Just Include’s Northern Ireland Programme which includes a handbook and a series of three accompanying workshops to help disabled people advocate for their rights was launched at Parliament Buildings, Stormont on Monday, 31 March.
The handbook called ‘The Lobbyist’s Handbook to the Northern Ireland Executive & Assembly’, the digital resource is a guide to navigating the Northern Ireland political system.
Just Include founder and handbook author Andrew Hamilton, who explained, “This comprehensive booklet will be invaluable in ensuring disabled people can use their voice on the issues that matter”
“It has been produced in digital format, to assist accessibility as well as to allow for changes in political systems and processes. I am hopeful that this will be widely used. It was encouraging that many of those attending Monday’s event were from the disability sector”
“This handbook has immense potential, not just for the disability sector, but for other sectors as well.
Andrew Hamilton
Monday’s event in the Long Gallery also saw the official launch of Just Include, as well as announcements on the next steps for the non profit – workshops to accompany the handbook, and a digital accessibility campaign called DigitAll.
The launch event was sponsored by Robbie Butler MLA and co-sponsored by Cara Hunter MLA and Kellie Armstrong MLA.
Commenting, Robbie Butler, who is chair of the Disability All Party Group at Stormont, said, “Inclusion across much of society, sadly is still not an integral aspect of daily living. Disabled people find barriers to many daily living aspects and that includes access to information. I have had the privilege of working with Andrew Hamilton on a number of occasions and I am very excited about this development he has led with – Just Include.”
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