The Premier’s Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities Our vision: Alberta will be an inclusive and barrier-free society
About the Council • Created under the Premier’s Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities Act, they are an advisory agency accountable to the Premier through the Minister of Community & Social Services and to follow the Alberta Public Agencies Governance Act.
• A maximum of 15 members across Alberta representing cross-disabilities who either have lived experience of disability, a family member with a disability or a career in the disability field.
Minister Sabir Announces the New Council Members
The Premier’s Council Role • The Premier’s Council advises government on policies regarding equal opportunities for persons with disabilities to reach their full potential. • The Council connects and listens to the disability community in order to develop their advice to government. • The Council acts strategically to ensure that input from a disability perspective is provided to key government policies and programs.
Legislative Amendment In 2013, the Premier’s Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities Act was amended to include an additional role: advise the Government regarding the alignment between policies and strategies affecting persons with disabilities and the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
• The Act was updated to reflect current issues, relationships and roles within government and the community and to give the Council a more strategic role in government policy and program development.
The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Guiding Principles Respect for inherent dignity, individual autonomy including the freedom to make one’s own choices, and independence of persons
Non-discrimination
Full and effective participation and inclusion in society
Respect for difference and acceptance of persons with disabilities as part of human diversity and humanity
Equality of opportunity
Accessibility
Equality between men and women
Respect for the evolving capacities of children with disabilities and respect for the right of children with disabilities to preserve their identities
Three key figures in developing the Premier’s Council in 1988
Importance of disability issues • People with disabilities (Canada-wide) (2012): o 3.8 million Canadians (15+) are living with disabilities o 47% employment rate versus 74% for persons without disabilities o Are half as likely to have a university degree. o Earn $10,000/yr less than individuals without a disability. Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Survey on Disability, 2012
• People with disabilities in Alberta (2012): o 369,190 Albertans (15+) are living with disabilities o 59% employment rate versus 79% for persons without disabilities Source: OSI Alberta, Alberta Official Statistics, 2015
Inclusion and Accessibility
• The Council supports inclusion and accessibility for full participation in community life • A long-term, cross-disability and cross-ministry commitment is required to affect change in policies and attitudes
Connecting with Community & Advice to Government • Last year the Council provided advice or input into policies… – Across 15 different Ministries – On 30 policies and initiatives – Had conversations with 32 people and organizations in the disability community
• Council posts an Annual Report that is tabled in the Legislature that shows the activities of what Council does every year. – http://www.humanservices.alberta.ca/department/premiers-co uncil-annual-report.html
Council’s First Order of Business Strategic Plan • Council agreed the first order of business needed to be their strategic plan that ordered key priorities and identified themes to focus on for the next three years • Council identified that they wanted their strategic plan to be well informed by the community - “we want to get this right” • In January Council sent out a survey for stakeholder input on the strategic plan • With the distribution help of disability community networks, Council received 182 responses
Council’s Strategic Survey • Survey asked the respondents the following: 1. 2.
Tell council about two or three big issues and challenges facing the disability community What are some priorities the Council should be tackling this year and in the following two years?
• Respondent profile: – – –
182 total respondents Location: 121 urban, 38 rural, 23 unspecified Type: • Person with disability – 43 • Family – 62 • Caregiver – 26 • Advocate – 30 • Public – 11 • Unspecified – 10
Strategic Survey Identified issues/barriers in the disability community
Focus areas for Council
Strategic Survey Results Key focus areas – Person with a Disability and Families
Strategic Survey Results Key focus areas – Rural and Urban
Strategic Planning Meeting • Council members worked on the survey results together and prepared a first look at the key focus areas for the priorities and the strategic direction for the next 3 years • Council wants to be visible in their communities with effective representation and have an impact in improving accessibility and inclusion for Albertans with disabilities • Council was not surprised by the results of the survey • The community’s voice reflected in the survey adds credence to the Council's advice
Strategic Plan Highlights - an action strategy • Focus areas for actions (details on next slides): – – – – – –
Housing Employment Income security Support services Urban-rural dynamics and Indigenous communities Communication and stakeholder engagement
• Each focus area considered through the lens of: – Program funding – Transitions and life-cycle approach
Note: strategic plan still in draft stage, specifics of plan not yet finalized
Strategic Plan Highlights - an action strategy • Housing – Recommend: improved accessibility standards, quota of affordable accessible housing in new buildings – Advise levels of gov’t working on homelessness strategies – Review and analyze housing/support models, shortage of accessible housing
• Employment – – – –
Emphasize to gov’t importance of workplace inclusion Review and improve programs that promote inclusion Recommend support and education for workplaces Promote access to education for persons with disabilities
Strategic Plan Highlights - an action strategy • Income security – Recommend AISH indexing, employment exemption raise – Emphasize long-term costs of poverty
• Support services – Connect with Alberta Disability Workers Association – Recommend workforce development strategy – Work with Integrated Housing & Care Strategy under development – Recommend stable and sufficient self-managed care funds
• Urban-rural dynamics and Indigenous communities – Recommendations to close gaps in service provision – Encourage provincial and federal gov’ts to address jurisdiction issues, to better support Indigenous communities
Strategic Plan Highlights - an action strategy • Cross-cutting interventions – Participate in budget consultations – More active work and communication with ministries re: advice and recommendations – Promote public education on disability and on goals 4, 8, 10, and 11 of the UN Sustainable Development Agenda – Support GoA in better coordination with federal gov’t initiatives – Develop a disabilities lens policy checklist – Develop a training/learning tool to educate on disability through life-stages – Engage private-sector focused on disability or adjacent issues – Increase communications with stakeholders and public, increase social media presence …
Survey and Strategic Plan - Invitation to Contribute • Council’s strategic survey and strategic plan are designed to solicit and incorporate the advice and the needs of the disability community • Action steps for Council’s strategic plan are being developed. • We are interested in any advice or expertise you may have – Do you feel the strategic plan actions represent the community? – Do you feel we are on the right track?
Connect with Council twitter.com/premierscouncil
Telephone: 780-422-1095 Address: Premier’s Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities Suite 1110, 10055 106 Street Edmonton, AB T5J 1G3 Email: PCSPD@gov.ab.ca