What is SDEF?

The Scottish Disability Equality Forum is a membership organisation open to all disability organisations, or any individual with any type of impairment.� Every person, organisation and network has an important role to play in ensuring the voices of disabled people are heard in the new Scotland.� The Forum seeks to enable this.

Background

The desire for a genuine National Forum bringing together organisations involving people with disabilities has been strong for many years.� Thanks to the efforts of a small group of dedicated people with disabilities, SDEF was established in 1997 after a meeting of a large number of disability groups from all over Scotland.�

Since receiving support from the Scottish Executive in April 2001, we have already almost reached our first year target of recruiting fifty member organisations.� We also have a wide range of supportive associate members and individual members.�

Aims

SDEF is guided by the needs of its members.� Particular priorities for this year are to:

build SDEF�s membership to make it more fully representative;
provide full information about our work and help organisations learn from each other;
work closely with other infrastructure bodies;
continue to work with our members to identify the gaps in support for people with disabilities and their organisations.� An infrastructure for access organisations is a particular current concern for our membership.

What does SDEF do?

SDEF is working in partnership with a range of organisations to bring about change and put equality firmly on the agenda.

Lobbying MSPs and Scottish Ministers
Working with the Scottish Parliament cross party group on disability
Engaging constructively with the Scottish Executive
Linking with the networks and groups working for the disability movement and equality in Scotland.

Members of SDEF receive regular newsletter mailings by email or other formats.� This includes an �early warning� monitoring system summarising key policy documents and consultation papers which may affect people with disabilities.

Members are invited to input into a wide range of consultation responses and to attend meetings focussing on particular issues.� We are particularly keen to hear of examples of good practice from member organisations which would be useful to the sector as a whole.

Membership of SDEF is currently free.� Join us and help direct our work!

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Scottish Disability Equality Forum

Working together for the disability movement

SDEF is a recognised Scottish charity no. SC031893

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