Disability Action Ezine June 2011 Contents Have your say on the Government's draft UN report Department of Work and Pensions Personal Independence Plan Consultation Seminar for Health and Social Care Professionals: Know the 'Right' Approach Blue Badge Scheme – Eligibility of Younger People A Youth Assembly for Northern Ireland Code of Practice on the Provision and Use of Transport Vehicles Stand by Me Discussion on BBC TV and Radio services Know Your Consumer Rights Workshop RICC Seminar Series: A Vision for Community Care Seminar The British Transplant Games Need Your Help! Have your say: Health and Disability Community Network: Telephone Friendship Calls PROGRESS Funding Appointments - General Consumer Council for Northern Ireland
Have your say on the Government's draft UN report The Office for Disability Issues (ODI) has released a draft government report on the UK's implementation of the United Nations (UN) Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities, since July 2009. >> Read the UK's draft UN report Have your say Disability Action is calling on its member organisations and people with disabilities to have
their say on the Government's report. The ODI has said that government departments will consider what they have written in the report in light of your comments and take your comments into account as they change or develop their policies in the future. Your comments will also contribute to a cross-government Disability Strategy. Disability Action will be publishing its response to the draft report in the coming weeks, which will be circulated to its members in advance of the deadline on 20 June 2011. >>Find out how to give feedback >>Find out more about the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Department of Work and Pensions Personal Independence Plan Consultation The Department for Work and Pensions has published briefing notes to set out key elements of policy relating to the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and wants your views on these initial draft criteria for the PIP assessment. >>Read the Personal Independence Payment briefing notes and draft assessment regulations The Department will consider comments received by 6 June 2011 before it tests the likely impact of the draft criteria during the summer. The Department for Work and Pensions will also consider comments received by 1 August 2011 following completion of the summer testing when it will seek to refine the criteria further, as necessary. Changes made to the criteria as a result of refinement and testing will be reflected in a second draft of the assessment criteria and regulations, to be published in the autumn. >>Read more
Seminar for Health and Social Care Professionals: Know the 'Right' Approach 10.00am - 1.00pm, 28 June 2011 Chestnut Suite, Lagan Valley Island Conference Centre, The Island, Lisburn, BT27 4RL Disability Action’s Centre on Human Rights is organising a seminar for people working in the health and social care sector- 'Know the Right Approach'. This seminar aims to increase awareness of what a disability and human rights approach to health and social care is and why a disability and human rights approach to health and social care is important. >>Read more
Blue Badge Scheme – Eligibility of Younger People The Department for Regional Development undertook a survey in 2010 to help identify the Section 75 profile of Blue Badge users. The results of this survey indicate that younger people may be under-represented in enrolment in the Blue Badge Scheme, when compared to the number of young people in Northern Ireland as a whole who consider themselves to have a disability. The Department for Regional Development would like to increase awareness of the Blue Badge Scheme and its benefits for younger people with a disability, and has produced a guide for first time applicants. >>Read more
A Youth Assembly for Northern Ireland Since March 2010, a team from the Northern Ireland Assembly has been working with a panel of 30 young people - looking at how they might set up a Youth Assembly, and they have now drawn up a plan for creating a Youth Assembly. The Northern Ireland Assembly Commission, which is in charge of making sure things run smoothly at the Assembly, wants to know what you think of the plan. >>Read more
Code of Practice on the Provision and Use of Transport Vehicles The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland recently launched the new Code of Practice on the Provision and Use of Transport Vehicles, which came into force on 25 May 2011. The Code provides guidance on the rights and responsibilities which exist as a result of the Disability Discrimination (Transport Vehicles) Regulations (NI) 2009. >>Read Code of Practice on the Provision and Use of Transport Vehicles The Code is also available in Braille, audio, large print and Easyread versions. The Equality Commission is planning a range of activities to promote awareness of the Code and the legislation it seeks to explain. >>Read more
