Speaking With One Voice.

By joining together, we can improve life for disabled islanders.

Guernsey Disability Alliance members work together to raise issues that are important to disabled islanders, whether that’s people with restricted mobility, sensory impairment, learning difficulties, mental health issues or long-term illness.

We build relationships with the States of Guernsey, local businesses and the general public to help drive change that will ensure that disabled people are more fully included in island life.

These are just some examples successful GDA campaigns in the last three years:

To see Channel TV coverage of our priorities for 2011, click here.

Disability Champion.

Your point of contact within the States.

In February 2009, Deputy Jane Stephens was elected as States Champion for Disabled Islanders. She works tirelessly on behalf of disabled people, raising individual issues with States Departments and adding a disability perspective to relevant States debates.

If you have an issue that you feel should be brought to the attention of the States, Jane’s contact details are 247818 or janestephens@cwgsy.net.

However, please don’t feel that you can only contact Jane.  Your local deputy also needs to be aware of the issues affecting his or her disabled parishioners, as do the members of the Board of the relevant States department.  You can find a full contact list for all States members on the States website here.

It’s natural to be reluctant to bother a deputy, but remember – it’s their job and a good deputy welcomes constructive feedback from islanders to help inform his or her decision making.

Disability Officer.

Creating an overall strategy to support disabled islanders.

At the October 2009 meeting of States of Guernsey, the Social Policy Group (a sub-committee of the Policy Council) proposed the appointment of a Disability Officer to research and write a Disability Strategy for the island.

The proposal received the unanimous support of the assembly, generating significant media coverage. Emma Jones was recruited in April 2010 as Guernsey’s first ‘Disability and Equality Strategies Officer’.

The Disability Officer is a civil servant within the Policy Council whose role is to conduct a detailed review of the needs of disabled islanders and to recommend which actions will have the greatest effect on improving disabled people’s independence and quality of life. The research will take several years to complete. The current plan is that the Disability Strategy will to come out for consultation in 2013 and then go into the States Strategic Plan prioritisation process in 2014 and to the States for funding in early 2015.

The GDA is committed to working closely with the Disability Officer to help ensure that disabled islanders are fully consulted in the development of the Strategy. We will also continue to work with States departments to make practical improvements to access, services and benefits in the meantime.

Emma moved to a different post in the States in September 2011 and Emilie Yerby has been recruited as the new Disability Officer. Anyone who wants to find out more about the Disability Strategy or share their experiences is invited to contact her at any time – email eyerby@hssd.gov.gg or telephone 01481 725241.

Disability Discrimination Law.

Good intentions will only take us so far. We need a law.

Guernsey currently does not have any laws preventing discrimination against disabled people. That means, for example, that it is still is not against Guernsey law for a company to deny someone an interview for a job just because they have an impairment, and businesses are not obliged to take reasonable steps to make their existing premises and services accessible.

In June 2011, the Commerce and Employment Department published the results of their review of employment law.   Based on the response, disability discrimination in the workplace will be the top priority when it comes to new employment law in the C&E 2012 business plan. However, while this is very positive step, there’s still a long way to go before a law to protect disabled employees is actually in place.  Plus, of course, this just discrimination in employment – it won’t affect access to existing buildings… or education… or goods and services.

The UK has had a Disability Discrimination Act (‘the DDA’) since 1995 and ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2009.  The DDA has now been replaced by the Equality Act 2010.

So while Guernsey edges slowly into the 21st Century, the world has moved on. 99.5% of the population of the 55 English-speaking nations of the world are covered by either disability discrimination law or a constitution that outlaws discrimination against disabled people. Guernsey is in the remaining 0.5%, alongside Jamaica and Papua New Guinea, and has not yet signed up to the UN Convention.

Hence, once the Disability Strategy is agreed, the other important role of the Disability Officer will be to analyse the implications of the introduction of disability discrimination law to Guernsey. This in-depth process has to take place before a proposal for a full DDA can be presented to the States.

In memory of Dave Purdy.

Guernsey’s outstanding disability campaigner.

Dave Purdy was just a teenager when he seriously and permanently injured his spine in a swimming accident in Herm in 1966.  He began campaigning for better access in 1972 and he was still pushing to achieve equality for disabled islanders right up to his death in November 2010.  His 38 years of meticulously-researched campaigning was entirely voluntary, and achieved whilst holding down a full time job in his family’s business and managing his own tetraplegia.

He worked on his own until 1981, the International Year of Disabled People (IYDP).  As Treasurer of the local committee, he gave speeches to raise awareness throughout the year.  The committee raised £18,500 which was used to set up the Guernsey Cheshire Home, the GROW gardening scheme and several research projects.  Dave remained a long term member of the Cheshire Home Committee.

A further outcome of the International Year of Disabled People was the Guernsey Association of Disabled People (GAOD), which Dave founded and then chaired for 16 years.  As a direct result of GAOD’s work, Guernsey enacted Part M of the Building Regulations in 1993, despite the island having no other disability legislation. This means that plans for all new-build houses and any substantial renovations must include provision for ease of access

In addition, Dave and the GAOD:

  • Campaigned to create the first 12 accessible parking spaces in Guernsey.
  • Set up a RADAR key scheme for accessible toilets around the island.
  • Assisted the Traffic Committee to implement a Blue Badge scheme.
  • Worked with the Housing Committee to create Guernsey’s first accessible social housing units at Rodley Park.

Although Dave was involved in many different campaigns to improve access in Guernsey, the one that he was most proud to have contributed to was the ramp up to the market square. This was a complex project as it involved a listed building and the relocation of an entire electricity sub-station.

Dave became the Vice-Chair of the Guernsey Disability Alliance in 2008 and was our inspiration and our mentor. He stood out because of his positive, calm, yet resolutely determined, nature. He was always polite and understated, patiently and diligently explaining over and over again why things needs to change for disabled islanders.  This approach was particularly appropriate for Guernsey where loudly-voiced views are often resisted on principle.

Dave Purdy was a gentleman, in every sense of the word, and a great Guernseyman.  Disabled islanders, disabled visitors to the island and parents with buggies have much to thank him for.

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