What’s the States doing about it?
Analysing and planning
In 2010, the States of Guernsey recruited a Disability Officer to find out how many disabled people and carers there were in Guernsey and Alderney. They talked to people themselves and also sent a comprehensive survey to one in four local homes.
The Disability Officer wanted to find out, on behalf of the States, what stops disabled people and carers being included in island life and how this could change. They created a team to help, made up of different States departments and voluntary organisations. The Disability Officer and their team then took their ideas to the Ministers in Guernsey’s Policy Council.
The Disability Officer is now part of Employment and Social Security (ESS) and can be contacted via email on disablityofficer@gov.gg
The States Signpost website with information for adults and children with disabilities can be found at www.signpost.gg
Coming up with a Strategy
The result was Guernsey’s first ever Disability and Inclusion Strategy which was unanimously approved by the States on Wednesday November 27th 2013.
Taking action
Law:
Equality legislation (no longer Disability only) will protect disabled islanders and carers from discrimination and promote equality of opportunity through a proposed Equality and Rights Organisation (ERO).
Information:
Better information for disabled people and carers will make it easier for us to find out about the support and services available.
Better information for businesses will help us get jobs and access shops, restaurants, hotels…
Better information for the public will help everyone feel more confident around disabled people.
Access:
Putting together a plan to make States buildings and services more accessible over time will make it easier for us to be independent.
Rights:
Signing up to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) will mean that improvements will continue to be made in the long-term.
All the changes added together will start to change attitudes in Guernsey. And, over time, you’ll notice that there seem to be a lot more disabled people in Guernsey than you thought there were.
Want to know more?
Listen to us describing what the Strategy means to us in our videos.
Or read a brief summary of the Strategy.
Or if you are keen, read the full States report in the November Billet (item 9, page 2155).
Or if you have a burning thirst for knowledge, read the Stage 1 and Stage 2 research reports on which the Strategy is based.
Or if you want to know more about disability issues in Guernsey, check out the Guernsey Disability Alliance website.