Stand by Me 11am - 1pm 20 June 2011 Newforge Country Club, Newforge Lane, Belfast Hate crime has a deadly impact on the lives of people with a learning disability but is
largely hidden and unreported. Without proper support from the police, criminal justice agencies and their community, many people with a learning disability live in fear and are unable to lead a full life in their community. Stand by Me will call on the courts and criminal justice system to end hate crime, focusing this year on the police service. It will also recognise the role played by the public by raising awareness of what they can do to stand by people with a learning disability. >>Read more
Discussion on BBC TV and Radio services 12pm - 2.30pm 20 June 2011 BBC Blackstaff House, Great Victoria Street, Belfast The BBC Audience Council NI is hosting an informal discussion on BBC radio and television services. The event aims to bring together people with an interest in BBC services, in particular, BBC Radio 5 Live/5 Live Sports Extra, the BBC News Channel and BBC Parliament. The Audience Council would like to know what audiences value most about these services and where audiences think they might be improved. >>Read more
Know Your Consumer Rights Workshop 11am - 1pm 10 June 2011 Millennium Forum, Derry/Londonderry The Consumer Council is hosting a free workshop on consumer rights. This workshop will suit advice workers, literacy and numeracy tutors and family and health workers whose knowledge on consumer rights is limited. Members of the general public are also welcome. >>Read more
RICC Seminar Series: A Vision for Community Care Seminar 10.30am - 12.30pm 10 June 2011 Disability Action, Portside Business Park, Belfast, BT3 9ED Rights in Community Care (RICC), an umbrella grouping of organisations including Law Centre (NI), Carers NI, Age NI, UNISON, Disability Action and Alzheimer's Society, is organising its fourth and final seminar in its series on 'A Vision for Community Care'. The seminar will consider the current deabte on social care both in the UK and internationally
and will reflect on the challenges ensuring assistance and support to those who are carers. >>Read more
The British Transplant Games Need Your Help! Do you want to be a part of a National Sporting Event? Do you want to actively contribute to a fun and engaging atmosphere? Are you over the age of 16? If 'yes' ... then apply to be a volunteer at the 34th British Transplant Games! Volunteers will be asked to undertake a range of roles, from involvement in the opening ceremony and registration to stewarding, branding and helping with the individual sports. The benefits of getting involved include being a valued part of a national sporting event, receiving a volunteer certificate, the opportunity to, when not volunteering, be a spectator at the Games and the opportunity to include any completed volunteer hours towards volunteer programmes such as Event Management for Volunteers, Millennium Volunteers, GoldMark, Duke of Edinburgh etc. >>Read more
Have your say: Health and Disability 10.30am - 3.30pm 15 June 2011 Dunsilly Hotel, Antrim Are you a disabled person who faces barriers taking part in society? Do you want to know how to challenge these barriers? This session explores how the Disability Discrimination Act and the public sector duties apply to health services for disabled people. >>Read more
Community Network: Telephone Friendship Calls If you are over 50, and live in an isolated area or have little or no social contact with people you can avail of this opportunity to get in contact with others through a free group telephone call. A telephone friendship call allows you to have a chat with 5 or 6 other people without having to leave your own home. >>Read more
PROGRESS Funding The European Commission is inviting proposals from Member States for funding for national awareness-raising activities in support of the Community's anti-discrimination agenda.National authorities can nominate non-profit making organisations, such as an NGO or an equality body, to carry out activities on their behalf. In the UK the Government Equalities Office is the "national authority". The PROGRESS programme is concerned with: "Raising awareness, disseminating information and promoting the debate about the key challenges and policy issues in relation to discrimination and the mainstreaming of anti-discrimination in all Community policies, including among the social partners, NGOs and other stakeholders." >>Read more
Appointments - General Consumer Council for Northern Ireland The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment is seeking to appoint a new Deputy Chair and up to 3 new members with effect from 1 January 2012. The terms of appointment will be for up to three years and may be renewable for a second term. >>Read more