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****Gentle Reminder to register
What do Disabled People want from Disability Service Providers: A Consultation to explore how disabled people can inform the delivery of their services Tuesday 11th October 11am to 1pm
IMAGE: Television service disrupted test card with text that reads "What do Disabled People want from Disability Service Providers: A Consultation to explore how disabled people can inform the delivery of their services Tuesday 11th October 11am to 1pm" register email info@ilmi.ie and the ILMI logo.
ILMI as a Disabled Persons Organisation (DPO) recognises that many disabled people receive services through Disability Service Providers that allow them to live independent lives, with freedom, choice and control. Many of these services are vital to ensuring disabled people can be part of society, living their lives in an inclusive way based on principles of rights and equality.
However, how much control do disabled people have over these services? And what strategies can ILMI as a DPO put forward for how the Sector can be accountable to the needs and wishes of disabled people.
Join us on Zoom for an interactive discussion space for disabled people to discuss developing a position paper on Disability Services. This will take place on Tuesday 11th October from 11am.
To register email info@ilmi.ie
ILMI “Education Equal to Others” Consultation
IMAGE: photo of autumnal leaves with one green leaf standing out from the other with text that reads “ILMI “Education Equal to Others” Consultation, Tuesday 18th October 11am to 1pm email info@ilmi.ie to register” and the ILMI logo.
Tuesday 18th October 11am to 1pm
Article 24 of the UNCRPD guarantees a right to disabled people to education equal to others and calls on States to “ensure an inclusive education system at all levels and lifelong learning”.
In the last twelve months there has been an increasing call for “special” schools, “special classes” and reversal of hard fought gains that disabled people had campaigned for. Going hand-in-hand with this has been the transfer of Therapy services from the Children’s Disability networks to Special education locations.
ILMI is keen to explore this with disabled people to develop an analysis of how to practically implement the UNCRPD in relation to article 24 and key campaign asks to bring to the Department of Education and political parties.
This consultation will take place on Zoom on the 18th October from 11am to 1pm. To participate, email info@ilmi.ie
"Everything You Wanted to Know about disability but were afraid to ask” Webinar
IMAGE: screenshot of the panel Peter Kearns MC, Fiona Weldon, Paula Soraghan and Dr James Casey. Amazing ISL by Ela Cichocka
The MC for the gig was Peter Kearns and he does a great job at highlighting the historic importance of the Social Model where it came from, what it can do and most importantly why it matters. This is why we have all come together. Introductions are made from the rest of the panel and then this happened “Hello my name is Dr James Casey and I am from Mayo, this is like The #RoseOfTralee for disabled people! Classic!! The ice was broken and we were off to a great start as only ILMI can do.
Question 1: How would you describe the social model? Fiona Weldon was first up “I’m living proof of the power of the social model”. Our impairments are not what holds us back, it’s the world not built for us. Dr James Casey adds “it’s an elegant way of thinking, being and living” “fairness, equality, rights what’s my place in the world? How do I react to an unyielding society?”
Paula Soraghan really brings it home “The Social Model saved my life, I was just plodding along job life etc.”. “I always thought I was the problem, I felt I was less then, I wasn’t good enough – and to “be grateful for what you have”?!?. That’s the danger if you don’t know about the social model … something as simple as not having a ramp to get into a restaurant robs you of choice, of independence.
Independence is not about living on your own.
Independence is about you calling the shots in your day to day life. No one telling you what to do when to do it.
“The social model was created by disabled people for disabled people”. Reminiscing about their younger lives both Fiona and Dr James mention how they felt things were wrong so they pushed against them! “You need to listen to what I have to say” is the first step.
Special ed, special schools, Children are not children forever listen to what they want. Paula sums up the stark future young disabled people face “In Ireland you are forgotten about when you turn 18, all the supports you had are thrown out the window”
This is just a flavour of some of the powerful messages that came out of the webinar. Look out for the recording of "Part 3" and for those of you who made it, thank you very much from all of us here in ILMI. Special thanks to our brilliant ISL interpreter Ela Cichocka.
In the meantime... while waiting on the recording
(part 2): Let’s talk about Sex!
(part one) Disability
Taxi!!!
