10:30-15:00, Friday 7th April
Lecture Theatre 3, Geoffrey Manton building, Manchester
Metropolitan University
On 7th April, MetroPolis, Manchester Met’s new research-led
think tank, and Learning Disability England will be bringing together
self-advocates, family members and organisations to think and talk about money.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities says that governments should make sure that disabled citizens have
enough money to access healthcare, homes and jobs, allowing them to be full
members of their communities.
In 2009, the UK government signed up to this Convention.
Their “ambition is to remove barriers to create opportunities for disabled
people to fulfil their potential and be fully participating members of
society.”[1]
After meeting over 200 individuals, MPs, activists and
academics in October 2015, the United Nations inquiry team reported that the
Austerity measures brought in by the Coalition Government had violated the
human rights of disabled people within the UK[2].
“It's
important for us to talk about money and people with learning disabilities
because money is what you need to have a stable life. Money makes the world go
round. I hope that people will join us on 7th April and together we can start
to make change for the better.”
- Gary Bourlet, Co-Founder of Learning Disability England, and
speaker at the event.
Other speakers include:
Neil Crowther, independent expert on equality and human
rights with a particular interest in working to secure the rights of disabled
people. Neil provides bespoke services to a wide range of clients in the UK and
internationally.
Professor Katherine Runswick-Cole, Professor of Critical
Disability Studies & Psychology. Katherine’s research has focused on the
lives of disabled children, young people, their families and allies, and more
recently her work has focused on the lives of people labelled with learning
disabilities in a time of austerity.
This event will discuss what the report said and find out
what the experiences of people with learning disabilities are.
The event will also
address:
- Whether there is enough money for people to live good lives in their communities and to take part as equal citizens.
- And whether LDE’s members with learning disabilities are having funding cut to for the help they need, including benefits, housing and speaking up.
The event will be used to create a response to the UK
government, on the UN report, and their reaction to this.
This event is for self-advocates and people from
organisations, with half the spaces reserved for people with learning
disabilities and family members.
To book a place, please e-mail Mariana Ortiz (mariana.ortiz@LDEngland.org.uk).
Should you have any other questions regarding the event,
please do not hesitate to contact mcrmetropolis@mmu.ac.uk.
