% have good
colour contrast.
Supermarkets
·
All have good access.
·
Staff are willing to help with doing shopping and
take bags to your car.
·
All have trolleys for wheelchair users.
·
Lidl and Aldi have no baskets – difficult for
someone in scooter to use a trolley. Cardboard boxes are offered!
Churches
·
Most have loops
·
All can be accessed either by portable ramp or by
alternative entrance.
·
Large print hymn books and Order of Services in
some of the churches.
Garages
·
3 have disabled toilets
·
1 has a loop
·
3 have level access
·
1 has one step.
Hotels
·
2 have level access
·
3 have one step
·
10 have more than one step
·
The Caledonian Hotel has 2 adapted rooms – wide
doors/more space/double or twin room/low rise bath/grab rails.
·
Oban Youth Hostel has an adapted room
Pubs
·
4 have level access
·
3 have one step
·
6 have more than one step.
·
Lack of disabled toilets!
So it was a mixed bag. Very good attitudes, which we think counts for a
lot. Physical access could be a lot better. We were most surprised by the lack
of access in the hotels, as Oban is such a tourist area. Also, it was
disappointing that more pubs are not accessible.
More hard work is needed now to work with
the businesses to make access better. We sympathise with some of the smaller
businesses that don’t have a lot of money to make adaptations, but places like
WH Smith and the Royal Bank of Scotland,
have no excuse. We are also going to work with Visit Scotland to try and
improve access in the hotels.
Fiona
Morrison
Oban
Access Panel
Blue Badge Abuse
Update!
Parking attendants will issue £60 fines at six ASDA stores on Merseyside
on a trial basis. It eventually hopes to
roll out enforcement to all its stores.
We’ll keep you posted!
New Highway
Code
A new edition of the Highway Code was launched at the end of September
and includes a safety code for users of powered wheelchairs and scooters.
Although there
have always been rules and regulations governing powered wheelchairs and
scooters, this is the first time they have been included in the Highway Code,
to put more emphasis on attitude, courtesy and awareness of other road users.
The Official Highway Code is published by the Stationery Office and
costs £2.50. Copies are available from
most high street book stores or are free to download on
www.direct.gov.uk/highwaycode
European
Court of Justice rules on disability benefits
On 18th
October, we received the judgement of the European Court of Justice on case
C299/05 (European Commission v European Parliament and the Council).
The Court has decided that Disability Living Allowance
(care component only), Attendance Allowance, and Carer’s Allowance are not
‘Special Non Contributory Benefits’. This may mean that, in certain
circumstances, these benefits will be paid to people who move from the UK to live in
another country within the European Economic Area.
If you think you may be affected by the decision you
should contact the Disability and Carers Service, Exportability Co-ordinator,
Room B120D, DCS, Warbreck House, Warbreck
Hill Rd, Blackpool
FY2 0YE.
Email: exportability.team@dwp.gsi.gov.uk Phone 08457 123456
New research by Carers Scotland and Carers UK highlights the challenges
facing health and social care services in the face of demographic change. Care services are failing Britain's four million working age
carers (400,000 in Scotland),
making it harder or even impossible for them to hold down a job, according to
one of the largest in-depth surveys of carers commissioned by Carers Scotland
and Carers UK.
Over 40
per cent of those caring full time and not in work say that they cannot return
to employment because of the lack of services available.
Carers UK's Chief Executive, Imelda
Redmond, wants to see a radical overhaul to avoid a demographic and economic
disaster.
"We
now have the most detailed evidence to date of the issues facing working carers
which can inform a more planned approach for the future", she says.
"The Comprehensive Spending Review provides us with an opportunity to set
this out and get it right.
"It is clear that current
systems do not support carers at key stages of their lives and this latest
in-depth analysis shows that care services are systematically failing working
carers. Carers have reasonable expectations to a life beyond their caring
role and we should be fulfilling them."
The
research is led by Professor Sue Yeandle from the University of Leeds
who has compiled six major reports on working age carers by Carers Scotland and
Carers UK.
Key findings were as follows:
·
The
majority of working carers say they need at least one type of formal service
which they are not currently receiving
·
One
third of carers in full or part-time work are struggling financially
·
Very
few working carers are getting breaks, and less than a quarter have access to
respite care services
·
Only a
quarter of working carers feel they have adequate support from formal services
to enable them to combine work and care
·
Between
40 and 50 per cent of working carers say that a lack of flexibility and
sensitivity in the delivery of services is hampering them
·
Almost
half of those working part-time say that they are only in work of this type
because of their caring responsibilities
The reports are available on the Carers
Scotland website www.carerscotland.org/Home
The
future of free personal care for the elderly is in jeopardy following a
judicial review concerning a dispute over funding for care involving Argyll and Bute Council. The Council asked
the court to review a decision by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman that
they had a duty to provide funding for the personal care of a resident over 65
in a private care home.
