Learning disability group appeals for equality and diversity

• Manchester People First group seeks for equal opportunities.
• Job opportunities should be made suitable for disabled people
• Social inclusion and benefits

Manchester People First has called on Manchester city council to help push for equal rights by creating more opportunities and equality for people with learning disability.

Manchester People First is a self-advocacy group that gives training to adults with learning disability. They prioritise getting their voices heard, meeting and making friends and passing information in a way they understand. 

Patricia Philips said: “I can say I am being treated differently because I have a disability. It’s like being visually impaired, if you don’t have eyes you can’t see.” 

Nemo also said: “When I go to job websites, there are not a lot of jobs for people with disability. We are excluded for opportunities, and we are kind of stacked in the cycle. We need the right support, we should not be treated kind of different. The council should incorporate us in all vital services.”

In a recent inquiry set up by the public service select committee on transition from education to employment of young disabled,

Baroness Estelle Morris of Yardley said: ‘’Disabled people are more likely to be unemployed or economically inactive than non-disabled people. And they face many barriers to entering the workplace, particularly for the first time. A key transition in young disabled people’s lives is leaving education and entering the workforce.

“This at a time of significant change already: that from services aimed at young people to services geared towards adults. We want to establish how well this works, and how it can be improved. And we want to know about careers support, and how well that is working.”

Some councillors from Manchester People First suggested that the council and society should consider including people with learning disabilities in all vital social benefits and information.

Steven Blake said: ”Mechanisms should be put in place to make accessing information easy for everybody including us.”