Engagement

To successfully accomplish the proposed work plan it is essential to engage with a wide and diverse range of disabled people throughout the United Kingdom. As a priority, we need to continue establishing an effective network through which we can maintain contact with disabled people and build on our engagement and communication strategy which is already proving to be effective.

Throughout 2008/09 we will undertake a variety of activities to ensure that any advice we give to Government is rooted in the opinions, views and advice given to us by disabled people.

We will be particularly focused on engaging with young disabled people, older people and hard to reach groups. We will regularly monitor the extent to which we are achieving our aim of being a conduit between the widest possible range of disabled people and government.

In addition we will make sure that disabled people in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are engaged appropriately through our communication strategy on non-devolved issues. We are aware that many disabled people in these areas are particularly hard to reach due to their rural isolation, linguistic differences and their potential lack of connection with Westminster government.    

During 2008/09 we will do the following:

• Communications strategy

We will further develop and publish our revised communication and engagement strategy. This will show how we intend to develop and maintain effective working relationships between Equality 2025 and disabled people and between Equality 2025 and government departments. The outcome of this will be clarity for all parties around the processes of communication and engagement.

We will publish a calendar of events for public engagement so that all relevant parties can establish appropriate timeframes for utilising Equality 2025 as an effective conduit.

We will also, within six months, compile and maintain a database of individuals and organisations who can be invited to meetings, emailed with questions and encouraged to spread the word around their local areas.

• Website and Internet Presence

We will continue to develop and maintain an effective, accessible presence via the internet to enable quick access to Equality 2025 for those who currently use computer technology. By the end of 2008 we aim to have established an interactive site to be utilised for effective engagement with disabled people.

• Public meetings.

We will host a range of public meetings throughout 2008/09 with the primary purpose of engagement with disabled people. At least one event will be held in each region of the United Kingdom and the outcomes from each meeting will provide the basis for the provision of advice to government, based on the views and opinions of disabled people.

In addition, at least one public meeting will be a national conference which will become an annual event. 

• Profile within Government

Throughout 2008/09 we will continue to attend key meetings and conferences which help to promote the existence of Equality 2025 across Government and throughout the Civil Service. This will continue to establish relationships and enable our advice to be received and acted on effectively. It will also maintain the message that equality for disabled people is an aim across Government as a whole and that Equality 2025 exists as a Non-Departmental Public Body to advise on the design and implementation of policies and initiatives which enable equality to become a reality by 2025.

Page last reviewed: 11 August 2008