Good morning all,
I’m writing to share the details of our project called ‘This is Me: Valuing the lives of people with learning disabilities’. We have partnered with the Scottish Commission for People with Learning Disabilities, Promoting a More Inclusive Society and Down’s Syndrome Scotland on this project, led by Professor Deborah Cairns. The project is about challenging the stigma, discrimination and inequalities experienced by people with learning disabilities. We are collaborating with people with learning disabilities and their families to increase public awareness and understanding about their experiences. Through a series of short films and a targeted social media campaign, we aim to challenge stigma and discrimination and influence positive change. You can view some of the short films we have made so far with an amazing group of advocates on our YouTube channel.
Today we’re having an ‘amplification day’ to boost engagement with #ThisIsMe22 on social media. We’d love your help!
Please help us spread the word and boost This is Me by joining the conversation online using #ThisIsMe22
- You can take part by sharing a 60-second selfie video or posting a message talking about why this work is important, and what you and others can do to challenge stigma and discrimination.
- Share your views, research, stories and insights about valuing the lives of people with learning disabilities.
- Make sure you follow #ThisIsMe22 on social media; use the hashtag when you create your own post about valuing the lives of people with learning disabilities. Please feel free to use the logo attached to add to any of your #ThisIsMe22 social media posts.
Some suggested tweets/posts for 10th August :
1.Today we’re speaking out about #stigma, discrimination & inequalities experienced by people with #learningdisabilities. Follow #ThisIsMe22 & hear from a brilliant group of advocates sharing their stories & the changes they want to see This is Me | News & Events | Scottish Learning Disabilities Observatory
2.Join in using #ThisIsMe22 & share your thoughts on how we can all challenge stigma and make Scotland a more inclusive place for people with #learningdisabilities @ScotLDO @SCLDNews @DSScotland & @PAMIS_Scotland working together to challenge negativity & influence positive change
Why we are doing this:
People with learning disabilities are citizens like everyone else with rights, needs, hopes, dreams and goals. Yet people with learning disabilities are often not valued or seen as equals in society, and experience stigma and discrimination across many areas of life which is evidenced through huge health and social inequalities around the world.
• People with learning disabilities die up to 20 years younger than the general population, often from avoidable or treatable causes
• People with learning disabilities were found to be 3 times more likely to die from Covid-19 than the general population and for some communities within the learning disability population, (e.g. people with Down’s syndrome) the rate is even higher.
• Children with a learning disability are 12 times more likely to die of preventable causes than other children
• We also know people with learning disabilities experience high levels of hate crime and discrimination in the UK and that the experience of people with learning disabilities is little different and sometime worse in other countries throughout the world.
We want to spread the message far and wide that people with learning disabilities should enjoy the same human rights as everyone else including the right to equal healthcare, the right to live in their community in accommodation of their choice, going to places we all take for granted, being able to access appropriate toilets; lifelong education and employment opportunities; and to feel safe and free from harm. We want to highlight the value that people with learning disabilities make to all our lives.
We will be continuing this work over the coming months and have several new short films, blogs and a targeted workshop coming up in August and September. Find out more about this project and please get in touch if you have any questions via Fiona.Barlow@glasgow.ac.uk
Thanks for supporting #ThisIsMe22
Best wishes,
Fiona
Fiona Barlow (she/her)
Impact and Communications Officer
Scottish Learning Disabilities Observatory
Twitter: @ScotLDO
My working pattern is Monday-Thursday
Do you know about ‘This is Me: Valuing the lives of people with learning disabilities’?
Find out more about #ThisIsMe22