Get down and give me 20 000 words, stat!

As some you may know, I started this blog as a sort sideline project to my doctoral thesis on the definition of disability in South Africa.

I have written two chapters this year, and have now embarked on the third. I thought this chapter would be a breeze after the last one, since the subject matter is South African legislation and I am, well South Africa.

How wrong could I be?

I think I am only just beginning to realize the enormity of the task I have taken on. Doctoral level thinking is just so entirely different to masters level thinking that I don't quite know whether I'm coming or going with this chapter. What do I put where? DO I really have to write as if my reader knows very little about the subject? Let's be honest - experts are going to grade this thesis. Dare I write as I am explaining things to a first year law student? I am a little stumped. Granted, it's more about stylistic issues than writing issues (I have never, ever had writer's block), but the effect is the same - a downturn in my productivity.

I am probably not the first, nor will I be the last doctoral candidate to have this problem. But it's still hard to try and get over it right now. My mind turns to the possible solutions - carry on writing, even though I may have to redo it at a later stage (but at least I will be increasing the length of the chapter for the moment) or stop working entirely and hope that the problems will have disappeared at their own leisure? Any advice welcomed.

In other news, the issue of awareness of the challenges facing disabled persons has been raising its head more and more in my daily life. Of course, as I have mentioned previously, the most prominent type of disability is physical. Although at this point, overexposure of physical disability may lead to a greater awareness of other disabilities. I think I will be spending some time doing research on this topic, to try and see what can be done in the way of gaining media and civilian attention to the issues of accessibility and reasonable accommodation.

Lofty goals, no? I see a New Year's resolution coming on.


Happy Christmas to all of you, and may you have a joyous New Year.

Intellectual disability in the workplace

I came across this article today, and it links closely with a concept that I have been struggling to come to grips with for some time: how does one make reasonable accommodation in the workplace possible for a person with a disability that is not a physical disability?

Reasonable accommodation for persons with physical disabilities seems reasonably straightforward - a ramp here, an elevator there and hey presto! A (physical) disability-friendly workplace! But what of those of us experiencing intellectual, mental, communicative etc disabilities?

Food for thought, indeed. A respected researcher whom a consulted recently said to me on that occasion: if you cannot even get out of bed because of depression / bipolar disorder or a similar condition, how can you be expected to work? And, if you do somehow make it to work, how can the environment be adapted to assist you? The remedy is certainly not as simple as installing a ramp. In fact ask anyone how you make a workplace 'friendlier' for persons in these situations, the response takes quite some thought and probably does not result in an adequate answer.

If you will indulge me, I am copying the article I happened upon today.

