Autistic Women’s Empowerment Project supports the campaign to Save Disability Wales
This year as an organisation we connected with and became full members of Disability Wales Since that time they have provided us with training to enable us to speak up for the rights of our members, they have given us the support and encouragement needed to move on from simply raising awareness and have e…mpowered our team to speak out and campaign for the rights of our network. We have been inspired by the dedication of all the team at Disability Wales, these are people who are dedicated to their jobs, and who are experts in their field .This month Disability Wales were informed that following a Welsh Government funding change, as from the 1st of April 2016, DW will lose 68% of its income after its recent application to the Sustainable Social Services Third Sector Grant Scheme was turned down and risks closure in less than four months’ time The closure of Disability Wales will mean that not only will a massive knowledge base goes to waste but it will result in the breakdown of a network of disabled people across Wales which will ultimately result in the further erosion of disabled people’s rights, This is not what we need when already faced with welfare reforms, cuts to services, local authorities who continually fail to meet their legal obligations and persecution not only by the UK Government but by the media . Disabled people in Wales will face a dim future without the work of Disability Wales .In Wales we are going through a massive transition period where new acts have been created and are due to be implemented . Who will speak up for disability rights at consultation and government level if there is no Disability Wales? Who will ensure service users are fully aware of their rights and entitlements under the new acts ? We need an organisation that can fight for our rights and insure that disability discrimination is eliminated .Disability Wales is that organisation .Disability Wales is Our Voice. SAVE DISABILITY WALES