The
Council argued that their duty as a local authority to provide funding for the
personal care of people over 65 arose only where the personal care was provided
by them, and not where it was provided through an entirely private arrangement
between the resident or his or her relatives and the care home. Lord Macphail
decided that it was not possible to interpret the legislation about free
personal care as obliging a local authority to make payments for personal care
that was not provided by them. He accordingly held that the Ombudsman’s
decision that the legislation placed a statutory duty on Argyll and Bute
Council to provide funding for the personal care of the resident concerned was
incorrect.
The Office Administrator is
disappearing!!!!
On 1st March this year I decided to lose a Stone for
Charity. The charity I chose was
Stirling Young Carers. I gave myself
three months to complete the ordeal and on 31st May I weighed in one
stone and two pounds lighter!
I raised £330 for
the Carers Centre and the money went towards a Residential weekend last month
to Biggar. I would like to thank
everyone who sponsored me.
I know the
donation is much appreciated by the Young Carers Centre.
Maeve (centre)presenting the cheque to Moira Taylor, Chief
Executive of Stirling Carers and Ashley Smith, Young Carers Officer
Young Carers are young people up to the age of 18 years old who
take on a significant caring responsibility for a family member who has an
illness, a mental health problem or a problem with alcohol / drugs.
Stirling Young Carers
service
currently has two Young Carers Groups;
one for 7-13 year olds and the other for 14-18 year olds.
The groups allow the young people to participate in various social,
educational and fun activities, as well as providing respite from their caring
responsibilities at home.
Monies raised will help provide residential activities for the young people
where the focus will be on building confidence, self esteem and teamwork.
Maeve Bain
SDEF Office Administrator
North West Kilmarnock
Area Centre
The Centre is the latest and most ambitious partnership development by
East Ayrshire Council and NHS Ayrshire and Arran.
The Centre brings together a wide range of core primary care and other
public services and goes one step further in meeting the needs of the local
community by also providing mental health services, a nursery and family
centre, social day care for older people, a dental “Teach and Treat” facility
and a fitness suite.
The needs of people with additional support needs are addressed
throughout the building which complies fully with all current DDA
guidelines. Examples of which are
detailed below:-
Physiotherapy
Suite The Service is provided by
the Community Learning Disability Team.
The suite has its own adult changing and shower benches with overhead
hoists.
Changing facilities for
adults with special needs
There are two
toilets that have adult changing benches, overhead hoists and hanger bar and
hoop and loop systems. The toilets are
available for people visiting the area as well as service users and patients of the Centre
Dental Teach and Treat
Facility
Two of the ten surgeries have additional facilities
– i.e. one is fitted with a wheelchair platform. This means that the patient does not have to
leave the comfort of their own wheelchair whilst having dental treatment. The other surgery has overhead hoists.
Hunter Fitness Suite The Centre has two accessible toilets, shower
and changing facilities with overhead hoists, etc.
Other equipment on offer
throughout the Centre includes
Child changing benches (in addition to nappy
changing tables)
Disposable slings
Mobile “Swan and Pen” hoists.
Photographs courtesy of
Stuart Strachan.
Our Members
Write……
Keith Forbes
I write as a
severely disabled person in Scotland, with friends and a son in the US military
in New Jersey, to thank New Jersey unreservedly for the wonderful manner in
which NJ applies and enforces its disabled parking, with its laws, fines,
penalties and law enforcement. As a disabled activist, I have been urging the
authorities here in Scotland,
in vain to date, to get rid of Scotland's
enormous government indifference to this problem, lack of laws and pathetic
state of affairs that have shocked and appalled handicapped visitors from New Jersey who have
visited here or who might want to.
I've urged the
authorities here, including the Minister for Transport at Holyrood, to follow
the example set by New Jersey.
I've given them an active hyperlink below to what New Jersey does in stating
emphatically what will happen to those who unlawfully violate handicapped
parking (equivalent to disabled parking) spaces in both public and private (ie
shopping malls) places; what the penalties are; who enforces them (police officers,
enforcing the law); and who receives the income from such fines, which are
hugely in excess and rightfully so, of the token £30 suggested in the Bill.
www.state.nj.us/humanservices
I was truly
appalled by the contents of the letter I received from the Highland Council -
the regional authority where I live - dated 29th June 2007 and subsequently
circulated among members of my Sutherland Access Panel and legislators in the
Scottish Government and regional Highland Council government re the Disability
laws generally and Misuse of Parking Bays particularly. What appalled me and
all in the USA
and Canada
who know me was the notification that:
Only in an area
where charges are made for (public) parking is it an offence, under Section 47
of the Road Traffic Regulations Act 1984 if a person parks in a designated
parking space without a blue badge; and then only for parking incorrectly,
namely failing to observe "blue badge only" restrictions, not for
deliberately and wilfully depriving a blue badge holder of such spaces. The
associated Traffic Order is, in my view, obscenely inadequate. In public
parking areas, such as Highland Council car parks, where there is no charging
for parking and therefore no Traffic Order under which to impose a fine,
disabled parking bays are provided on an advisory basis only and rely on the co-operation
of local motorists to keep them available for disabled drivers.