Employment and intellectual disability

by Mauro Farrugia Article published on 14 December 2011 People with intellectual disability are one of the most vulnerable groups in today’s society. A person with intellectual disability is four to 10 times more likely to be sexually abused1, is much more prone to suffer from physical and social isolation, and to have no control over his/her living environment. Defining intellectual disability is not easy; such term includes a huge spectrum of disabilities mainly the developmental and specific learning disabilities, brain injuries and neurodegenerative diseases. Furthermore over the years, the terms ‘intellectual disability’, ‘mental retardation’ and ‘learning disabilities’ although having slightly different meanings, have been used interchangeably creating further confusion. In the British White Paper, Valuing People, the term ‘learning disability’ is preferred and such term is defined as “A significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information, to learn new skills (impaired intelligence), with a reduced ability to cope independently (impaired social functioning), which started before adulthood, with a lasting effect on development”. (Department of Health, 2001, p.14) In addition, we also have to consider that the term ‘mental retardation’, apart from being derogatory in nature, is also subject to a euphemism treadmill, especially after the passing of Rosa’s law2 in United States, thus the terms ‘intellectual and learning disability’ are the terms that should be used. In Malta, the idea that people with intellectual disabilities engage into work is not new. Government-run day centres have been around for more than 30 years and although the primary objective of these centres was to offer respite services for parents, other objectives included the training of service users in basic artisan skills like needlework, pottery and cane; and to provide a form of sheltered working environment. Such environments, if used effectively, can become a perfect stepping stone for training and other work options, but if certain quality control measures are not taken, they become just segregated non-productive units. Unfortunately when it comes to learning disability and employment, it seems that the predominant trend embraced by carers and parents alike is that if people with intellectual disabilities work at all, it would primarily be in sheltered settings. Moreover, people with more significant intellectual impairments (particularly those using the developing social care services) are, by definition, seen as ‘incapable’ for work (Simons, 2000). In reality, different work options exist and have to be explored. First and foremost, full-time open employment should never be excluded from the agenda of the person with intellectual disability. Then, if this option is deemed as not suitable, supported employment schemes, social enterprise cooperatives, should be considered. If all of the above fail, then one can resort to sheltered employment. Voluntary work is another important option that is not sufficiently tapped in the Maltese environment. When a person engages in voluntary work, he/she is not only preparing for the demands of employment, but it also encourages the development of personal and social skills. In addition, when a person with disability is engaged in voluntary work, he or she may feel that s/he is not just at the receiving end but also contributing towards his/her own society. Why should people with intellectual disabilities work? Service providers suggest that employment positively affects people with disabilities in a variety of ways. Research proves that people with disabilities who work, show an increase in self-confidence and self-esteem. Employment often creates a connection with the real world, a connection that gives the person a sense of self-worth, and relief from boredom that often characterises the life of a person with intellectual disability. Being employed also creates opportunities for making friends and social activity. But what is the view of people with intellectual disabilities themselves? People with learning difficulties mention other positive factors which include the attainment of financial independence, and keeping themselves occupied. The former is important because they feel that getting paid is a great way of paving their way into society and as a motivator for the person to maintain the work. Personal development is also seen as an important aspect of work, especially when employment involves taking on new responsibilities as this is seen that it gives them status in the eyes of others. Finally, for some people, working is a golden opportunity to change their social status from someone traditionally seen as in need of help, to someone who could help others and do something important3. Barriers at work Having an inclusive working environment will always give rise to challenges both for the employer and the employee; accessibility, type and expense of support needed by the person are usually the first problems that crop up in the employer’s mind. Furthermore, it is important to note that extra attention must be given on how information such as policies, working procedures and other vital information are written, especially for people with intellectual disability. The type of jargon used and the availability of data are also worthy of note. From the employee’s perspective, people with intellectual disabilities are often worried that the demands for a job are too high for them to achieve. Moreover, rates of pay are usually lower and they have a negative impact on their benefits. Another problem that people with intellectual disabilities find is that some may consider the workplace as a place to make friends or for genuine social inclusion, but this may not always be a reality. Concerns are real for both the employer and the employee, but positive aspects do also exist! Research shows that people with disability stay in one job for longer, have fewer workplace accidents, and are absent from work less often than their colleagues. Furthermore, during the recruitment and barrier-free selection processes, companies widen their talent pool and ensure they choose the best person for the job. So what is the way forward? In the report Quality of Life of Disabled People: Some answers from the 2005 Census produced by the National Commission Persons with Disability, only 9.2% of people with intellectual disability are effectively in employment. The picture is quite bleak but of course, one has to consider that in the last five years, the number of support services aimed at facilitating the entry of people with disabilities into the labour market has increased exponentially. It seems that government, its state corporations and agencies, and NGOs directly involved in this sector are taking the step towards increasing work opportunities. Therefore, one augurs that better statistical results are obtained in the next census. Apart from direct support, more work-friendly oriented benefits, flexible working schemes and specialised training are required as a person with intellectual disability needs to learn how to empower him/herself and to fight for him/her rights. I believe that when it comes to people with intellectual disabilities, both service providers and parents are making two simple yet fundamental mistakes; we are neither taking into consideration the voice of the direct stakeholders, nor training this cohort to start voicing their opinion. Unfortunately in Malta, self-advocacy is still considered by most as fiction material, yet if we don’t give people with intellectual disabilities the tools and experience to take control over their own lives they won’t have the motivation to keep their hard earned job nor the necessary skill to ameliorate it. 1 Sobsey, D. Violence and Abuse in the Lives of People with Disabilities: The End of Silent Acceptance? Baltimore, Maryland: Paul H Brookes Publishing Co, Inc., 1994. 2 Rosa’s Law is a United States law which replaces several instances of “mental retardation“ in law with “intellectual disability”. Law came into effect on 5 October, 2010 3 Stephen Beyer, Bob Grove, Justine Schneider, Ken Simons,Val Williams, Anna Heyman, Paul Swift and Emma Krijnen-Kemp (2004); Working lives: The role of day centres in supporting people with learning disabilities into employment; Department for Work and Pensions Research Report No. 203 Mauro Farrugia is Services Manager, Aġenzija Sapport URL: http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=136911 Makes for interesting reading, no?

