Editor – if the public service in Great Britain can remove barriers to employement why not PEI? They apparently believe it’s even cost effective.
RADAR People of the Year Awards 2008 – Winners to be announced 1st December.
It is nearly two years since the new duty on the public sector to promote disability equality positively came into force and already the hard work of individuals and organisations in the public sector is making a real difference to the every day lives of disabled people.
Individuals and organisations from the public sector short-listed (as below) for the RADAR Awards show the way for others to follow. Together these achievements radically change our world in ways that benefit not only disabled people but all of us and society as a whole.
The winners will be announced at a black tie dinner and presentation ceremony at Evolution, Battersea Park on 1 December. Presenters and speakers include the Mayor of London Boris Johnson, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions the Rt Hon James Purnell, actor Joseph Mawle, Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission Trevor Phillips and actor Matthew Goode.
Half of all disabled people are not working and those who are working earn on average 10% less than non-disabled people. Disabled adults are the one group in Britain for whom poverty has increased over the last decade. Our social care and support system is in such need of reform that people cannot even move from one part of the country to another without fear of losing essential personal care to get up in the morning so they can go about their daily business. Hate crimes against disabled people are also all too common.
Despite all these on-going issues, life in the UK has improved in many ways for disabled people over the last 20 years. More go to mainstream schools, more have jobs, there are better legal rights and public attitudes are beginning to shift.
hief Executive of RADAR Liz Sayce, comments:
“The RADAR People of the Year Awards celebrate pioneers of difference who together are making Britain a fairer place for everyone living with ill-health, injury or disability. This is a simple matter of social justice. It also makes economic sense – those companies that draw their workers from across all communities as well as seeking as wide a market as possible for their goods and services are best able to withstand economic hard times and come out strong. Those public services that serve the whole community quite simply provide better services for everyone.
RADAR works with partners from all sectors of society to make equality and human rights for all disabled people a reality. We celebrate the achievements of every one of the shortlisted individuals and organisations who this year have helped to bring that vision closer. ”
1. RADAR, founded in 1977, is the UK’s largest disability campaigning network with over 900 individual and organisational members. RADAR stands for the Royal Association of Disability and Rehabilitation. RADAR is a charity run by and for disabled people that depends on the financial and voluntary support of others including public donations. To find out more please visit our web site
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