Part A: People with Disabilities

1. Outline the inequalities experienced by people who are disabilities:

People with disabilities are discriminated against everyday in all aspects. People who are affected with disabilities have the same rights as everyone in the community. Forms of discrimination includes:3

• prevention from accessing areas
• prevention from forms of employment
• participation in community activities
• participation in sports
• housing opportunity
• assess to health services

2. Identify three community service groups that provide support for those affected by the inequities. What support do they provide? Are any of the services unique in the support they provide?

- Youth group games for disabled children:

Disabled children often feel excluded from interacting with other children through games and

learning. ‘Youth group games’ make it possible for all children to play and learn together regardless of their needs. Children with disabilities are able to participate in activities slightly adapted to suit the child's needs with other children. Wheelchair, art, computer and sitting activities are the categories of which games are separated. Youth group leaders conduct activates and games to encourage disabled children, children with learning and communication disabilities to take part with other children. This community group could be seen as unique in offering a range of adapted activities and games for learning to children with multiple disabilities.

-The Paralympics:

The Paralympic games is the international form of the Olympic games for athletes with physical and visual disabilities. The form of games promotes the participation in olympic sports by people with restricting disabilities.

The Paralympics are conducted every 4 years in varying countries identical to the Olympic games. The idea of the Paralympics is to involve athletes’ and concentrate on their skills and achievements, not their disability and the restrictions.

The disabilities are categories in the following

• Amputee: athletes with partial or total loss of a body part
• Cerebral Palsy: athletes suffering from a form of brain damage
• Wheelchair: athletes with spine injuries restricting movement in a wheelchair
• Visually impaired: athletes with a form of vision impairment
• The others: athletes with miscellaneous disabilities such as dwarfism, sclerosis.

The Paralympics offer the same sports as in the Olympics. Majority of sports are altered to adapt to the needs of the athletes. Each sport is classified differently in accordances with the skills needed to perform.

-Brent Association of Disabled people:

The Brent Association of Disabled People is an organisation which provides vital services and support to those facing everyday life with disabilities. This organisation realises the discrimination that people with disabilities face each day through living and working environments.

The association focus’ on people with disabilities being equipped with quality skills in order to function in today’s society. BADP provides information and support to these people including access to healthcare, housing and social services.

The services provided allow skills and qualifications to develop for future employment:

• training in computer skills
• communication skills
• manual labour
• education on workplaces and expectations

BADP mainly works to reduce social exclusion and provide education services. By teaching essential life skills, people with disabilities are able to live and work with others in equality.

3. What are some reasons why others may discriminate against people who have disabilities. Suggest three things that you can do to reduce this discrimination. Write an action plan for one, detailing what steps to take to reduce discrimination, who you ask for support you and how to raise awareness within your school.

Discrimination is the mistreatment taken toward a person based on belonging to a certain group or category. People with disabilities experience discrimination and disadvantages solely because of their inabilities. People with disabilities contribute differently to the community in society because of the barriers they face. Some agree that people with disabilities do not ‘make’ the expectations of social normality. Contribution to the workplace and other social and economic factors has been limited because of the skills required. People may discriminate against those who are disabled, accounting solely on there inability to perform, work and contribute to society. Discrimination based on their place in society purely implies that they are not accepted because of their skills and requirements.

Another reason why others may discriminate against people who have disabilities is the difference in looks and actions.

Depending on the type and degree of disability, some people are widely affected through appearance and in behavior. When considering the behavior of a person with Tourettes syndrome, it has a major impact of others. Tourettes is a neurological disorder in children where ‘tics‘ within the body take effect. These tics cause rapid muscle spasms and the exclamation of socially unacceptable noises and words. Others may feel uncomfortable and scared due to this. People with this syndrome are discriminated against through many different words and actions. Another disorder sampling this discrimination is people with spinal problems, hunched over their bodies. Other may feel superior or possibly fear these people because of their different looks and actions. The differences between the disabled and others is the main reason for discrimination. Some find it difficult to deal with the imbalance in society and variation between other people.

Discrimination can be reduced in a number of different ways benefiting both the disabled and the community’s expectations and culture:

- Education:

Others discriminating against people with disabilities mostly are lacking in education on the matter. People ‘make fun’ or separate this group of people not understanding the causes and effects on the person. Educating others on fair equal treatment for all humans will reduce discrimination. By educating others on the main types of disabilities and the difficulties faced, others will come to realise the respect and equal treatment they deserve.

-Providing training and skills:

It has been realised that discrimination against those with disabilities occurs mostly in working environments.

This is mainly because of the different skills disabled people possess. Providing training for the development of quality workmanship skills will support the disabled in becoming gainfully employed. Operating to narrow workplace exclusion and providing education services will reduce the discrimination faced in the workplace.

- Discrimination in the media:

The media has without a doubt the largest impact on people in today’s society. In the past, the media has imaged the portrayal of disabled people as dysfunctional and non production members of society. The fact that the media focused on the inability of disabled people showed much discrimination toward this group. Focusing on the positives and abilities of the disabled will prove to reduce discrimination. Promoting marketing campaigns made by organisations for education and training for the disabled would be a positive message sent to the general public. These campaigns would inform people of the new skills and qualification the disabled are being accessing everyday. By focusing on the positives of this training, it would gather support from businesses looking to employ skilled workers. Therefore, offering genuine work to the disabled looking to learn further and develop workmanship would benefit them.

Research Action Plan:

Providing education and workplace training to disabled people would be the most beneficial to their future. It has been noted that the majority of discrimination against the disabled is at the workplace. This has occurred due to the different skills and qualifications acquired by different workers. Laws have been declared to eliminate workplace discrimination toward people with mental and physical disabilities. The focus for this plan would be equipping disabled people with quality skills and education in order to enter the workplace. Providing these skills would give people with disabilities equal treatment for employment and in the workplace.

The skills and qualifications below will be offered to people with disabilities:

• training in computer skills
• communication skills
• manual labour
• education on workplaces
• teaching skills
• education on conduct and expectations at workplaces
• basic secretarial skills
• customer service skills
• hospitality

This plan of education for people with disabilities could be campaigned through all types of media: newspaper articles/ advertisements, television ad, radio etc. Promoting the plan would interest the families and carers of people with disabilities. Particularly working generations of people with disabilities would be applied for education and skills to be developed. Promoting this campaign in schools would also benefit the younger generation’s perception of disabled people. Advertisements and television ads would encourage equality and fair treatment of everyone. School children with disabilities may also be interested in participating in this out of school education for the development of their working skills and qualifications. Support from businesses and community groups in this area would help to show awareness of this campaign. The support could be given through funds, access to their facilities and staff etc.