Pause for thought
"The best way to predict your future is to create it."
I work with many people who are influential in the lives of disabled people. Many of them will influence health and social care - either as policy or decision makers, assessors or advisors.
Every UK citizen will also make decisions which affect the lives of disabled and older people. Through our democratic voting - we are choosing who we want to influence our future and the way they will do it.
It is perhaps wise for us all to think that one day, older age or impairment may well creep in. Have we chosen our future wisely or will we regret what we have done or failed to do?
Blogging about disability
Friday/May/2008 03:35 PM Filed in: Education
Yesterday was the national day for blogging about
disability.
Reading blogs by disabled people is a great way to discover the issues that disabled people are talking about, campaigning about or want you to hear about - they may be things that you can help change.
A little late - a recent story.
I am studying on a Post Graduate course around equality and consultancy in the field of disability and applied for a Disabled Student Grant. Students who require assistance or equipment for example can have a substantial amount of funding to enable them to access their course on an equal basis.
I have had three such grants - without which I would not have entered higher education as I need substantial help.
However, it's good to see that money is being put to good use (I'm being sarcastic here) by:
1) Making it really difficult to access
2) Being half way through your course with no funds or specialist equipment.
3) I know what I needed - but I still had to have an assessment from someone who thought they knew me better. As a result, I got a lot of things I have no use for and they went home with a nice pay packet.
4) The cost of the assessment is deducted from your Grant!
5) The cost of someone opening a box and plugging in my new laptop was £60 - which came out of my grant. Apparently I have an MA and help at home - yet still I am deemed incapable of opening a box and attaching a power supply!
Disabled people have the right to an education yet at the same time vital money is being wasted by government assessment processes. Other people on my course have also experienced similar issues - will this 'we know what's best for you' approach ever stop?
Reading blogs by disabled people is a great way to discover the issues that disabled people are talking about, campaigning about or want you to hear about - they may be things that you can help change.
A little late - a recent story.
I am studying on a Post Graduate course around equality and consultancy in the field of disability and applied for a Disabled Student Grant. Students who require assistance or equipment for example can have a substantial amount of funding to enable them to access their course on an equal basis.
I have had three such grants - without which I would not have entered higher education as I need substantial help.
However, it's good to see that money is being put to good use (I'm being sarcastic here) by:
1) Making it really difficult to access
2) Being half way through your course with no funds or specialist equipment.
3) I know what I needed - but I still had to have an assessment from someone who thought they knew me better. As a result, I got a lot of things I have no use for and they went home with a nice pay packet.
4) The cost of the assessment is deducted from your Grant!
5) The cost of someone opening a box and plugging in my new laptop was £60 - which came out of my grant. Apparently I have an MA and help at home - yet still I am deemed incapable of opening a box and attaching a power supply!
Disabled people have the right to an education yet at the same time vital money is being wasted by government assessment processes. Other people on my course have also experienced similar issues - will this 'we know what's best for you' approach ever stop?
