Reference :
Easy Read Guide to the Disability Discrimination Act (Part 3)
02/12/2009
Know Your Rights People with learning difficulties in Islington make Part 3 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 easy read Written by First Choice Trainers, Tess McManus and Inga Tillere
In January 2008, Disability Action in Islington delivered training on disabled peoples rights under Part 3 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) to the First Choice Trainers a group of people with learning difficulties based at and employed by Siren Arts & Advocacy in Islington.
Tess Mc Manus, a freelance Disability Equality Trainer and Consultant working on behalf of Disability Action in Islington, explored the complex meaning of disability discrimination and other legal terms such as goods, services and facilities, service providers and their responsibilities, reasonable adjustments and justification. The group learned how to recognise disability discrimination and how to take action in line with this law.
While talking about disability discrimination, members of the group recounted a number of occasions when they have been turned away from mainstream night clubs or asked to sit at the back of the room in a restaurant as the proprietors or service providers have perceived them to be different from other people because of their learning difficulty. For example, only a few weeks ago Jackie Ryan went out for a meal together with a group of people with learning difficulties and complex needs. They went to their local fish & chip restaurant but staff refused to serve them and told the group to go and eat somewhere else because 'they are too messy'.
Although the group was outraged to hear this story, they also understand that many people with learning difficulties don't know their rights and have grown accustomed to being turned away from mainstream services. So the First Choice Trainers thought it would be a great idea to make a Guide to Part 3 of the DDA developed by people with learning difficulties for people with learning difficulties.
Andrew Malley said: 'We want to make a difference and tell other people with learning difficulties that they have rights and that there are ways of getting their rights respected'.
Throughout the summer months and early autumn the group worked together with Tess, planning layout and design, wording and pictures. There were occasions when we all got confused about how this complicated law works and Tess suggested role plays as a way of learning, which turned out to be great fun and also helped us to understand this law better.
For example, Edmund Marriott pretended to be the owner of 'Edmund's Eatery', which was taken to court by Tess because his workers were using the accessible toilet as a bike shed! Sadly, there is no shortage of real cafes and restaurants that are still using their accessible toilets as store rooms.
June Patterson was so inspired by these workshops that she went home and wrote a poem together with her support worker Brian McCluskey.
'We want our human rights
And nothing less.
Not labelled as second class or outcasts,
Nor embarrassments.
We too need acceptance and the environment to thrive,
We want our freedom
Nothing more.'
(An excerpt from 'Nothing Less Nothing More' (An open letter to those without learning difficulties) by June Patterson and Brian McCluskey).
Once the initial document had been drafted, we contacted the Disability Law Society and asked them to check the wording. Everyone thought it was important to make sure the Guide is giving out the right advice to people with learning difficulties.
Next step was to consider how we could get this Guide to as many people with learning difficulties as possible. Carol Walter had just picked up a copy of Community Living from the reception, which made everyone think a magazine feature would be a great way to reach a lot of people across the country.
We thought long and hard about how to make the Guide suitable for as many people as possible. Finally we agreed to leave the last section entitled 'Where to get help' blank so that each group or person can add details relevant to their geographical area and available services. For example, it could be the telephone number of a local disability rights organisation, Citizens Advice Bureau or any other service offering advice and advocacy to people with learning difficulties. The leaflet can be downloaded as a word document from www.elfrida.com or www.daii.org.
Tess McManus and the First Choice Trainers are also available for hire if organisations and groups of people with learning difficulties would like to learn about Part 3 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Please contact Disability Action in Islington on 020 7354 8925 or email info@daii.org. You can get in touch with the First Choice Trainers by contacting Inga Tillere at the Elfrida Society on 020 7359 7443 or email inga.tillere@elfrida.com
The Know Your Rights Guide can be obtained from DAII by emailing Kerrie McIlloney on info@daii.org, calling 020 7354 8925 or request by SMS on 07949 577347