IMAGE: comic book style lady in a taxi and in the speech bubble it says "ILMI NTA Submission" "email your comments to our Policy Officer at jamescawley@ilmi.ie or call him on 0867744991" and the ILMI logo
The NTA has launched a Public Consultation on Proposals for raising SPSV (taxi, hackney, and limousine) fines. This includes for the refusal to carry a Guide Dog or and Assistance Dog or refusal by the driver to carry a passenger in a wheelchair.
The details can be found here at Public consultation on proposals for Taxi/Hackney Fines
ILMI will be making a submission to the NTA. If you would like to feed into our submission please email your comments to our Policy Officer at jamescawley@ilmi.ie or call him on 0867744991 by Wednesday 21st September
ILMI’s “Invest in Inclusion ILMI’s Budget 2023”
ILMI's James Cawley and Damien Walshe met with Holly Cairns TD who is hosting the launch of ILMI’s “Invest in Inclusion ILMI’s Budget 2023” priorities on the 20th September. Many thanks to Deputy Cairns for her ongoing support for the rights of disabled people and for a brilliant discussion on how to build allies for disabled people’s rights.
IMAGE: screenshot of Zoom meeting with ILMI's James Cawley, Damien Walshe and Holly Cairns TD
Values and Social Change Part I (SFC Update)
IMAGE: screenshot of the class and a Niall Crowley.
Values are the foundations to our beliefs, thoughts, and actions. As Niall Crowley of Values-Lab explained when we heralded the 3rd section of the SFC course, understanding and harnessing the potentials of Values would strengthen our struggles as disabled people for Social Change.
The participants explored and discussed several key points with regard to Values and Social Change. We may or we may not be conscious of them, but we all possess personal values which are deeply held ideals on matters we consider very important in our lives. After all, it is our shared values of equality and dignity for disabled people which underpins our collective actions as disabled activists.
Parallel to personal values we also have organisational values in which different organisations express their views and actions. A lively debate ensued as to how organisational values are expressed be it as part of their mission statements or their practices within and outside. We agreed that in as much as organisations are encouraged to state their values explicitly, it is also vital their actions match those values.
The remit of values travels beyond personal and organisational values to include societal values. Values in society secure basic needs, shape interpersonal relationships, and establish behaviour for group survival: dominant dispositions. Suffice to say establishing a societal dominant disposition in the spirit of the social model of disability is a critical part of our struggles.
It is said there are about fifty-six universally held values though as individuals we are likely to differ about which values we prioritise. Values draw their strength from the scale of engagement we apply which is why we should strive to let our behaviours and actions be driven by the values we hold close to our hearts.
Niall asked very probing questions so that we critically think of what values actually are and how they operate personally or in organisations. This exercise helped us identify values underpinning the common core values of human rights and equality. Accordingly, we agreed that the values of autonomy, democracy, dignity, inclusion, and social justice lay the foundations for the above-mentioned common core values.
This very informative and enriching session on values and social change livened up not only be Niall’s excellent presentation and equally brilliant moderation by Fiona but also by the rich array of the lived-experiences and professional insights of all the participants. Next in line will be the second part of the values and social change session.
Written by Michael Seifu.
National Women’s Council of Ireland
“Are you a woman living in a small town or rural area?
Let us know what is important to you by filling out our 5 minute survey! It is opened until Friday 23rd September.
The findings will feed into our upcoming conference #ClaimingOurSpace to mark International Day of Rural Women.”
#DisabilityHateCrime #hatecrime #HateCrimeHurtUsAll
Hate crime has seen a dramatic rise in Ireland over the past few years and yet there is no legislation to protect the vulnerable communities impacted by these crimes. To bring awareness to this important issue, the Hate Crime Hurt Us All campaign from ICCL and the Coalition Against Hate Crime Ireland (ILMI is a member) are asking members of minority communities to fill out the following survey to build support for hate crime legislation in Ireland.
IMAGE: poster with the logos of all the organisations in the coalition and text that reads "MEMBERS OF COALITION AGAINST HATE CRIME INCLUDE:"
Age Action Ireland
Doras Luimni
Irish Network Against Racism (INAR)
Independent Living Movement Ireland (ILMI)
Immigrant Council of Ireland (ICI)
Inclusion Ireland
Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL)
Irish Traveller Movement (ITM)
LGBT Travellers
National LGBT Federation (NXF)
Nasc – Irish Immigrant Support Centre
National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI)
Pavee Point
Sports Against Racism Ireland (SARI)
Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI)
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