Apparently not, although I looked up their internet site, and the
message said that it was being redesigned and hoping to be back online
by March last year.....
On 23 Mar 2007, at 12:48, anne pridmore wrote:
> Though GLAD was defunct
> Anne Pridmore Chair
> UK Disabled People's Council
> Litchurch Plaza
> Litchurch Lane
> DERBY DE24 8AA
>
> This e-mail and any files transmitted with it are confidential and
> intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom
> they are addressed.
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Adrian Whyatt"
> <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Friday, March 23, 2007 2:40 PM
> Subject: Re: [cawrb] VERY URGENT:- DRC conference on NeuroDversity,
> Manchester, next Monday (FREE)
>
>
> Dear Colin
>
> I have been offered travelling expenses, why haven't you?
>
> Also the programme for this conference talks about Social Care,
> Education
> and Criminal Justice. What does that say? What about employment, what
> about
> the accessible environment?
>
> There is no mention of any speakers who hold (or as far as I can tell,
> have
> held) any elected positions on national pan-disability bodies.
>
> As Chair of GLAD I have submitted my tuppence worth on our behalf.
>
> GLAD is, as far as I know, the oldest disabled people's pan-disability
> organisation open to all in the country.
>
> Yours
>
> Adrian
>
> P.S. I suggest that as you are the one who proposed this, you just
> turn up
> and we can embarass them into doing a collection. I will also need a
> research, communication and access assistance PA to help me on the
> day. You
> have performed this role for me in the past (e.g. previously in
> Manchester).
> Would you be so kind as to do so on this occasion?
>
>
> Dear all
>
> As Chair of GLAD I have been authorised to issue this supportive
> message on
> behalf of GLAD. This is repeated in the body text of this email for
> anybody
> who might have difficulty opening attachments. No final statement of
> needs
> can be endorsed by us unless there is no "editing out" of essential
> neurodiverse (and autistic) unmet needs such as a reform of the Human
> Resources system, disability definition reform and the ICE
> (Individually
> Controlled Environment) alternative to open plan mania, including
> cellular
> offices for those who need them, and separate compartments on trains,
> is
> endorsed. Likewise full inclusion of those who may not sign up, 100%
> to CEHR
> and New Labour credo on equality and diversity. This requirement to
> signing
> up to their entire equality and diversity credo for CEHR and ODI posts,
> smacks of the last throes of the pagan Roman Empire (circa 303 AD) in
> which
> those who professed Christianity could not progress beyond the rank of
> a
> local town supervisor of the imperial brothels if they spoke their
> beliefs
> openly(see especially the Life of Saint Hesychios (previously demoted
> to
> just such a post and then martyred on direct orders of the Roman
> Emperor for
> refusing to recant (through drowning with millstones around his neck)
> on
> March 2, 303 AD). Constantine the Great (see statue outside York
> Minster)
> was crowned in York 3 years later).
>
> Yours
>
> Adrian Whyatt, Chair, Greater London Action on Disability (GLAD)
>
> GREATER LONDON ACTION ON DISABILITY
>
> 5, Park House, 13 Girdlers Road, Brook Green, nr Kensington Olympia,
>
> West Kensington, Hammersmith, London W14 0PS. Tel: 020-7-603-9710.
> Email: *
> [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>*.
>
> Working on behalf of disabled Londoners since 1952
>
> *Minimum set of main demands of neurodiverse and autistic people *
>
> 1. Definition of disabled people
>
> GLAD follows primarily the *difference based social model of
> disability.
> Thus we define ourselves as disabled people because *we are *"disabled
> by
> society because of our biological differences (apart from those solely
> related to age, gender, race and ethnic origin), including both
> talents and
> areas of naturally superior functioning which society refuses to
> recognise
> and discriminates against us for (differabilities or alternabilities)
> and
> impairments." *
>
> This is to try to eliminate material and spiritual poverty and push
> society
> towards a focus on talents – what people can do and what they are good
> at,
> and not just a negative focus purely on impairments, which has tended
> to be
> confused with complete inability.
