|
Who We Are
The Scottish Disability Equality Forum (SDEF) is a membership
organisation, open to all disability organisations and to individuals with any type of impairment. It is dedicated
to furthering the Social
Inclusion agenda, through the removal of barriers and the promotion of
equal access for all people affected by disability.
The organisation is user-led and is guided by the concerns of its members who are encouraged
to participate fully, to exchange views, to provide input to
consultation exercises and to attend meetings.
In furtherance of its principles SDEF has, since its
inception, championed the cause of Access Panels and has been elected as the
umbrella body for Access Panels to support local groups in their work
for social equality.
Our
Mission:�
The Scottish Disability Equality Forum exists
to promote greater social equality by working
to remove the disabling barriers to equal access for people
affected by disabilities in Scotland.
Our
Values:
SDEF believes:
a)����
that people
come first, disability comes second;
b)����
in a ‘bottom-up’
rather than a ‘top-down’ approach to policymaking that people with
disabilities should have control over decisions
that directly affect
their
lives;
c)����
that people with disabilities should have control
over decisions that directly affect their lives;
d)����
there is a need for the voices of people
with disabilities to be heard in defining access problems and in
proposing solutions;
e)����
in a commitment
to equal opportunities;
f)������
in a commitment
to working with all who can contribute to opening up access for people with disabilities;
g)����
in adding
value, not duplicating the work
of others.
Features
of Our Approach
1)����
SDEF’s membership and services are open to individuals
as well as organisations and therefore is representative of both:
2)����
SDEF’s focus is on access to the environment, to information and to developing mechanisms
for two-way communication, as the fundamental determinants of access to services,
benefits, rights and social inclusion;
3)��� SDEF aims to be accessible
to all affected by disability and a centre
for technical and practical expertise in the field of access
and communication methods, which is directly informed by the experience
of people with disabilities;
4)��� SDEF welcomes the involvement of non-disabled people in its work, while insisting that people with disabilities should retain control.
�
�
� Copyright Scottish Disability Equality Forum 2003-2006
|