Many people with intellectual disabilities are discriminated.
This sometimes means they cannot go to school, or get a job. People with intellectual disabilities know this.
Many of them said they and their peers
are the most discriminated group in society. That is why self-advocacy is so important
for people with intellectual disabilities. Becoming a self-advocate helps people with intellectual disabilities be more confident, learn about their rights, and know how to speak for themselves. To help more people become self-advocates
and to help self-advocates from different European countries meet each other Inclusion Europe is organizing a very big conference. The conference will be in Madrid, which is a big city in Spain. It will take place on from 2 to 4 October and will be in English and Spanish. The conference will be accessible for
people with intellectual disabilities. Almost all speakers will be self-advocates. There will be many workshops on things that are important for self-advocates, like: – Peer support, – Taking decisions, – Legal capacity – Voting – Political participation, – Easy to Read and accessible information, – Setting up self-advocacy groups, – Managing money, – Health services, and – Sexual and emotional life. Participants will also be able to get practical skills
on things like making a video CV, or using the internet safely.
To find out more about the conference, please click here.
or go to: www.self-advocacy.eu For any questions, you can send
an email to s.enculescu@inclusion-europe.org |
In health care or education, employment or housing, people with intellectual disabilities are consistently discriminated against. They know it too, as a United Kingdom study has shown that nine of the 10 people with intellectual disabilities who were polled admitted to having experienced discrimination, while 51% of respondents believed they were part of the most discriminated group in society.
When faced with constant stigma, being able to advocate for one’s rights is a crucial skill that all people with intellectual disabilities should possess. Acting as a self-advocate helps people with intellectual disabilities become more confident, more aware of their rights and responsibilities, and better able to speak for themselves. However, opportunities for gaining these skills are scarce, as the self-advocacy movement is only now developing in many European countries.
With this is mind, the European Platform of Self-Advocates, together with Inclusion Europe and FEAPS, is proud to invite people with intellectual disabilities, their families, carers and all interested individuals to the largest self-advocacy conference in Europe. The “Hear our Voices” Conference, a completely accessible event developed by and for self-advocates, will take place from 2-4 October in Madrid, and will feature self-advocates speakers from Europe and beyond. From legal capacity, to managing financed or sexuality, the different sessions will both inform and empower participants, while workshops will ensure they can gain practical skills, ranging from developing a video curriculum to surfing the internet safely.
To find out more about the conference, please click here. For any questions, please contact Silvana Enculescu, Inclusion Europe Communications Manager, at s.enculescu@inclusion-europe.org