THE Virtual Online Inclusive Communities for Empowerment,(VOICE) initiated by the Independent Living Movement Ireland (ILMI) is reaching out to disabled people in Cork city and county.
This project is aimed at empowering disabled people and fostering positive change.
If you feel sceptical about your power as an individual to change anything, that’s understandable, but instead of just accepting that things are always going to be the same and that’s just how the world is, join VOICE and break this way of thinking in yourself, become part of our online platform and learn about collective activism. ILMI and the VOICE project can show you how.
You can join our online platform and participate in a series of online sessions with guest speakers and disabled activists that will give you an insight into what disabled people can achieve when working together. You can make connections with like-minded peers. It is easy to become disillusioned when you don’t feel listened to. However, when you are a member of a collective, you have the support of others.
We know that change doesn’t happen overnight but for it to happen at all we need disabled people to work together irrespective of what your disability is.
This year, we have expanded our team and employed a Peer Mentor/Life Coach. Colm Whooley is a disabled man himself with many years experience working to empower disabled people to achieve their potential. He set up the Spinal Injuries Association in 1992. Colm will work with participants to develop a personal action plan. He will provide one to one coaching supports to empower participants to build on their existing skills. The Coaching will support the participants with: Personal Growth and Confidence, Career and work and People and Relationships.
There cannot be a better way to kick-start the year or get yourself out of a rut. So far, the feedback from people who have availed of the service since it started in January has been incredibly positive.
VOICE provides a way for disabled people to connect, engage, and advocate for a more inclusive society. We deliver sessions online where people can get used to participating in a group, sharing their opinion and also get to learn about the tools that can be used to challenge the barriers that we experience as disabled people. Topics include ways to influence decisions locally and how the UNCRPD (United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities) can support the campaign for a fully inclusive society.
We want to reach the many disabled people who feel isolated within their own homes for many reasons. They do not have access to transport, they may live in a rural area that is not serviced by the Public Transport Network or they need assistance to go somewhere. This is why the VOICE project is delivered via an online platform. It allows disabled people to get involved without having to worry about transport et cetera.
We know that not everyone has access to a smart device. To overcome this problem, we have a limited number of tablets that we can give to disabled people who want to join the project but do not have access to a tablet or computer.
Since the Irish government ratified the UNCRPD (United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities) in 2018, there is an onus on the Irish state to consult with DPO’s. A DPO is a disabled person’s organisation where the majority of the board of management and staff are disabled people, “nothing about us, without us”. That means every time the government is about to design a new policy or develop services i.e. public transport initiatives they should consult with a DPO and talk directly with disabled people to hear what an inclusive and accessible transport system should look like.
Join us and make sure your voice is heard. ILMI and VOICE are cross-impairment, that means that we don’t just represent one section of the disabled population. We know that connecting online is no substitute for meeting others in real life but it is a great opportunity to start your journey with ILMI and the VOICE project . Find out more by contacting Nicola, VOICE Community Development Worker at 087 7189237 or send an email to nicolameacle@ilmi.ie.
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Calling all disabled people in Cork - have a voice...
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26.02.2024
THE Virtual Online Inclusive Communities for Empowerment,(VOICE) initiated by the Independent Living Movement Ireland (ILMI) is reaching out to disabled people in Cork city and county.
This project is aimed at empowering disabled people and fostering positive change.
If you feel sceptical about your power as an individual to change anything, that’s understandable, but instead of just accepting that things are always going to be the same and that’s just how the world is, join VOICE and break this way of thinking in yourself, become part of our online platform and learn about collective activism. ILMI and the VOICE project can show you how.
You can join our online platform and participate in a series of online sessions with guest speakers and disabled activists that will give you an insight into what disabled people can achieve when working together. You can make connections with like-minded peers. It is easy to become disillusioned when you don’t feel listened to. However, when you are a member of a collective, you have the support of others.........
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