Young learning disability campaigners from Angus gathered at the Scottish Parliament on 12th December to tell Graeme Dey, the MSP for Angus South Constituency, and his colleagues about their experiences of being bullied, and to promote ‘change through understanding’.
James Anderson (14), Jodie Manley (23), Ben Robb (17) represented charity ENABLE Scotland to promote anti-bullying campaign #BetheChange.
The group of ‘Change Champions’ spoke to a panel of MSPs and anti-bullying campaigners, including Graeme Dey MSP, Jackie Baillie MSP, Jeremy Balfour MSP and Pamela Graham from Respect Me – Scotland’s anti-bullying service. The Change Champions also presented a powerful film highlighting their personal experiences and their ‘abilities, not disabilities’.
Recent research by ENABLE Scotland found that two thirds of the young people they engage with through their services who have a learning disability or Autism Spectrum Disorder, said they have experiences bullying.
ENABLE Scotland’s #BetheChange campaign, supported by funding from Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, aims to tackle the bullying of people who have learning disabilities and to break down barriers, encourage respect, understanding, support and friendship.
James Anderson set up a home-help business in his community, offering ironing, cleaning and grocery shopping services. He said:
“I am more than my disability. I run my own business in my home town of Arbroath, but people still only see things that I can’t do, not the things I’m good at.
“I wanted to be a Change Champion because I was bullied at school. I want to let people know, if they’re getting bullied that they’re not alone.
“I want people to look behind the label and what they think they know about people with learning disabilities, people like me. All I can ask is that people take the time to get to know me for who I really am.”
Jodie Manley (23) from Carnoustie said:
“I have a learning disability, but that’s not all there is to me. I’m so much more.
“My grades were affected in school by bullying so I’ve just gone back to college to get good grades. College has given me the chance to gain confidence and skills that I didn’t get in high school.”
According to ENABLE Scotland, nine out of 10 people who have learning disabilities report that they have been bullied in their communities.
As part of the campaign, the charity has supported the training of a group of Change Champions to deliver workshops across Scotland throughout 2018, giving people who have learning disabilities a platform to share their personal stories and raise awareness of unacceptable behaviour and practices.
Graeme Dey MSP, said:
“I was delighted to be a Dragon. The young people who were presenting are quite frankly inspirational.
“They had a very important message to take away. All young people, all people, deserve to be valued and respected and bullying is never acceptable.”
Theresa Shearer, CEO of ENABLE Scotland, said:
“We’re extremely grateful to our Change Champions for their hard work and for sharing their inspiring personal stories with a panel of experts at the Scottish Parliament. With their help, we hope to empower even more people to change perceptions of people with learning disabilities for the long term.
“Through our Change Champions in Arbroath and across the whole of Scotland we want to engage with communities and individuals and give them the know-how and confidence to be the change themselves – to challenge unacceptable behaviour towards people with learning disabilities when it occurs – but more than that, to be a friend.
“It’s time to break down barriers and ensure that people who have learning disabilities are respected and valued, and that any obstacles to an equal society for all are challenged and removed.”