>
> Other models of disability are tested against this and are accepted
> only to
> the extent that they are compatible with it. This includes the Medical,
> Charity, Administrative and various Religious and other models of
> disability.
>
> We very much recognise the diversity of disabled people and thus
> condemn the
> Commission on Equality and Human Rights (CEHR), and the Office for
> Disability Issues and other Government and official bodies recent
> insistence
> that everyone who wants to work for them, directly or indirectly,
> publicly
> signs up to their entire credo (or belief system) even if it
> contradicts
> their fundamental and freely and peacefully expressed religious or
> other
> beliefs. This includes people for whom this "obsession" forms part of
> their
> belief system, and of their
>
> "diagnosis", and thus of their difference, such as someone with
> asperger's
> especially. It is thus disablist, hypocritical and wrong.
>
> 2. Definition of neurodiverse people
>
> It should be noted that neurodiversity is at least 25 times as common
> as
> autism (at 25+% of the population) and so it is high time to stop
> trying to
> see it as an extension of autism (which remains mired in the can't
> talk/interact/Rainman/screaming uncontrollable children in the public
> imagination).
>
> We tend to favour the use of "alterna-", where possible, rather than
> the
> purely negative "dys-". And also the dropping of names that generally
> glorify "worthy" dwems (dead white European males), but don't really
> describe what things are really like and tend to end up confusing
> people.
> This allows peoples superiorities as well as deficits to be considered
> ( e.g.
> the superior honesty, in general, of alternasocics (people who
> interact in
> an alternative way) who have been given the label "Asperger's Syndrome"
>
> There are quite a number of definitions of neurodiverse people. And
> this is
> still a matter of legitimate debate, with many people having different
> definitions. We favour quite a broad definition, as Wikipedia
> certainly has
> also done, as we want to ensure that people's needs and aspirations
> are met
> rather than that someone manages to invent a new label for someone
> else. So,
> we propose that neurodiverse people are seen as disabled people whose
> processing differences, especially neurological processing differences
> make
> them disabled people as defined in 1. We feel, however, that it is
> unhelpful
> to all concerned to include people with low functioning autism
> (Kanner's
> Syndrome) or global learning difficulties (aka
> differences)(low-functioning
> in every respect(whether developmental or acquired or degenerative),
> except
> where there are "islets of ability" (or talents), or areas of markedly
> increased . We thus reject the concept of an ever-broadening
> "autistic" or
> "neurodiverse" "spectrum". We embrace instead the concept of a
> "neurodiverse
> continuum", which however, excludes those people with low-functioning
> autism
> and other conditions who do not meet our definition of neurodiversity.
>
> Neurodiverse people tend to have the same access needs and similar
> support
> needs. Developmentally neurodiverse people, however, tend to be far
> more
> creative than other neurodiverse people, though there are very rare
> exceptions where adult stroke and other brain injury survivors have
> acquired
> a new ability ( e.g. three recorded cases of stroke survivors
> acquiring a
> new ability to write poetry). People with some degenerative
> conditions, such
> as "Alzheimer's" can go through a creative "teenage" phase, but then
> pass
> out the other end as the condition progresses.
>
> In practice, it is helpful to divide neurodiversity into four broad
> groups,
> though it should be noted that categories (1) and (2) do tend to
> overlap and
> the "environmental insult" in early childhood may well result in
> someone who
> :
>
> (1) Developmental
>
> This includes those with labels such as (developmental) dyspraxia,
> (developmental) dyslexia, attention deficit (hyperactivity) disorder
> (ad(h)d), tourette's syndrome, asperger's syndrome, etc. If this is
> triggered by some sort of injury or other "environmental insult" then
> it
> must be at such an early age that the person can not remember having
> been
> any different. This group can rarely get compensation, and has
> generally
> never been "habilitated", let alone "rehabilitated".