I believe firmly
that if the Scottish Parliament is unwilling or unable to enact a new law for
Disabled Persons Parking equivalent to what the State of New Jersey has enacted, then it should be
referred to the Scottish Law Commission. And if it too is unwilling, then it
should be referred to the appropriate highest authority in Europe
and the world. We need to right a disgraceful wrong. I'm also copying this to
the Governor of the State of New
Jersey and others.
I hope all
concerned see this, including members of my Sutherland Access Panel for the
disabled, my Member of Parliament, members of the Scottish Parliament and newspapers.
By:
Keith Forbes, Brora, Sutherland
Keith is an
Individual Member of SDEF and a member of Sutherland Access Panel
SDEF has been working on a group with Jackie Baillie
MSP and is pleased to note that the Private Bill relating to the enforcement of
marked parking bays proposed by her in the last session of the Scottish
Parliament is likely to be taken forward. In answer to a question from Ms
Baillie as to whether the new Scottish Government will support the Disabled
Persons Parking (Scotland)
Bill, The Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change, Stewart
Stevenson, stated that he understood that a final bill will be introduced into
Parliament later this year and that the Government would reach a view at that
stage. “I
think that I can say without ambiguity that we certainly support what Ms
Baillie's proposed bill seeks to achieve. However, we need to see whether the
material in the bill delivers.
“In the meantime, we are engaged on this subject. I have
written to Councillor Pat Watters of the Convention of Scottish Local
Authorities to remind him of local authority powers to promote orders to
protect the parking spaces in question, and I await his reply. We are as
committed as Ms Baillie is to supporting people with blue badges and ensuring
that they are able to park wherever they require,” he added.
Susan Archibald
I
moved to Fife in 1995, but grew up in Falkirk where I was a very energetic and active child. I
was a member of the running and swimming teams and took part in gymnastics. I
am married with 4 children age 23, 20, 19, 9 and I have a grandson who is 5.
In 1999 I had an operation and following the surgery
there were complications that left me disabled. At the time I was working as a
road sweeper for the local authority, but after the operation I couldn’t walk
and realised I would have to retrain. In 2000 I went to the Fife Women’s
Technology Centre (FWTC) to do an NC in Computing and in 2001 I started an HNC
in Network Support. During this time I was dismissed on the grounds of
capability from my job, despite having applied for 100 alternative posts. I
went to the National Library in Edinburgh
to teach myself the law to pursue a discrimination case. In 2003 I did a Cisco
Network Academy Programme at the FWTC. In 2004 after a 5 year battle through
every court in Scotland,
I ended up taking my case to the House of Lords and won!
My court case, Archibald v Fife Council, changed the
UK Employment Laws for disabled workers under reasonable adjustments.
In 2005 I was accepted into 2nd year at the University of Dundee to do Community Education. I had
been working at Kelty Community Centre as a Supervisor & Senior Youth
Worker for 8 years, but I now want to try and put something back to help other
people like myself. This is why I joined the school of Social
Entrepreneurs in August this year.
I travel internationally and nationally as a speaker
on discrimination, I was honoured this year to be a key speaker on
discrimination at The National Critical Lawyers Conference in Kent University,
Canterbury. I
received a further 18 bookings for law events all over the country.
I am a national speaker for Unison, Universities,
Colleges, Learn Direct, and various disabled organisations.
I have worked side by side with the Disability Rights
Commission and hope to do the same with the Equality & Human Rights
Commission to move the disabled agenda forward.
I am also currently Chair of Kelty Community Council,
Trustee of St. Ninians Trust, Chair of Directors Leonard Cheshire’s Academy
Board; sit on Scottish Committee for Leonard Cheshire, sit on Cross Party
working groups in Scottish Parliament for Mental Health and will be joining the
Disability group in November, Director for Worktrack & Director for
Attention Fife.
Susan is an Individual Member of SDEF.
Walking on Wheels
Eva McCracken, author of "Walking on
Wheels", would like to ask potential wheelchair
users visiting our beautiful, Scottish countryside the following
question.
"When planning a visit to a town park or
countryside estate would you prefer the opportunity to be able to borrow a
wheelchair, or have a leaflet on facilities/paths accessible to the
needs of a wheelchair user?"
