Meet the future: Young campaigners on show

In the 1990s disabled people, largely organised by Direct Action Network (DAN), hit the headlines as they chained themselves to buses and buildings to highlight the inequality disabled people faced.

These protests influenced the Disability Discrimination Act, which in turn has led to improvements in equality, access and attitudes.

But the fight for equality is far from over and whilst DAN no longer exists on the scale it did in the 1990s the spirit of fighting for your rights goes on in a new generation of young campaigners.

The five young people profiled here by Emma Bowler have an impressive tally of campaigning achievements and their message is loud and clear – they are not giving up the fight for equality until it is won.

Ryan Thompson
Age: 20

Why did you start campaigning?
I wanted to become more independent so I looked into local public transport. I found there was only one accessible bus route in the whole of my town’s 60 routes. Even worse, that route only operated a stop in my estate as a night bus!

What did you do?
I set up an online petition, did local TV and radio interviews and got an article in the local newspaper. Even though I got 700 signatures the response was that they felt the timelines in place were adequate. So I became much more heavily involved with the campaigning side of Whizz-Kidz.

What are the key issues for you?
Transport, education, the NHS, and more recently the changes to the benefit system.

Why do we need to keep campaigning?
The media currently portrays us as “scroungers” or “benefit cheats”; because of this there is ingrained hostility and ignorance towards the disabled community. It’s also the reason the general public are allowing the Government to squeeze us dry. If we don’t make a stand we will be railroaded into a life of high poverty, high unemployment and high inequality.

What can people do?
Organise a petition, join or set up a support group, organise a march, lobby Parliament, canvass your local area, set up an awareness area in your local shopping centre or just spread the word to whoever you meet. Let the public know that we are alive, we are kicking and we do have a voice.

Jessica Hughes
Age: 22

Why did you get into campaigning?
I wanted to make a contribution towards addressing some of the key issues that young disabled people face. What motivates me most is a sheer frustration with the way things are for disabled people, particularly the endless physical barriers. So I joined Trailblazers – a nationwide organisation of disabled and non-disabled campaigners.

What have you been up to recently?
I’ve attended a meeting in Parliament regarding the Trailblazers’ access to cinema campaign, “Lights, Camera, Access”. I’ve also written to my MP about wheelchair access on aircraft and I am now corresponding with the Transport Minister about this – I really hope change will happen in the not so distant future as I’m desperate for a good holiday!

What are your 2012 priorities?
As well as continuing to improve access nationwide and enabling disabled people to travel by air in their wheelchairs, my key priority is the requirement for a completely thorough, easy-to-use and extensive website detailing every type of accessibility information for every place to go or visit in the UK.

What worries you?
Euthanasia and the impact this may have on disabled people in the future.

Who inspires you?
Lady Gaga – she always does what she believes in and never seems to worry how she will be judged for it.

• www.mdctrailblazers.org

Nathan Giles
Age: 16

When did you start campaigning?
When I was ten I wrote to Tony Blair, then Prime Minister, to complain about disabled access to No 10. I had seen a young girl being helped into No 10 by him; the media all thought it was kind of him but I thought it was bad because she should have been able to get in herself.

What happened next?
I was phoned by the politics and campaigns office at Scope and asked to come to Downing Street to present their “Time to Get Equal Pledges”. I ended up being interviewed by TV news and I realised this is what I wanted to do. I went on to talk at the UN in Geneva, became a Whizz-Kidz Ambassador and sat on their Kidz Board.

What is the Kidz Board?
It’s not just a bunch of kids in a room! Sometimes people think when it comes to young disabled people all they are out to do is have a fun time; yes we are friends but we are there to conduct serious business. Once we went to a prominent law firm to discuss possible fundraising and work placements, another time we had a conference call with Tanni Grey-Thompson to discuss her potential involvement in our campaign to do with the Paralympics.

What are you up to now?
With the Olympic and Paralympic Games coming up Whizz-Kidz have incorporated the Games into their campaigns. It started off with access to hotels, then it became clear there are transport issues too. The Kidz Board has also published a schools consultation. Although things in schools have improved disabled young people can still feel discriminated against and there has been a significant increase in bullying if someone is disabled.

Is the nature of campaigning changing?
We may have to campaign differently because of the financial situation at the moment. In the past we could make more demands, we could say this is how much it costs, we know you have the revenue coming in so please do this. Now we have to start negotiating and trying to do deals.

Who inspires you?
Katie Mobbs and Rebecca Farren – joint chairs of the Kidz Board at Whizz-Kidz – I admire them because they have a professional approach to campaigning. You need professionalism to campaign – it’s about playing politicians at their own game and seeing who is better.

Will you carry on campaigning?
Definitely! I hope to go to university, study politics and become an MP. I would like to see myself in a senior backbench position one day. They say David Blunkett forgot his roots but I’ll not forget what I started with.

• www.whizz-kidz.org.uk
• www.kidz-unlimited.org.uk

Jhon Bateman
Age: 14

When did you start campaigning?
When I was 11 I gave a speech at the disability LIB launch in London. Since then, I have been involved in lots of public speaking events and meetings for disabled and non-disabled young people. I now chair the young people’s group at Leicestershire Local Involvement Network (LINk).
 
Do you get a buzz out of it?
Definitely! I love doing the work that I do because I know that I might not get things changed instantly but the next generation of young people will have a better chance of being included fully into society.

What is the key issue for you?
Public transport. I have been working with the National Children’s Bureau to campaign for better public transport for all young people. Recently, I spoke at a fringe meeting at the Liberal Democrat Party Conference, with the deputy CEO of NCB about this issue and I raised the importance of making sure that disabled young people could access buses with ease.

Why is it important to campaign now?
We are at a stage where big decisions are being made that affect disabled people. If we don’t get our voice heard during this time then we are at risk of changes being made that could mean we are forgotten.

Martyn Sibley
Age: 28

How do you campaign?
I began blogging in 2009 to share my worries, limitations, dreams, hurdles and achievements. As well as my blog I now have an online magazine, webinars and ecourses. All of my projects give disabled people the confidence, mindset and framework to knock the barriers down themselves.

What are the key issues for you?
Compared to past generations this is the best time ever to be disabled. However, with the financial problems we are facing the Government must see the importance of educating society and investing in disabled people – with technology (Motability cars, wheelchairs, hoists) and personal support. With investment disabled people can live fulfilled lives, costing the state less and giving more back to society.

What worries you?
My biggest worry is the perception that disabled people don’t have sexual desire or capability. As access to buildings, employment of disabled people, world travel etc all become more possible, it’s strange to still be asked in the pub whether I can have sex.
 
Who inspires you?
People like Ghandi, Luther King and Mandela. I also have much admiration for every disabled person who understands their own dreams, identifies the barriers in the way and in time achieves their goals – whatever they may be.

What are your hopes for the future?
I hope to increase the impact of my online projects to empower the next generation of disabled people to
kick ass.

• www.martynsibley.com