God save the Queen!

Hello interwebs users,

At this point it has become rather clear that the purpose of this blog is more about getting my thoughts on paper before I lose them completely than getting my thoughts out to peeps from various countries and disciplines.... No matter. Still a useful tool to rant, rave, praise and criticize various people, places and institutions.

Since this blog has been inactive for a good couple of weeks, I feel I should explain that, being the lucky cow I am, I have been wintering in the UK since mid-November (Movember?).

What I have discovered about London is this: London is the city of ramps. London, my friends, and not Durban as suggested by one of the delegates at the recent DPI 8th World Assembly. As some of you may be aware, the 2012 Olympic Games will be held in London and the city is consequently undergoing an upgrade of gargantuan proportions. The purpose of said upgrade is not, as one may immediately assume, to make the city look prettier to all those tourists who will doubtless be flooding the shores of the Thames, but to make the entire city more accessible to physically disabled persons wanting to visit the city and / or Games.

Colour me impressed. London is already rather physical disability -friendly, what with its elevators at most rail stations, numerous step-free Underground stations and tourist attractions that can easily be negotiated by wheelchair. The fact that the city officials have recognised that much more needs to be done before even this great city can be called accessible is very, very impressive.

If only the rest of the world's major cities could follow suit. Still, the fact that one of the largest and most important cities in the world has undertaken this project which is largely to the benefit of the physically disabled is clearly a step in the right direction.

Bravo, London. Bravo, Boris. Bravo, Your Majesty.

Excuse me, ma'am, could you carry me up the stairs?

Something that has been brought to my attention quite recently is the issue of accessible buildings in and around Cape Town. When I talk about accessible buildings, I mean those structures that have been designed or at least adapted in such a manner that physically disabled persons do not need the assistance of other persons to get entry to and/or move around freely in. (What about accessibility for other types of disabilities? I hear you cry. Fear not - that is a whole other post in the making!)


I recently visited Durban, as a presenter at the Disabled People's International 8th World Assembly, where it was jokingly mentioned that Durban is in future to be known as 'The City of Ramps'. This got me thinking. How does Cape Town compare? Sure, we have our mountain, our awesome botanical gardens and our even more awesome beaches, but can disabled persons actually see any of these things without major hassle? Let's have a look at some of the major tourist-y activities in Cape Town, shall we?

1. Shopping:
Aahhh, where can I spend my well-earned dollars, pounds, euros in peace? Preferably not in a Cape Town shopping mall. The major shopping malls in Cape Town  and surrounds seem to think that as long as there are a couple disabled parking bays somewhere in the vicinity of an entrance and an elevator or two, disabled persons should have no problems getting around the particular shopping complex.

I beg to differ. One of the abovementioned malls is currently undergoing an extensive revamp process. It is difficult enough for non-disabled persons to move around unassisted. I can only imagine how off-putting it must be for a person in a wheelchair, and how the daunting nature of the task would lead to a whole bevy of disabled persons choosing to shop online. In addition, in another well-known northern suburbs mall, only ONE set of (two) elevators have been installed. Often one of these does not wake up properly in the morning, which leaves the remaining elevator to be the workhorse. On the days that neither of them work, the entire upper level is off-limits for the wheelchair cruisers among us.

Kudos must go to the Canal Walk mall though - I've been told that this center is quite easy to navigate on one's own if in a wheelchair. Bravo, Century City!