Please state your preference and forward you views
to Liz Rowlett at SDEF on either 01786 446456 or
Liz.rowlett@sdef.org.uk
Firm Foundations: The Future of Housing In Scotland
The Scottish Government has recently launched a
discussion paper on the future of housing in Scotland. This consultation
sets out proposals to improve Scotland’s
housing with the aims of: ensuring that government policies reflect changes in
aspiration and demand for housing and; sustaining safe and strong communities
across Scotland.
The government
is keen to ensure that the development of housing policy is designed and delivered in a way that is sensitive and relevant to the
diverse needs and experiences of all people living in Scotland.
The consultation is timely,
given one of the final reports of the Disability Rights Commission that
revealed that public authorities are failing to address disability and race
discrimination in housing.
The review of national and local housing plans highlighted
that too little has been done to assess the current and future needs of ethnic
minorities and disabled people and stresses that greater guidance and scrutiny
is required if Scotland is to meet the needs of its aging and changing society.
Worryingly the research also shows that most of the councils studied had no
plans to consult ethnic minority or disabled people about their needs, to
inform councils’ Housing Investment Plans, which have to be submitted to
Government by November.
The report “Scotland’s approach to Housing Policy &
Strategy in Relation to Disability & Race – a review at national and local
level”, was conducted by ODS Consulting on behalf of the DRC. It examined Scotland’s
national housing strategy “Homes for Scotland’s People” and also the
Housing Plans of a representative sample of local authority and
Communities Scotland offices. It found that whilst many plans did discuss the
housing needs of disabled and ethnic minority communities, a quarter made no
mention of them at all. The report notes that some local authorities have been
slow to respond to their new duties under the Race Relations and Disability
Discrimination Acts, and that some others have responded in an ad-hoc and
reactive manner.
Chris Oswald, Head of Policy and Communications, at the
former DRC said: “This absence of planning is especially worrying as previous
DRC research suggests that 85% of Scots expect to grow old in their own homes,
and not have to move into care. But at the current rate of development this
won’t be an option as there simply won’t be enough adapted houses to meet
demand. Currently nearly 20% of disabled people could benefit from an aid or
adaptation to their house and about 62,000 households need - but don’t have -
an accessible bathroom.
“The Government recently
announced a review of Scottish housing supply – we hope that this research will
help them avert a coming crisis. One in five Scots are disabled and Scotland’s
ethnic minority community is growing quickly – this isn’t an issue we can
ignore.”
“Hundreds of disabled people are being forced to live in
inadequate housing, or move into care homes or hospitals because of a lack of
suitably adapted houses. Overcrowding is a major issue for ethnic minorities –
over a third of Bangladeshis in Scotland
are currently seriously overcrowded. This has very real costs for the Scottish
economy – hospitalisation or care homes are vastly more expensive than
caring for someone in their own home, and overcrowding has serious impacts on
people’s physical and mental health. The government urgently needs to review
its plans and invest in larger, more accessible homes”.
The report was carried
out between June and September 2007 and included a review of national policy,
the housing strategies of Scotland’s
32 local authorities and more in-depth fieldwork in five areas. The review team
spoke with local authority and Communities Scotland staff, disabled people and
ethnic minority groups.
In 2006 in Scotland
there were 6901 “wheelchair housing” social homes in Scotland while there were over 96,000
wheelchair users. The number of accessible homes in the private sector is
unknown - however disabled people are twice as likely as non-disabled people to
live in socially rented housing.
The Future of
Housing in Scotland
consultation is available on the Scottish Government Website www.scotland.gov.uk
SDEF will be
putting in a response as usual and welcomes your comments, which should be
forwarded to Liz Rowlett.
Defending the Duty – Discrimination Law
Review
A number of organisations came together to make a joint
response to the Discrimination Law Review consultation held over the summer. They were
Engender, Equality Network, LGBT Youth Scotland, Scottish Disability Equality
Forum, Stonewall Scotland,
Scottish Women’s Aid and the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations.
Their recommendations were supported by many other voluntary sector groups.
The group recognised the
efforts of the UK Government to counter discrimination over the past ten years,
including:
·
improving
provision on discrimination in relation to gender, race and disability
·
extending
protection to religion or belief and sexual orientation in the fields of
employment and training, as well as in the provision of goods and services
·
extending
protection against age discrimination in the employment field; and introducing
the Human Rights Act 1998
They noted, however that
piecemeal introduction of various measures had led to a complex and
contradictory web of legislation. Although welcoming the commitment to review
the law, the group expressed concern that in some places the proposals would
weaken existing provisions, that in some parts of the document the intention
was unclear and that elsewhere there was a clear case for going further than is
proposed.
