DISABILITY WORKING GROUP
Note of Core Group meeting, 15 September 2005
Present:
David Thomson (Chair), Scottish Executive Equality Unit
Joyce Wilson, SENSE Scotland
Gillian Lawrence, Disability Rights Commission
Bill Campbell, Inclusion Scotland
Gordon Matheson, RNIB Scotland
Scott Skinner, Scottish Enterprise
Lilian Lawson, Scottish Council on Deafness
Fiona Duncan, Capability Scotland
Sally Witcher, Independent Consultant
Jill Bennet, sportscotland
Gavin MacLeod, Scottish Disability Sport
Maggie Maxwell, Scottish Arts Council
Angela Hogg, Scottish Arts Council
Charlotte McHaffie, Scottish Executive Equality Unit
Apologies/unable to attend:
Yvonne Strachan, Scottish Executive Equality Unit
Alasdair McCallum, Barnardo's Scotland
Gordon MacRae, Leonard Cheshire Scotland
Kate Wallace, SAMH
Ron Skinner, Scottish Disability Equality Forum
Iain Montgomery, STUC
Mike Holmes, Enable
Jack Moodie, Orkney Disability Forum
Welcome and Introductions
1. David Thomson welcomed the group and thanked Jill Bennet, sportscotland, Gavin MacLeod, Scottish Disability Sport and Maggie Maxwell and Angela Hogg from the Scottish Arts Council for coming to speak to the group.
Minutes of the Last Meeting
2. The minutes of the last meeting were agreed.
Presentations and Q&A
3. sportscotland - sportscotland's aims to get 60% of all adults in Scotland to take part in sport. They have published a strategy with 11 targets to achieve this aim. None of these targets are specifically about equality as it was felt these should be an integral part of each target. When the strategy is reviewed they will look to see if this has worked or whether they need specific targets on equality. Other activities include:
- Fund Scottish Disability Sport (SDS);
- Employ a Disability Sports Officer who works closely with SDS and provides training;
- Fund active schools programme - network of co-ordinator who work in all primary and secondary schools with 10 special needs co-ordinators;
- Equity strategy, which sets out how sportscotland intends to ensure inclusion and equality and diversity (available at http://www.sportscotland.org.uk/ChannelNavigation/Resource+Library/Publications/Equity+Strategy.htm); and
- are supporting 12 governing bodies to write their policies and to help them increase participation of under represented groups.
4. Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) - SDS works with disabled people with physical impairments, learning disabilities and sensory impairments. SDS aims to: strengthen and extend a network of area development groups throughout Scotland; co-ordinate, develop and promote a quality sports programme for people with disabilities in Scotland; and raise the profile of sport for people with disabilities in Scotland and beyond. SDS work through a network of local branches to provide amongst other things:
- Grassroots development
- Volunteer recruitment
- Education & training
- Multi sport clubs
- Sport specific programmes
- Competitive opportunities
- Fundraising
5. Scottish Arts Council (SAC) - SAC have mainstreamed disability/equality work throughout each of its departments. They are the principle funder for contemporary arts in Scotland and support a variety of projects and initiatives to increase access and participation for disabled people in the Arts. These include:
- supporting Art Link, Longhouse Theatre Company, Theatre Workshop and Project Ability;
- disability equality training for staff and core funded organisations;
- production of a practical resource entitled the Good Gallery Guide (available at http://www.goodgalleryguide.com/home.asp);
- funding an Arts Access escort service run by Art Link Edinburgh;
- working with Scottish Screen on screen text, audio description and subtitling and timing of these screenings;
- SAC's audience development department working on access to information and are due to launch a new database in 2006;
- revising their Arts and Disability Policy which they hope to publish soon.
6. The group asked each of the speakers if there were any recommendations they could make which would support their work.
7. Both Jill and Gavin agreed that research to establish baseline figures on disability and sport would be helpful in understanding the current picture and setting better targets/priorities for the future. Gavin also suggested a recommendation on extending the capacity for education and training on disability as demand for this was high and not being met.
9. Maggie also thought baseline figures on disability and the Arts as well as training were issues where she would like to see recommendations made.
Pulling it together and presenting recommendations
10. Sally Witcher provided an overview of her paper on pulling together and presenting the recommendations. The group thought it would be helpful for a recommendations proforma to be created for the satellite groups to fill in and that a representative from each satellite group attends the meeting on 9 November.
11. The Disability Working Group section of the Scottish Executive website is now up and running. A link to this section should be circulated to the core and satellite group members. Link: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/Equality/disability/dwg
12. The group also thought it would be helpful if Sally Witcher's paper on the Big Picture could be updated and provided to the group to help inform discussions on 9 November.
Engaging disabled people
13. Sally provided an overview of her paper on Engaging Disabled People. It was agreed that rather than wait to see what comes out of the Westminster Advisory Group process on the UK National Forum, the group should identify the mechanisms needed to feed into Executive policymaking.
14. The group agreed the satellite groups should consider this issue and include as part of their recommendations to the core group. The group asked for a discussion paper for the satellite groups setting out the relevant questions to be considered.
Any Other Business
15. David informed the group that this would be his last meeting as he has a new post within the Executive leading the Children's Hearings and Integrated Services Bill Team. The group thanked David for his input and wished him well in his new post.
Date of next meetings
16. Due to a UK EU Presidency event on the 9 November the next meeting will need to be rescheduled.
Scottish Executive, Equality Unit
October 2005
Action Points
1. Recommendations Proforma to be created for Satellite groups to complete.
2. Equality Unit to e-mail Core and Satellite Group's with Disability Working Group web-site address.
3. Sally Witcher's paper on the Big Picture is to be updated to help inform discussion at next meeting.
4. Discussion paper on engaging disabled people to be prepared for satellite groups' next meetings.