2. Beaches:
If all you intend to do is see the ocean from a minimum of 150 yards away, no problem. If, however, you are in a wheelchair on a day out on your own, big problem. None of our beaches have anything near resembling a ramp or decent paved walkway leading to the water. This, despite one our beaches consistently being awarded blue flag status by the beach people-in-the-know. Moral of the story? Stick to the pool at your hotel. It is such a pity that so many disabled persons may not know the joy of being at the water's edge smelling the salt and feeling the spray of our Two Oceans.

3. Public transport:
Sigh. The motto of the London Overground system may be 'Mind the Gap' but in Cape TOwn's only tran operator, Metrorail, should consider adopting the saying 'Mind the Chasm'. The trains are never, and I do mean never, flush with the platforms, and I am willing to bet good money that a wheelchair user would have to rely on the kindness of heart of a fellow train traveller to help them on to the train at any of the stations in the Cape Province. Non-disabled folk have been known to take the step into the train with a running leap. Once in the train, the aisles are simply too narrow to accommodate any form of wheelchair, so one would be compelled to place oneself in the dodgy next-to-door area.

The buses are not much better. While a number of buses in Durban have flat entry areas, and an extending ramp to allow relatively smooth access for wheelchair users, I have never seen a similar bus in Cape Town. I suspect such a bus would have to be chartered specifically - an expensive exercise, to be sure.

As for our infamous taxi services, I have one word that describes how to make the best use of these transporting pioneers: don't.


In a nutshell, and on a more serious note, there is much work to be done before physically disabled persons are able to enjoy the beautiful City of Cape Town equally to the non-disabled among us. I believe that a few small measures could be implemented with immediate effect which could allow for easier disabled access in many of our tourism hotspots. It is apparent that the concept of universal design is not yet one which is understood by our town planners, architects and structural engineers, for who knows what reason. The excuse of having limited funds will not be accepted for much longer.The concept of universal design should also be given widespread exposure, and, I feel, should be taught to all draftsmen and architects in the undergraduate studies.

Only once the views, opinions and indeed expertise of disabled persons on the issue of accessibility and universal design is taken into consideration in modifying and adding to our City can we consider our ourselves disability friendly.

Y

Ladies and gentlemen, lend me your ears!

Hello and welcome to my new blog.

By way of introduction, I am Yvette Wiid. I am a 20-something woman, on the first rung of a very long ladder towards becoming a (hopefully) respected legal academic. I have a Bachelor's and Master's degree in law, and I am am currently writing a PhD thesis on disability, law and related issues, which will form the main subject matter of this blog. I also lecture at a respected university in the Western Cape, South Africa.


Pleased to make your acquaintance.

For my first post, I feel it is important, nay, necessary, to look at a few key concepts in the world of disability and disabled persons. (Note, disabled persons, not disabled people - 'persons' is more personable!)

1. Disability: Umm. Well. Tricky one, this. There is no set definition of disability, not in South African law, anyway. There are a number of concepts and ideas about what a disability is, but to be frank, nobody really knows. Which is why I've chosen to write a thesis about it :)

2. Accessibility: One of the major problems facing persons with disabilities is that they simply struggle to get to where they need to be - physically, professionally and otherwise. Accessibility is arguably one of the most important issues that need to be addressed by governments, cities and countries around the world in order to ensure that persons with disabilities are fully integrated into non-disabled society.


3. Universal design: Linked to the concept of accessibility, universal design refers to the notion that cities need to be developed and constructed in such a way that disabled persons are able (see what I did there?) to move around freely and, in so doing, become independent, fully participating members of the broader society.


I believe that's it for Disability Studies 101. On a more personal note, I am currently writing the third chapter of my thesis. I find it to be suspiciously easy going. Id the hard stuff going to hit me all at once? Or am I just fooling myself into believing I can cope with the workload I've set myself? Perhaps I shall experience another year sans the festive season!

Thanks for taking the time to read my few words. I do hope that you will join me in learning about disability and the challenges faced by persons with disabilities. Hey, you never know - one of the future posts on this blog could bring about the change that is so desperately needed.

Until we read again.
Y