What plans there are for Scotland to celebrate the European Year of Disabled People 2003.

European Year of Disabled People 2003 (EYDP) will have its Scottish launch on 23 January. To celebrate the launch, there will be a ministerial reception in Edinburgh. Invitees include disabled people from all over Scotland, disability organisations, business leaders and civic and community leaders.The Scottish Executive set up a Scottish Steering Group for EYDP with membership from the majority of national disability organisations, the Disability Rights Commission, the STUC, COSLA and other interested parties. The steering group has agreed a set of aims and objectives for EYDP, and put together a work programme to help take these forward over the course of the year. The aims and objectives and work programme are set out as follows. The Scottish Executive takes this work programme seriously and has committed £200,000 to support it.The first piece of finished work by the steering group is a national newspaper supplement, which will be published on 23 January as part of the launch celebrations. Copies have been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 26033).Aims and Objectives of the EYDP Scottish Steering GroupAIM 1: To work towards the inclusion of all affected by disability through promoting well-informed, responsive and effective decision-making in policy and practice.Objectives:To initiate debate on disability, to raise awareness about the reality of disabled people's lives and stimulate the engagement of disabled people with that debateTo approach business leaders, professional bodies, and public and voluntary sectors to see how they might support the EYDP, raise awareness and improve their policies and practices To examine mechanisms to enable the views and priorities of disabled people to be fed into Scottish Executive policymakingAIM 2 : To build for the future by seeking to engage young people in the EYDP.Objectives:To raise awareness of the experiences of young disabled people making the transition from school into adult life.To foster understanding among policymakers and practitioners of the needs and aspirations of young disabled people, through encouraging consultation and contact with them.To approach organisations working with children and young people to promote their inclusion in EYDP.AIM 3: To raise public awareness of disability issues.Objectives:To identify and celebrate the contribution made by disabled people to Scottish society through fulfilling a variety of valuable roles.To draw attention to the normality of disabled people and disabled people's lives, while highlighting the social barriers they confront and ways to overcome them.To draw attention to hidden aspects of disability, such as stigma and knock-on effects on friends and families.To ensure equal weight is given to the experiences, needs and aspirations of disabled people irrespective of their impairment, ethnic origin or circumstances.AIM 4: To ensure Scottish events are co-ordinated with UK-wide and European EYDP activities where possible .To receive regular reports from the Scottish NCC representative and disseminate information about UK-level EYDP developments.To share information about individual organisation's activities via the EYDP Scottish Steering Group.To co-ordinate launch and closing events, making sure that objectives for Scottish events reflect and promote agreed aims and objectives for EYDP work in Scotland.Work Programme of the EYDP Scottish Steering GroupActivity | Timing | Details/Progress
Raise awareness of EYDP through newspaper supplement | For launch (published) | Input from all member organisations
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