The response drew
attention to where the proposals failed to address some gaps in protection and also deep seated
problems regarding the way in which equality laws work. For example: ignoring
multiple discrimination and intersectionality; failing to address issues of
compatibility with other existing pieces of legislation; and failing to address
the persistent and damaging effects of systemic and institutional
discrimination.
It focused on six key themes:
·
the
need for a fundamental analysis, i.e. a clear and strong statement of
purpose and principles in a single Equality Act in order to give it overall
coherence;
·
improved
provision for the private sector to take responsibility for equality including public
procurement;
·
consideration
of enforcement and access to justice - issues including whether more discrimination cases
can be dealt with by the tribunal system and removed from Sheriff Courts;
·
an improved
public sector equality duty entailing no regression in respect of the existing duties and addressing
the limitations of the current duties / or alternatively a robust single public
sector equality duty that covers all grounds;
·
clarity on the
scope for positive action (balancing) measures and;
·
provisions to
explicitly counter strand anomalies.
The response rejected
proposed challenges to the Public Duty which would have seen a dilution of its
strengths, affirming the key role of the Duty in countering discrimination and
promoting equality:
“We want to see a
general duty that is robust and covers all the prohibited grounds. We consider
though that the inclusion of age would be considerably less effective without
the extension of protection from discrimination in the area of access to goods,
facilities and services.
“We recognise that an
integrated equality duty would carry both efficiency gains and be able to
address multiple discrimination; however, this should not be at the price of
any diminution of the strength of the existing duties.
“There is considerable concern that the proposed changes to
the Public Sector Duty will weaken it. The Public Duties on race, gender and disability
represented a significant move forward for disadvantaged groups, in that it
brought equalities issues to the fore, and in the case of disabled people a
voice, a role in service design and enabled them to hold public authorities
accountable.”
The response observed that although there has been seven years to assess the
affect of the Race Duty, the Disability and Gender Duties have been in place
for such a short time that it is inappropriate to implement change too quickly.
The Discrimination Law Review had provided no real justification for some of
the proposals, it said.
There was cautious support for a Single Equality Duty across
all the grounds, including the elimination of unlawful discrimination and
unlawful harassment and the promotion of equality of opportunity.
“A new Single Equality Duty embracing the six equalities
strands would represent progress in pursuing equality for all recognised groups
facing discrimination. This would continue to put equalities issues at the
heart of public services and would provide an administrative gain in terms of
reduced bureaucracy and shared timescales. Not including all equalities strands
would create an equalities hierarchy. This would not be consistent with the
aims of the proposed Bill and would create added confusion. The new Duty should
apply to all public authorities.”
The joint response and the SDEF response to the Review are
available on the SDEF website. The UK Government is expected to report on the
consultation towards the end of 2007.
Goodbye DRC – Hello EHRC!
On 1st October 2007 the three
equality commissions - Commission for Racial Equality (CRE), Disability Rights
Commission (DRC) and Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) merged into the new
Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). The new Commission combines
the responsibilities and powers of the three previous equality commissions and
will work to eliminate discrimination, reduce inequality, protect human rights
and build good relations, ensuring that everyone has a fair chance to participate
in society.
The new commission brings together the work of the three previous
equality commissions and also takes on responsibility for the other
aspects of equality: age, sexual orientation and religion or belief, as
well as human rights.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission acts not only for
the disadvantaged, but for everyone in society, and can use its new enforcement
powers where necessary to guarantee people’s equality. It also has a
mandate to promote understanding of the Human Rights Act.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission is a
non-departmental public body (NDPB) established under the Equality Act 2006 –
accountable for its public funds, but independent of government.
Over the years SDEF built up a good relationship with the Disability
Rights Commission and it is hoped that the new Commission will work with us in
a similar manner.
Scottish Campaign on
Welfare Reform
In Work, Better Off – A Briefing
Introduction
The Scottish
Campaign on Welfare Reform (SCoWR) is a broad coalition of third sector
organisations working with people experiencing poverty and exclusion in Scotland. The
campaign brings together organisations representing and working with lone
parents, disabled people, children, homeless people and other groups facing
barriers to moving into work. This briefing highlights the consensus of opinion
which exists among SCoWR members over key concerns with the Westminster
Government’s current welfare reform proposals.
Context
The
Westminster Government’s Green Paper ‘In Work, Better Off’ is designed to build
on the recent Welfare Reform Act to support more people into employment. Its
main proposals include a ‘Jobs Pledge’ whereby major employers promise to work
with people excluded from the labour market to fill vacancies; more individualised
back-to-work support for claimants facing multiple barriers to work; and a
greater emphasis on skills development both in and out of work.
