Disability Equality Scotland At 20: Easy Read Easy Read versions can support more people to read and understand your information. Reaching a wider audience – what organisation doesn’t like that? It’s mainly used by people with a learning disability, but Easy Read is also useful for people with other communication difficulties including: people who find reading difficult people with cognitive impairments such as dementia people with hearing impairment whose first language is British Sign Language (BSL) people who do not speak English as their first language It’s often a go-to document for anyone to get the main points of a
Read More
Disability Equality Scotland At 20: Hate Crime Charter
Disability Equality Scotland At 20: Hate Crime Charter As a national membership organisation, Disability Equality Scotland (DES), is continually focussed on the needs of disabled people and disability groups/organisations. One of our most significant projects over the last couple of years has very much built on this lived experience by members (and others) in the challenges of using public transport and of being a victim of hate crime. There is currently no single accepted definition of the term ‘Hate Crime’ however Scottish Government and Police Scotland use this definition: “Any crime which is perceived by the victim or any other
Read More
Disability Equality Scotland At 20: Inclusive Communication Spotlight
Disability Equality Scotland At 20: Inclusive Communication Spotlight During our 20 years as a national Disabled People’s Organisation, we have made sure that ‘accessibility’ is considered in the widest possible sense. This includes making sure that there is an awareness and understanding of having information available in accessible formats. It is also about having communication support available when required. This approach is known as ‘Inclusive Communication’. It is a way of ensuring that as many people as possible can be included in an interaction. It allows people to use whatever ways of understanding and expressing themselves which they find easiest.
Read More
Disability Equality Scotland At 20: Young Membership Spotlight
Disability Equality Scotland At 20: Young Membership Spotlight We want to help start a wider discussion about the experiences of young disabled people in Scotland and we need your help. Our Young Membership category space for people aged 12-17 is important as young disabled people are underrepresented within work on both youth and disability which further marginalises them. There are not a lot of spaces where young disabled people can discuss topics that are important to them and this is what we are looking to build. Through having a youth membership space, young disabled people will be able to discuss
Read More
Disability Equality Scotland At 20: Access Panel Spotlight
Disability Equality Scotland at 20: Access Panel Spotlight Disability Equality Scotland celebrates its 20th anniversary this year – a milestone for the organisation and for disabled people in Scotland. Throughout the past two decades, Disability Equality Scotland has been working hard to ensure that disabled people have access to the same opportunities as everyone else. That work though simply couldn’t have been done without the Access Panel Network. Access Panels are the heart and soul of Disability Equality Scotland and the 20th anniversary is a chance to recognise and celebrate the contribution of they’ve made in ensuring that disabled people’s
Read More
Disability Equality Scotland Turns 20!
Disability Equality Scotland Turns 20! Today (Saturday 4 February) Disability Equality Scotland celebrates our 20th year as a National Disabled People’s Organisation! To mark the occasion, our Convener Kayla-Megan Burns introduces a week of activity to celebrate our members, Access Panels and the projects that we are involved in. Video transcript: “Hi everyone, I’m Kayla-Megan Burns and I’m the Convener of Disability Equality Scotland. I’m coming to you today as it’s the 20th Anniversary of Disability Equality Scotland. Over the next few days, we’re going to be sharing lots of content with you about the development of the organisation across
Read More
Join Disability Equality Scotland!
Join Disability Equality Scotland! Position: Training and Development Worker Disability Equality Scotland are looking for a part time Training and Development Worker to deliver and expand a training course as part of our Easy Read Service. The post holder will also support our Easy Read Workers with some translation tasks. The post will contribute to the promotion and marketing of our Easy Read Service and Training and assist with the development of our website aimed at promoting Easy Read. This post should have a high level of responsibility for designing, delivering, evaluating and reporting. The closing date for receipt of applications
Read More
Webinar: Discussing the Future of the Accessible Travel Framework, Wednesday 8 February 2023 2:00pm – 3:30pm
Webinar: Discussing the Future of the Accessible Travel Framework, Wednesday 8 February 2023 2:00pm – 3:30pm This webinar will be an opportunity to discuss what you think the key priorities for Accessible Travel in Scotland should be in the coming years and share your insights about what impactful change you would like to see. We will hear from Steven Dora, the Accessible Travel and Blue Badge Policy Team Leader for Transport Scotland and Lyn Pornaro the Chief Executive Officer for Disability Equality Scotland. They will both share updates of where Transport Scotland and Disability Equality Scotland are now with the
Read More
Scottish Charities Demand Retailers Provide Braille Labelling on Food Products
Scottish Charities Demand Retailers Provide Braille Labelling on Food Products On World Braille Day, 04 January 2023, Sight Scotland, Oban and District Access Panel, and Disability Equality Scotland, launched a campaign demanding that new requirements are placed on retailers to provide braille labelling on food products. Currently, braille labelling is only required for medicines, meaning braille users are not able to identify the food products they wish to purchase and use. The charities are calling for a statutory duty to be placed on businesses and retailers to provide braille labels on food products detailing the name of the item and
Read More
Thank You and Merry Christmas
Thank You and Merry Christmas! As we approach the end of another year, it is traditionally a time of reflection and thank you. So let me start with the thank you – to our members, Access Panels, sponsors, funders and partners – Thank You. Without your continued support, Disability Equality Scotland would not be where it is today – continually working towards Equality, Inclusion and Participation for all disabled people in Scotland. As I reflect on the year (for me at Disability Equality Scotland, that is just 1 and a half months), I am drawn to the fact that it
Read More