Time to take action
I recently attended a performance in our parliament, hosted by my colleague Sandra White MSP, by the Purple Poncho Players.
It was great to meet up with East Kilbride residents involved with the players and the Glasgow Disability Alliance.
The performance was brilliant, depicting the real-life experiences of disabled people by disabled people using humour, short sketches and song. The players’ showed, with bravery and brutal honesty, the devastating impact of Westminster Government reforms on people with disabilities.
That negative impact was noted last month by the United Nations Committee on the Conventions on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Their report concluded there were “grave or systematic violations” of the convention in the UK, such as the changes to personal independent payments and the work capability assessments.
The same report recognised the work of the Scottish Government in mitigating the worst excesses of Tory cuts, one example quoted being the decision to continue the independent living fund, abolished by the UK Government.
Last week the Scottish Government published ‘Creating a Fairer Scotland: Our Disability Delivery Plan’.
It aims to improve accessibility and promote active participation and it intends to remove barriers to employment, safeguard decent incomes and promote fairer working lives.
The plan was the result of much consultation with disabled individuals and representative organisations who are, after all, the experts.
The minister pledged to keep that dialogue going to make sure the plan is implemented as well as possible.
The plan has much in it and I can send a copy to anyone who would like a read through.
The goal is for every one of the million disabled people in Scotland to have choice, control, dignity and freedom to live the life they choose, with the support they need to do so.
For many people the choice is to be able to work and all too often disability is seen as a barrier.
I welcome the aim to halve the employment gap for disabled people by 2021, the target to increase the percentage of disabled people in the public sector workforce and the disability work experience scheme.
The scheme is to improve numbers of young disabled people in the workforce. There are already a few excellent examples in East Kilbride that I know of and I would encourage as many employers as possible to follow suit and give more young disabled people employment opportunities. I’m happy to provide more information on request.
In one of the first uses of the devolved powers under the Scotland Act 2016 the Scottish Government will provide employment support to disabled people and those suffering long-term health conditions.
Work First Scotland will deliver employment support for up to 3300 disabled people, working with the DWP providers of Work Choice in Scotland.
It will primarily help people make the most of their skills and access employment support services to allow them into work and stay there.
The support will be built on a coaching relationship with a dedicated case manager and coordinated access to skills and health support.
Work Able Scotland, managed by Skills Development Scotland, will ensure up to 1500 starts for people with a health condition who want to enter work. It will also put in place support for eligible people at risk of long-term unemployment.
The devolution of these employment services offers a real opportunity over time to make Scotland fairer. We must all pull together to offer a better deal generally for those with disabilities and remove the stigma that unfortunately exists.
One of the shocking elements of the performance I attended was the players’ depiction of the isolation and loneliness that often comes along with disability and, sadly, bullying.The Purple Poncho Players told it like it is and pulled no punches.
Time to stop talking about it and take action.