However, with
this promised support comes a huge increase in ‘conditionality’ for claimants,
whereby they will be expected to engage in prescribed activities or see their
benefits cut. If the proposals are implemented lone parents, for example, will
soon be expected to claim jobseekers’ allowance (which requires them to be
available for and actively seeking work immediately) when their youngest child
reaches the age of seven. According to One Parent Families Scotland these
proposals will affect around 35,000 lone parents and over 50,000 children in Scotland.
Concerns
SCoWR members are concerned that benefits claimants will be facing increased
conditionality without the necessary support being in place to allow them to
meet their new responsibilities. This risks leading to increased poverty as
claimants face financial sanctions through circumstances outwith their control.
Our key concerns are as follows:
Gaps in provision in Scotland – Major policy areas encompassed by the
Green Paper, such as childcare and skills development, are devolved to the
Scottish Government. It is not clear when, or whether, the support envisaged by
the green paper will be in place in Scotland.
Availability of good jobs – Good jobs, which provide flexibility and support,
are key to the realisation of the Government’s agenda. The Government states
this explicitly in the green paper. However, jobs at the bottom of the careers
ladder often do not provide the support necessary to allow people to develop
their potential. Unsustainable employment leads to a cycle of low pay and no
pay, which creates in-work poverty. It is notable that the ‘Jobs Pledge’
focuses on the retail sector and includes companies which do not have a
reputation for supporting parent employees.
Increased Conditionality – The Green Paper provides very little
evidence to support the introduction of the policies it proposes. SCoWR
believes that ‘conditionality’ – requiring claimants to participate in
prescribed activities – is not necessary. Indeed, it risks alienating already
excluded groups, or compelling people into unsuitable and unsustainable jobs.
If the right support is available to the right people at the right time, it
should not be necessary to force people to comply. Increasing conditionality
without ensuring that the right support is in place - which we believe the
green paper is at serious risk of doing – only serves to drive excluded groups
into deeper poverty.
SCoWR is calling for the following actions:
·
A
reconsideration of proposed increases in the level of conditions attached to
benefits: given the lack of evidence that such conditionality is effective,
there are serious concerns that increased conditionality may lead to increased
poverty.
·
Clear
proposals to ensure the Government’s devolved childcare and skills support
policies are in place before the removal of current benefit rights: and
provision for implementation to be delayed in Scotland, if required, until the
right support policies are in place.
·
A
requirement for proposals to be piloted in Scotland before they are rolled out
nationally, to allow an effective evidence base to be built up about what works
and what doesn’t.
·
An
extension of the ‘better off pledge’ – which states that lone parents will not
be required to take a job unless they will be better off in work – to all
claimant groups.
·
Agreement
that the commitment to lone parents being better off in paid work is measured
on the basis of lifting children out of poverty. The alternative, simply noting that they are
better off than on income support, is a poor guide, as in-work costs must be
taken into account.
“Not everyone knows this …….but :
Every
day around 2 people die by suicide in Scotland
Around
3 out of 4 suicides are by men
Suicide
is the leading cause of death in those under 35 years of age
Scotland has traditionally had a higher
suicide rate than the rest of the UK, however over recent years rates
are starting to come down. Since
2000-02 the rate has fallen by 13%.”
Approaches to Choosing Life Service
The Stirling and District Assocation for Mental Health (SDAMH) Approaches
to Choosing Life Service is funded by The Scottish Executive’s “Choose Life”, a ten year strategy and
action plan to reduce suicide in Scotland. Approaches to Choosing Life’s primary aim is
to respond to ‘unmet need’ in Stirling Council area.
The Service facilitates opportunities for organisations to work together in
partnership on a range of training and educational programmes pertaining to the
promotion of good mental health & well-being as well as suicide
intervention & prevention, for individuals or group of people those
organisations are working with.
It also aims to assist businesses in Stirling District to provide a range
of Awareness Raising Events, promoting general awareness of good mental health
and encouraging people to seek help early.
We offer a range of suicide prevention courses provided by Living Works which
include:
SuicideTALK - An Exploration in Suicide Awareness (1.5 - 3 hours)
SafeTALK - Learning Suicide Alertness Skills (2.5 - 3.5 hours)
ASIST - Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training
(2 days)
If you or your organisation feels that there is potential to
work in partnership with SDAMH to highlight the crucial importance of improving
mental health and well-being for all, we would like to hear from you.
Please contact:
Approaches to Choosing Life
Co-ordinator
SDAMH
19 Dean Crescent
Riverside
Stirling FK8 1UR
Tel: 01786
451203
E-mail: info@stirlingmentalhealth.org.uk
Website:
www.stirlingmentalhealth.org.uk
Renfrewshire Visually Impaired Forum
Renfrewshire Council
has teamed up with the Renfrewshire Visually Impaired Forum and the Royal
British Legion to improve access for blind and partially sighted pedestrians in
Paisley.