>
> (2) Acquired
>
> This includes traumatic or acquired brain injury survivors whether
> directly
> through a head injury or through a stroke, or other means (such as a
> tumour
> or in reaction to an injection). It should be noted that, if this
> happens
> early enough in life, this may well be form all or part of the
> "environmental insults".
>
> (3) Degenerative
>
> These are degenerative neurological conditions, during which someone at
> least goes through a phase of neurodiversity. Such as Multiple
> Sclerosis,
> Parkinson's and even Alzheimer's. With some conditions, however, they
> may or
> will degenerate beyond the point where they can be considered to be
> neurodiverse.
>
> (4) Combined or mixed
>
> Can be things like cerebral palsy, where there is a trauma around the
> time
> of birth. Also, if the brain injury was the trigger, or if a
> developmentally
> neurodiverse person has a brain injury later in life (in which case the
> developmental neurodiversity can be described as pre-morbid).
>
> (5) Autism
>
> We are confining this to low-functioning autism (returning it to the
> 1960s
> definitions of it), as the "broadening out" of the autistic spectrum
> may
> have been good business for some people, but has led to confusion. The
> support needs of a low-functioning non-verbal autistic person are
> self-evidently highly different from those of a person with
> alternasocia
> (aka Asperger's Syndrome).
>
> However, in terms of needs, autistic people lead the way. They tend to
> have
> the highest levels of sensory overload, etc. Therefore it is vitally
> important to make the environment accessible to even the
> lowest-functioning
> autistic person. By doing so you will help to make it accessible to all
> neurodiverse people. A number have their own particular needs, such as
> being
> Makaton users.
>
> 3. We intend to concentrate on unmet needs that are not fully
> appreciated.
>
> Most people realise that spell checkers, etc., are needed. But, few
> realise
> how much things like organisational software, and personal assistance,
> can
> benefit many if not most neurodiverse people.
>
> Apart from the problem that most people who are developmentally
> neurodiverse
> do not realise that they are developmentally neurodiverse, let alone
> have
> access to even proper diagnostic services, including systematic
> confidential
> population screening, which we would recommend, and tend to be
> mislabelled
> with everything from depression to schizophrenia, the most important
> unappreciated needs tend to be:
>
> 3.1. Access to non-open plan environments. This situation is getting
> worse
> and worse with the open plan and standardisation manias. What is
> needed,
> instead, is a flexible environment, an Individually Controlled
> Environment
> (ICE), in which, like in a "good old fashioned office" (apart from
> wheelchair access and hearing loops, etc), everyone is able to control
> their
> own individual temperature, light, textures, colour scheme, air flow,
> sound
> environment, and smell environment, and to be able to screen off their
> own
> area (or open it up if need be). This is eminently achievable using
> existing
> technologies (including, in extreme cases, creating rooms within a
> room).
> The same thing applies to modes of transport and housing and can lead
> to the
> retention, with slight modifications, of some old train carriages so
> that
> people can sit in their own quiet compartment (with CCTV backup), and
> converting some of the existing "Quiet carriages" into "silent
> carriages".
> The highest standards on noise insulation in Europe are currently to be
> found in Austria.
>
> 3.2. Access to gluten-free and milk-free products (both medicines and
> foods).
>
> 4. Other groups who can benefit
>
> A study done by the Greater London Authority (GLA) in conjunction with
> the
> Trade Union Disability Alliance (TUDA) and others, and published in
> 2006, it
> was found that one of the greatest unmet needs across all types of
> disabled
> people, was for quiet housing and workspaces.
>
> Religious groups and various people who share their dietary
> preferences also
> benefit, especially those with fasting requirements (Hindus, Jews,
> Jains and
> through to some Christians (most especially Orthodox Christians (above
> all
> True Orthodox Christians) or the need for constant peaceful and (very
> largely) silent undistracted prayer (such as (especially True) Orthodox
> Christians (who call this "hesychia" and who have sometimes had to
> fight
> Western crusaders and others for this right).
