As many as 4,800 people with health conditions and disabilities will receive help to get into work without the threat of sanctions in the first year of new Scottish employment services launched yesterday. Continue reading Help into work: Launch of devolved employment services.
Disability Delivery Plan published
Scottish Union of Supported Employment (SUSE) is delighted to announce that our local MP Tommy Sheppard is helping us launch our brand new ‘Peer Support for Work’ Facebook Group to coincide with the ‘United Nations International Day of People with Disabilities’. Continue reading SUSE Peer Support for Work Facebook Group launch today
FM to reaffirm Scotland’s commitment to disability inclusion
The needs of disabled people will remain at the forefront of policy making in Scotland following the devolution of new powers from Westminster, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will say on Tuesday. Continue reading Breaking down barriers
Edinburgh’s Highland Hall at the Royal Highland Centre is to host Kidz to Adultz Scotland – one of the largest, free Scottish events dedicated to children and young adults up to 25 years with disabilities and additional needs, their families and the professionals who work with them in Scotland.
Approximately 120,000 children and adults in Scotland are living with a learning disability, and over one million are living with a sensory impairment.
Over 80 exhibitors will assemble at Highland Hall on Thursday 15 September to offer advice, support and information on mobility, communication, equipment and technology, education, toys and learning aids, transport, beds and seating, service, funding, sports and leisure and much more.
Organised by registered charity Disabled Living and free to attend, the event will feature a host of educational and practical seminars accredited by The CPD Certification Service for parents, guardians, carers and professionals. Essential topics such as moving and handling, sleep issues, parental experiences, continence issues, legal advice and many others will be covered, with opportunities for parents and carers to ask questions during the day.
There will be representatives from local and national organisations including Caudwell Children, Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children, Theraplay, Munro Rehab and Fast Aid Medical and Mobility Products and more.
Edinburgh Leisure will provide taster tennis sessions for all age groups including wheelchair tennis, additional support needs (ASN) tennis and cardio tennis.
Carmel Hourigan, senior manager at Disabled Living says: ‘Kidz to Adultz Scotland is a valuable opportunity for children and young adults, as well as their families, carers and professionals to find out more about the products and services available to them.
“We’ve got some fantastic organisations from Edinburgh and from around Scotland exhibiting and a great line up of speakers so all attendees will leave having learned something new. Professionals can also boost their CPD portfolios and gain credits by attending one or more of the FREE seminars taking place alongside the exhibition. Our ‘sports area’ will offer visitors a chance to try out a variety of tennis taster sessions throughout the day and all attendees will be entered into our free prize draw to win some fantastic prizes.”
Anna Myatt, Tennis development Officer from Edinburgh Leisure, says: “Summer 2016 has been named summer of sport with the Olympics, Paralympics and Wimbledon all taking place and following Andy Murray’s success at The Championships, we’re hoping to inspire more people to take up tennis and find out more about clubs and sessions in their local areas.”
All attendees will be entered into a free prize draw with prizes from Celtic Football Club and Rangers Football Club, The Edinburgh Dungeon, The Falkirk Wheel, The Royal Yacht Britannia and lots more.
Kidz to Adultz Scotland takes place in Highland Hall, Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh, EH28 8NB, on Thursday 15 September from 9.30am to 4.30pm
For more information on the event and to book your free ticket, visit http://www.disabledliving.co.uk/Kidz/Scotland
Disabled campaigners take action across Scotland
Disabled campaigners will be protesting at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, a disability benefits centre in Glasgow and in City Square, Dundee tomorrow as part of a UK-wide day of action against disability benefit changes.
Protests will be held at many assessment centres run by Atos and Capita, the private companies who hold contracts with the Department for Work and Pensions to test disabled people’s eligibility for the Personal Independence Payment benefit. Continue reading Rotten to the core!
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. Continue reading Disability charity organises hustings event
Thursday 3 December 4pm St Giles Cathedral
Central Taxis to sponsor Spartans Connections
Taxi for Spartans! Edinburgh’s Central Taxis are to sponsor local community club Spartans Connections. The Connections squad are delighted with the sponsorship deal and the new partnership is a great result for the Ainslie Park footballers. Continue reading Fare play to Spartans Connections!
and there’s still time to share your views on making it better
Over 140 people, including many disabled people and their representatives, took the opportunity to have their say on making transport more accessible at a summit in Edinburgh yesterday.
The Transport Accessibility Summit, hosted by Transport Scotland, brought together interested parties, including local and central government, to discuss a range of key issues raised by disabled people.
The conference also enabled transport operators across different modes to hear the personal stories behind the issues and to share best practice.
Transport Minister Derek Mackay addressed the audience of over 60 disabled people, their support, disabled groups and transport providers to highlight the need to work together in partnership to make end to end journeys better.
He said: “Transport accessibility is important for everyone but disabled people face particular barriers. Statistics suggest that a non-disabled adult is 50 per cent more likely to make any kind of journey than a disabled adult – that is something we aim to address.
“By hosting this summit, our aim is to enable everyone involved to gain a better understanding of why so many disabled people are put off making journeys and how we can work together to make end to end journeys more accessible.
“Many of the people attending the summit support the statement – ‘nothing about us without us’ – and I will ensure that my Transport Scotland officials strive to make that happen, as well as commending this approach to transport providers in Scotland.
“Disabled people should enjoy the same rights, choice and opportunities to use travel as everyone else. I want a Scotland where disabled people know they can travel in comfort and safety and with the confidence of knowing they will be helped to complete that journey successfully and according to their needs. Today’s summit is a small but a positive step towards that vision.”
In the lead up to the summit Transport Scotland, together with Scottish Disability Equality Forum (SDEF) and other stakeholders, held a series of meetings which raised almost 50 issues for discussion including:
Susan Grasekamp, Chief Executive of, SDEF said: “The high level of engagement and contribution which the early events enjoyed reinforces how vital accessible transport is to improve quality of life and independent living for disabled people in Scotland.
“The summit has been a great step towards gathering the right people around the table to effect real and positive change in accessible transport, taking into account the vast differences between rural and urban area transport issues in Scotland.
“SDEF and its members are delighted to have been part of these events and we are hopeful that the Accessible Transport Summit marks the beginning of a more collaborative, open and transparent process in the planning, design and implementation of future transport services.”
Keith Lynch, Chair of People First said: “Barriers to transport can be physical, due to inaccessible provision of information or because of the attitude and approach of society towards people with an intellectual impairment.
“People First welcome the opportunity to work with local authorities, transport providers, and other organisations to improve accessible information and also to raise public awareness of the impact and the seriousness of hate incidents and crime.”
Jenny Miller, Chief Executive PAMIS said: “We are delighted to be involved in this accessible transport summit – a real partnership venture working with Transport Scotland teams and with transport providers. We really hope that this is the beginning of a new way of working that will enable all people in Scotland to be able to access transport no matter what specific needs they have or where they live.
“People with profound and multiple learning disabilities are some of the most socially excluded people in Scotland, in order for people to travel and access the community there needs to be a network of accessible Changing Places toilets, including at transport hubs.
“Transport Scotland has supported this message with transport providers and PAMIS is already seeing the difference this is making with transport advisors contacting us to find out about how they can provide the right solution.
“We are excited to be involved in the summit and look forward to continued working partnerships as we all pledge to make Scotland’s transport accessible for all.”
People with an interest in accessible transport but who could not attend the summit can still have their say via the SDEF website – go to
http://your-say-on-disability.org.uk/survey/
A report of the summit and a plan of action will be produced later this year and will be taken forward in partnership with disabled people and transport providers.
