Encouraging young disabled people to give voice to their vision for an Inclusive Scotland

Susie Fitton from Inclusion Scotland blogs for us about their new campaign, #OurInclusiveScotland, and an upcoming inclusive event, both of which celebrate Year of Young People. Susie is asking youth workers to her help spread the word to ensure an Inclusive Scotland for all.

Thumbnail from Inclusion Scotland on the #OurInclusiveScotland survey for young disabled people.

2018 is the Year of Young People in Scotland – but is life for young disabled people getting better?

Ahead of a summit for young disabled people on the 7th December in Glasgow, Inclusion Scotland has launched the #OurInclusiveScotland campaign to document the reality of being a young disabled person in Scotland.

We’d love youth workers across Scotland to spread the word about the campaign and our event to the young disabled people they support.

Young disabled people aged 16-30, (and those with an impairment who might not identify as being disabled) are being invited to share their stories on social media about everyday barriers that still disable them, but also to share their ideas for what would make Scotland a more inclusive place to grow up.

We know from our work with young disabled people to design the event in December that too many are not living the lives they choose.

From facing negative attitudes from others, experiencing hate crime, struggling to get the right care and support, feeling socially isolated, facing difficulties travelling via public transport, or getting into and on at work, young disabled people in Scotland face everyday barriers that stop them from feeling included and valued in Scottish society.

When stacked on top of the issues facing all young people generally in Scotland – unstable work, worries about identity, issues around sex and relationships, student debt, rising rents – we want to know if everyday discrimination and inequality persists for disabled young people and what they think needs to change.

Young people can get involved in the campaign by posting stories and images about the everyday barriers and issues that disable them on their Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts using the hashtag #OurInclusiveScotland – Inclusion Scotland are reposting and sharing information about the campaign.

Young people are already responding to the campaign in different ways – some are keeping video diaries, others are putting posts up about access barriers, and other young people are talking about what’s best about life as a disabled young person.

You can see some of the posts on Twitter already – we’d love any RTs!!

We also want to tell Youth Workers about Activate: an event for Young Disabled People on Friday 7th December at CitizenM in Glasgow.

MC’d by comedian Rosie Jones of Fringe, The Last Leg and other telly fame this interactive and inclusive event aims to celebrate the Year of Young People in Scotland by providing a social and structured space for young disabled people to find out more about activism, the independent living movement and campaigning for inclusion and social justice.

Young people that are co-producing the event wanted to move away from a standard conference format with speakers and instead provide opportunity for free-flowing discussion and debate and a friendly and secure space for young people to come together to discuss any barriers that disable them, in discussions facilitated by young disabled people but also to chat to activists from across the world of social justice as part of a living library and be supported on the day to take practical steps to act on an issue of importance to them.

We are also seeking to find out from young disabled people what they need from us and the independent living movement to feel their issues are being addressed.