Articles Tagged ‘Inclusion’
Dear all elected officials and decision makers (at a national and local level)
In light of the recent cuts to government spending, we (Martyn Sibley of London and Richard Currie of Manchester) are writing to convey our deep concern at the affects they will have on the disabled people of the UK. We are only 2 of 10 million disabled people in Britain, but our views are by no means unique. This letter forms our contribution to a large online campaign – 1 month before heartbreak. Many people are blogging today to urge your good selves to consider aspects of the Disability Living Allowance and general disability reforms, and how they will truly …
Read all of One month before heartbreak
I write this after returning from the second trip of my travels during my time off work. This was a family holiday to Orlando, Florida to visit more family and to allow my father to attend his college reunion which was being held at the hotel we were staying at.
I love going to the US. Everything always seems so straightforward and simple when it comes to all things “disability related”. I have been to the US many times before and I find people over there just seem to “get it” when it comes to disability. By this I mean staff at airports know exactly what to do, finding wheelchair accessible cars or taxis is easy, hotel staff know exactly what …
Read all of Floriddddddaaa!! (more thoughts on accessible travel)
I thought I had better write a blog tonight before the birthday celebrations kick off this weekend. 27 tomorrow and I have felt both 17 and 37 through parts of the past year, guess it averages out hey. Its been a mega year:
I was pretty unwell for the first prolonged time of my working life in the winter months
The car was an absolute nightmare throughout winter too
I picked myself up with an amazing trip to Mexico – dolphins and scuba diving
I started a new job at Scope straight after
I setup my first ever disability event (‘Sunnier Days’ starring Natasha Wood and Sophie Morgan)
I also carried out some consultancy projects around Personalisation and social media
Had articles published on these subjects in …
Read all of My Priorities – now I’m 27!
This is an article I have written for an international medical journal. It acts as a reminder of why I keep this website flowing. It also shows the amazing support the JTSMA and Scope have given me and others. Furthermore being quite sensitive I do like a reminisce! Hope you like it.
Having read the article written by Patrick Moeschen I was inspired to contribute to the social model discussion and how this perspective also enhanced my story. My name is Martyn Sibley, I have type 2 Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), I live in London and I am now 26 years old. Like Patrick, my upbringing was ‘normal’ and very much a can-do approach. Having used a wheelchair since 3 years …
Read all of My disability is not the problem
Whether you are a disabled person, a family or friend of a disabled person or employed within the social care world, the word ‘personalisation’ has probably started to enter your vocabulary. For those not fortunate enough to have even brushed past this concept here is a story to assist you.
Once upon a time, disabled people lived in a small part of town known as medical model ville. With efforts to cure or keep disabled people away from society, one could say it wasn’t the best part of town. Gradually over time disabled activists and campaigners have spread the good word of social model ville. Here, ramps were invented, friendships forged and careers blossomed. Now, this move isn’t quite the end …
Read all of Personalisation – a happy ever after story
I decided to do a typical style of update in terms of daily happenings but in an overarching manner. It has been known the car and my health have been under par for a while. The update of the moment is I am being admitted to the respiratory unit in hospital tomorrow to x-ray my bad lung and run some tests to see why I am still not clearing the infection. I am ok in myself but a little fed up with this and just want to be better, fingers crossed we get things moving tomorrow.
The broader area I want to discuss is easier with the back story. Those who have read my blogs and know me personally will know …
Read all of Knowing your limits
Having been off for 2 weeks with a nasty chest infection, a broken car and generally a bit stressed I am back at work and back on the road.
I met with Andy of Andy’s Kars at his garage in Bar Hill on Saturday. He has been working on my vans adaptations in the positive sense through the past weeks of trauma. Not only has he sorted my car after the ongoing problems he is an amazing guy generally. While he runs a garage he also does a lot more. In working with disadvantaged kids he helps them to take responsibility for overcoming their ‘challenges’ as he calls them. While it was amazing to meet Andy and see the great work …
Read all of My aspirations; Aiming high!
Having read around the Fiona Pilkington case further I am still sticking to my point that less is sometimes more. Without enough knowledge on the legal aspects I would hate to comment in a blaze of glory I would regret later. I will say that any news that highlights crimes against someone due to disability has to be a positive move, even if the solutions are more around general law enforcing practices.
Reading about Fiona and her family’s isolation and exclusion from society got me thinking more on the subject of inclusivity. I think I have always been quite outspoken that my upbringing was more inclusive. However there have been, still are and always will be times when I feel this …
Read all of The wider benefits of inclusion