The Council’s
planning and transport department is investing £38,000 in a series of safety
improvements around the steps of County
Square and on the eastern side of the Cenotaph at
Paisley Cross.
This will involve
installing high quality granite discs to highlight the edges of the large steps
in County Square. This will make it easier for partially
sighted pedestrians to recognise the edges of the steps and so avoid trips and
falls.
The work will be
carried out by a specialist contractor and should be completed in time for this
years Remembrance Commemoration.
Councillor Mr Ian
Nicholson, Planning and Development Board, Renfrewshire Council, said: “It
would be fair to say that there has been something of a problem with some
people finding it hard to distinguish the large granite steps in Paisley town centre”.
Mr Gerry Graham,
Chair of Renfrewshire Visually Impaired Forum
said “our members have problems with obstacles in and around Paisley
town centre, and this development will be of great assistance to blind and
partially sighted people and we would like to thank Renfrewshire Council for
funding this work”.
75% Unemployment among Blind and
Partially Sighted People
A new campaign to help blind people into work is being
launched in the New Year, as it was revealed three-quarters of blind Scots are unemployed.
The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) Scotland has
said that unemployment among blind or partially sighted people is far higher
than other disadvantaged groups in Scotland.
Research carried out by Glasgow University Training
and Employment Research Unit has revealed that employment rates for blind
people have remained at just 25 per cent in Scotland for the last 10 years.
Only around 100 of Scotland’s 7,383 working age blind
or partially sighted people find new employment each year.
In
contrast, between 1999 and 2001 employment rates for disabled people have grown
by 21 per cent from 36.6 per cent to 44.3 per cent, and for the over 50s from
60.7 per cent to 68.6 per cent.
RNIB Scotland’s director John Legg said that the
current situation is unacceptable and needs to change.
Next year RNIB Scotland plans awareness raising work
with the aim of reducing the unemployment figures by six per cent by 2009.
RNIB
Scotland is seeking to establish and build on relationships with Compacts –
interagency partnerships between major employers and sectors that are funded by
Jobcentre Plus and the RNIB.
Wheelchair Accessible Walks
The following
are UK
web-sites providing free information on routes that are suitable for wheelchair
users and parents with buggies and
young children throughout the UK.
www.walkswithwheelchairs.com
www.walkswithbuggies.com
South Lanarkshire Access Panel
South Lanarkshire
Access Panel is striving to make all areas of South Lanarkshire
accessible for people with all disabilities, parents with children and older
people. If you would be interested in
becoming a member of our committee please come along to our AGM on the 28th
November 1.30pm in South Lanarkshire Disability Forum’s Conference Room, or
contact us at the Forum on 01698 307733.
South Lanarkshire
Access Panel has been working in partnership with South Lanarkshire Council
Building Standards to develop an Inclusive Design Guide which will be sent out
with every planning application and building warrant application. This is to encourage builders to go beyond
the Building Standards and encourage them to make public buildings more
accessible and suitable for people with all disabilities, parents with children
and older people. The guide will be
launched on the 4th December on the anniversary of the Council’s
Disability Equality Scheme.
If you have a
passion for access issues and would like to join us please contact the Access
Panel by contacting the Forum and leaving your name and contact number.
Open Space
Advisory Group
Most of you will
know of my particular interest in Open Space access, especially for those with
a disability. For over three years I
have been a member of the Edinburgh College of Art Open Space Advisory Group
which meets at least twice a year with membership by invitation.
Open Space
undertakes a wide range of research projects under the leadership of Professor
Catharine Ward Thompson along with Associate Director Professor Simon Bell (who
assisted on my Penninghame Project), and Professor Peter Aspinall.
This year, for
three days in September, an International Conference was held in Edinburgh
called “Innovative Approaches to Research Excellence in Landscape and Health”
attended by a wide range of interested people as well as researchers and
professionals from landscape architecture, urban design, public health and
environmental psychology, to debate the links between landscape and
health. The potential benefits of
outdoor space are rarely disputed; however there is much we don’t understand of
how different outdoor environments make a difference to health. The purpose of “Open Space: People Space 2”,
the second conference of its kind since the creation of the OpenSpace Research
Centre in 2001, was to explore innovative theories and methodologies that can
help illuminate these links, and bring about future dialogue between
researchers and policy makers as to how to translate findings into
practice.
The conference had
a truly international flavour with keynote speakers and delegates travelling
from over twenty different countries to attend.
In addition to plenary sessions, workshops enabled all delegates to
participate in sharing experience and generated a very active debate. Posters on display ranged from developments
in pre-school landscaped design, to advancement in the use of GIS (Geographic
Information System) to help determine what objective factors influence
“walkability” in European urban areas.
