People with learning difficulties from across Edinburgh and the Lothians are to be given the chance to grill their local would-be politicians, thanks to an innovative hustings event being held next week.
ENABLE Scotland says the shocking fact that only 30 per cent of people with learning disabilities vote, despite being hugely affected by Governments’ policies, prompted the charity to organise the eight events which will take them on a campaign trail right across Scotland.
The hustings’ events aim to give people with learning disabilities the chance to meet their local MSPs and get their questions and issues heard.
ENABLE is Scotland’s leading learning disability charity.
Jan Savage, the charity’s Executive Director of Campaigns and External Affairs said: “Traditionally the number of people who have a learning disability who vote is only around 30 per cent. Yet a survey by our sister organisation, Mencap, showed 70 per cent intended to vote.
“Unfortunately the survey also found that 60 per cent of people who have learning disabilities found the process of voting too difficult. This is why we’ve launched our #ENABLEtheVote campaign and produced resources for people who have learning disabilities and their families to help get people ready to vote.”
The Edinburgh event will take place at ENABLE Edinburgh’s office at 95 Causewayside on Monday 4 April at 6pm and people who have learning disabilities and their families and carers are welcome to attend to put their local candidates on the spot.
ENABLE Scotland’s campaign trail will travel around Scotland to make voting more accessible for people who have learning disabilities, as part of its #ENABLEtheVote campaign.
As part of the campaign, ENABLE Scotland has also produced a series of accessible factsheets with the Electoral Commission about the election, ways to vote and voting at a polling station.
All MSPs have been asked to Be the Change for people who have learning disabilities, and have been contacted with the 10 key changes that the charity’s members want to see in 2016-2021, and all the parties standing for election have also been asked to produce easy-read manifestos to make the whole voting process easier for people who have learning disabilities.
The hustings events are popular and unique, as they give people who have learning disabilities a great chance to find out who they can vote for in their area – and ask them why they should vote for them!
Ivan Cohen, Chairperson of the charity’s national Advisory Committee (ACE) said: “ENABLE Scotland has helped us understand why we should vote and how to vote, but the parties need to tell us why we should vote for them.
“We have a lot to say about issues such as welfare reform, and how that affects us. We are also worried about transport and jobs.
“We want to know what the parties are saying about these things and what they will do if they are elected. We need that information to be accessible so we can understand what the parties are promising and make our vote based on that.
“We are asking parties to make their accessible manifestos available at the same time as their full manifestos. Then, like everyone else, we will have enough time to think about what party we will vote for.”
The meetings are open to anyone who has a learning disability, and their supporters. To book a place, contact ENABLE Scotland’s Campaigns team on campaigns@enable.org.uk or 01698 737000
To find out more about #ENABLEtheVote and the ten key changes, visit www.enable.org.uk/enablethevote
Voting factsheet Scottish Election 2016
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