>
> 5. Finance – saving by not locking up
>
> A hugely disproportionate proportion of people in jail are
> neurodiverse,
> especially developmentally neurodiverse, normally undiagnosed. Also, a
> lot
> get wrongly branded as liars because of their memory and sequencing
> problems, differences in tone and intonation and often physical
> differences
> in terms of being able to keep eye contact, other aspects of body
> language
> (both productive and receptive, proprioception, etc).
>
> Instead their creative potential needs to be realised and their
> interests
> channelled, whether it is in strategic thinking, fantastic knowledge of
> railways and/or buses, great art, or whatever. Such as an interest in
> dates
> and True Orthodox Christianity and history and thus correctly
> predicting
> that Al-Qaeda would attempt to attack in and around the Feasts of John
> the
> Baptist (Beheading (9/11(New Style (NS)(American) (11/9 (Global
> Standard)/29/8 (Old Style (OS), Nativity (7/7(NS), 24/6 (OS), and, of
> course, the latest plot (in Docklands, was uncovered and thwarted (are
> they
> finally beginning to listen? on the Feast of the Beheading of John the
> Baptist).
>
> 6. Rejecting the one size fits all universal mediocrity model of
> standard
> Human Resources.
>
> This means following Aileen Quinton's Revealing Excellence model of
> ability,
> which is fully supportive of alternability, and which seeks to stop
> people
> from doing what they're useless at and to redesign the entire
> structure of
> the workplace around what people are good at.
>
> There is, thanks in part to new EU directives which call for broader
> interpretation of the laws on disability in employment, now some
> helpful
> case law (the Southampton College Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT)
> case
> (2005) (see TUC disability employment guide (available free from them)
> which
> establishes that, in restructuring situations, employers have to
> consider
> creating new jobs designed around disabled employees needs.
>
> A key task now is to extend this from restructuring to all situations.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On 23/03/07, Colin REvell <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>
>>
>> Just been onto DRC's website to see, in the 'events' section to see if
>> this
>> Autism/NeuroDiversity Conference has been advertised, no mention of
>> it all
>> all.... see link:-
>> http://www.drc-gb.org/newsroom/events.aspx
>>
>> No mention of Conference on NAS and DANDA websites too.
>>
>> No wonder there is only 40 people attending this event. Very poor!!!
>> There
>> are places for 140 people I am duly informed.
>>
>> I have also been duly informed that Autistic/ND 'service-users' will
>> not
>> be
>> paid any accommdation, travel expenses, PA/Support worker expenses to
>> attend
>> this Conference. What does that say and how it that going to be
>> recived
>> within the Autistic/ND community by those who would like to atetnd
>> this
>> conference from poor lower socio-economic disadvantaged backgrounds?
>>
>> I thought the Government stated vrey cler directions that all
>> 'service-users' (Disabled ciziten stakeholders) should bee fully payed
>> consultancy fees and full out of pocket accommodation and travelling
>> expenses to attend these sort of events. Also many disabled people
>> need to
>> have funding for the PA's/Support Workers to attend 'with-them' too.
>>
>> Why are the DRC going against the Government s recommendations,
>> especially
>> for 'expert patients' ect... ?
>>
>> Can someone one let myself and othesr know on this, especially any
>> representatives from within the DRC?
>>
>> It's Friday now and no-one has contacted me, or my independent
>> advocate to
>> inform me if I have a place at this event. How poor is that too?
>>
>> My advoacte has rang them on numerous occassions now and has had no
>> responses at all and it 12:35 pm now on Friday.
>>
>> Are others being informed and updated of the have got a place at this
>> conference, or is it just me and my advocate experiencing these
>> problems?
>>
>>
>> Yours
>>
>> Colin Revell
>>
>> _________________________________________________________________
>> Txt a lot? Get Messenger FREE on your mobile.
>> https://livemessenger.mobile.uk.msn.com/
>>
>>
>
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