The plenary
sessions began with applied psychologist Terry Hartig, from Uppsala University
in Sweden,
who introduced conceptualisations of the landscape as a restorative environment
and evidence of how such restoration may work through place and time. Other presentations covered themes of
engagement with place, affordances in the landscape (including a paper by world
expert Harry Heft); ways to understand environmental determinants of health and
research on aspects of spatial structure and “designerly” research methods.
Both the Scottish
Government and Forestry Commission, who sponsored the conference, demonstrated
their support by chairing two Round Table sessions to examine methodological
issues and challenges when approaching the translation of research into
tangible policies which can be implemented by health professionals and
designers in their respective fields.
Peter Ingram-Monk
The SMART Project provides information, support and
assistance to emerging social economy organisations in South
Lanarkshire and is based in Hamilton. The services and support provided is user
led, and the project’s development has been informed by the needs of the social
economy sector in South Lanarkshire, and the
individual organisations accessing the project.
Established in April 2006 the SMART Project is funded by the National
Lottery for three years. In July 2007
additional funding was secured from Lanarkshire Key Fund for one year.
SMART Centre
The SMART Centre is an incubator unit, within the Voluntary Sector
Support Centre in Hamilton,
for new social economy organisations.
Start up organisations can access a range of services including;
§
Workstation
including telephone and networked pc
§
Reception, mail
and meeting room facilities
§
Development
Support from the Project Co-ordinator
Development Support
Organisations with their own accommodation, but planning to develop
social enterprise activities, receive development support from the Project
Co-ordinator. Support is tailored to
organisations’ own needs but may include:
§ Assistance to
clarify ideas
§ Develop
effective project planning tools
§ Referral to
specialist support agencies
§ Customised
Training
Training
The SMART Project provides specialist social economy training. Past topics have included:
§
Leadership in
Social Enterprise
§
Introduction to
developing a social firm
§
Insurance issues
for social economy organisations
§
Governance
issues for social economy organisations
Future plans include:
§
Understanding
social enterprise
§
Business
Planning for social enterprise
§
Marketing
Networking
The SMART Project also provides networking opportunities for social
enterprises. The network meets
informally, once every 6-8 weeks over lunch.
Speakers are often invited and previous guests have included:
Intellectual Assets Centre
Hamilton Furniture
Initiative
Social Investment Scotland
Sales & Marketing Solutions
For more information please contact:
Sarah Clark or Michelle Campbell on 01698 300390
Sarah.clark@cvshek.co.uk
Michelle.campbell@cvshek.co.uk
The Elma
Mitchell Award
SDEF will shortly be writing to members inviting entries for the Elma
Mitchell Award. Given in memory of our first Convenor, the late Elma Mitchell
MBE, this award will be for younger people who submit an article to us on the
subject of disability. Our Company Secretary, Agnes Stewart writes:
“The late Miss Elma Mitchell MBE,
was a remarkable lady who achieved so much in her life and in the lives of
those who knew her.
Disabled from an early age, this did not stop her from achieving. As a
Founder Member of the Scottish Disability Equality Forum and its first
Convenor, we want to honour her name.”
There will be a
£500 prize annually for the best entry and the first, second and third placed
will all be carried in ‘Open Door’. We will give full details when we write to
the membership on the subject shortly.
Finally, the
Staff and Directors of SDEF would like to wish our membership a very merry
Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Open Door is published by
Scottish Disability
Equality Forum
12 Enterprise House
Springkerse Business
Park
Stirling FK7 7UF
Tel: 01786 446456
Fax: 01786 450902
Email:
general@sdef.org.uk
www.sdef.org.uk
Charity No
SC 031893
Company No
SC 243392
Open Door is available in alternative formats on request
Any comments made in
any contributed articles do not necessarily reflect the policy or the views of
SDEF.
Staff
Contact details:
Wyn
Merrells, Manager
wyn.merrells@sdef.org.uk
Liz Rowlett, Policy, Information
and
Parliamentary Officer
liz.rowlett@sdef.org.uk
Maeve
Bain, Office Administrator
maeve.bain@sdef.org.uk
Keith
Robertson,
Access
Development Officer
keith.robertson@sdef.org.uk
Elaine
Wilson,
Access
Development Administrator
elaine.wilson@sdef.org.uk
Scottish
Disability Equality Forum is funded by the
Scottish
Executive
Annual
Membership of SDEF costs just £1 for individuals and £5 for organisations.
If
you would like to join, please
contact
maeve.bain@sdef.org.uk
telephone
01786 446456
© Scottish Disability Equality Forum November 2007
SDEF minutes all
the discussions and takes very seriously all the observations and concerns of
our members and others. We feel it is a very worthwhile exercise to discover
what the priorities of our membership are and also to take any feedback on the service we are providing.
This builds on the approach we take at our Annual General Meetings, with views
taken to inform our planning.