Conference brings together city's disabled people who want input into how services are run
Over 300 disabled people will come together in Glasgow today (25 June) to discuss how participatory budgeting can help address inequality.
Glasgow Disability Alliance (GDA) is holding a conference to hear how the city’s budget can be better spent with disabled people in mind.
GDA has brought disabled people together with local partners and community groups to help shape the process, sharing their lived experience to influence mainstream services from health and social care, to transport, infrastructure and social security in Glasgow.
GDA’s Purple Poncho Players, GDA’s theatrical wing, will perform new material sharing their lived experiences. Christina McKelvie MSP, minister for equalities and Cllr Jen Layden, convenor for equalities and human rights are keynote speakers.
Tressa Burke, chief executive of GDA said: “Glasgow Disability Alliance brings together an empowered community of interest to speak out about issues which affect them, not just in their local community but in wider mainstream services and decisions taken across Glasgow. This event provides another opportunity for their voices to be heard by policy makers.”
Christina McKelvie added: "It is vital we hear the voices of the people of Scotland in decision making, so we need to ensure people are empowered with the right access and support so they can shape the services they access. Tackling inequality at a local level and across Scotland can only happen if we build solutions together - listening to and empowering those with lived experience to take the lead.”
A screening of a new film, Participatory Glasgow: Leaving No-one Behind and the launch of related research report will be launched at the conference.
GDA member Susan McKinstery said “It’s amazing what disabled people can achieve when we have the access and support to do so – but how can you participate or have influence in your community if you’ve got no choice over when you go to bed, leave the house, or even go to the toilet? Unless we’re involved in the bigger decisions like social care, participatory budgeting will only tinker around the edges.”
