This year’s Access Panel Conference was held on Friday 28 June, at TouchBase in Glasgow. The annual Conference is an opportunity for Access Panel members to come together to share experiences and learn new skills.
It was a pleasure to welcome the Minister for Older People and Equalities, Christina McKelvie MSP, to deliver our keynote speech. The Minister praised Access Panels for the positive contribution they make to communities across Scotland:
“I would like to thank you all and everyone involved in the Access Panel Networks. The work you do as volunteers, working together to improve the physical access and wider social inclusion for your local communities, your knowledge and your expertise are invaluable.”
The Minister also commended the Inclusive Communication Hub (www.inclusivecommunication.scot), a website developed by Disability Equality Scotland and Sense Scotland that provides tools and guidance on how to make your information more accessible.
“The Inclusive Communication Hub is a lifesaver. Your voice is an important part of who you are, and so that one thing makes it all worthwhile. The Hub provides advice, guidance and support and we are committed to promoting its use, so that more people can have access to the resources and tools available, to improve their communication and make meetings, events and documents accessible.”
Delegates also heard from Claire Smith, Head of Transport Accessibility and Road Safety at Transport Scotland, who updated Access Panels on the progress made with the Accessible Travel Framework, a 10-year plan to improve transport accessibility across Scotland.
The speeches were followed by two excellent and informative workshops. Tina Yu from Sense Scotland highlighted the importance of producing information in accessible formats. Mason Dickson from deafscotland discussed how Access Panels can use Social Media to improve their outreach.
In the final session, Access Panels from across Scotland shared the incredible work they’ve been doing to improve access and inclusion in their local communities. For more information about Access Panels, visit the Access Panel Network website: www.accesspanelnetwork.org.uk
Leave A Reply