Scottish Disability Equality Forum joins Go ON Gold

An influential Scottish organisation which promotes independent living has become the latest group to join Go ON Gold.

The Scottish Disability Equality Forum (SDEF) aims to remove barriers to equality and is also the umbrella body for 50 volunteer led Access Panels across the country.

“We work with many organisations to influence Scottish Government policies which affect how we live”, says  SDEF manager Susan Grasekamp. “We also work with Access Panels across Scotland who provide advice and support to disabled people in their local communities.

“Most people are well aware of the physical challenges faced by disabled people, such as lack of wheelchair access and ramps for example  – but the less tangible barriers, like having difficulty using keyboards or reading text, is less obvious for those not affected by it. For example for many people, even finding out about training courses is a challenge if they don’t know how best to access the internet if they have a motor or visual impairment.

“As an organisation dedicated to helping disabled people access both physical spaces and opportunities to improve their education and careers it makes perfect sense for us to spread the message about ways of increasing accessibility to all parts of modern life. The internet really is a gateway to fantastic opportunities – and one which should be available to everyone.”

For more information on the SDEF visit www.sdef.org.uk