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Seminar Series on Disability Convention

Based on the evidence disabled people have provided so far, we are holding a series of four, free, online seminars that aim to relate the Disability Convention to what you have told us are the key issues facing disabled people in Scotland. The series began with an exploration of disability equality and human rights in the context of public spending cuts and welfare reform.

Each seminar will only last an hour and will be scheduled 12 -1pm so you can watch or listen over your lunchtime sandwiches! You can be part of the live online seminars on your own or you may want to see if any of your colleagues or friends want to get involved too and join as a small group.

Each seminar will be live from 12 - 1pm. Forthcoming seminar dates and themes are:

  • Monday 12 December 2011: Rights in a Recession (this seminar has now taken place and the recording and transcript are available further down this page)

  • 16 January 2012: Getting Justice (this seminar has now taken place and the recording and transcript are available further down this page)

  • 13 February 2012: Independent Living. (this seminar has now taken place and the recording and transcript are available futher down this page)

  • 12 March 2012: Children and Young People. This next seminar will have a guest speaker from Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People.

What will happen during the seminar?

This link will open as a video frame with space for palantyping subtitles and a 'chat box' where you can type comments or questions during the seminar. It will appear blank until the seminar goes 'live' at 12 noon on each of the scheduled dates. Please ensure that your own computer is set up to enable full participation. You can do this by reading our Troubleshooting Guide. It would be helpful if you could let us know if you are taking part and provide feedback on your experiences of taking part by emailing hello@scottishhumanrights.com or telephoning 0131 240 2989.

The seminar will start with our guest speaker sharing their knowledge and experiences of the seminar topic and we'll provide a short explanation of the Convention rights that Governments are expected to provide or be working towards in relation to the topic. Then we will open up to broader discussion from you via the internet. You can ask questions, suggest action that needs to be taken and share your experiences or opinions from the same internet page that you are using to watch or listen to the seminar.

How do I take part?

To take part you will need access to an internet connection, speakers and the ability to watch a video on your computer screen. If this is not possible for you, please contact us and we will do our best to help provide access to a shared facility. The seminars aim to be both informative (about how to use the Disability Convention) and discursive (an opportunity to influence what needs to happen to make progress with the implementation of the Convention in Scotland) . The seminar will be transcribed live by a palantypist on the same website showing the seminar. So if you have an audio impairment, you will be able to follow the subtitles.

The seminar series uses the Twitter hashtag #crpdseminar. If you use Twitter, please tweet during and after the event using this hashtag. You can follow the Commissions on Twitter: @Scothumanrights and @EHRC

Where can I go for help if I encounter technical problems watching or listening to the seminar?

Please consult the frequently asked questions in the Troubleshooting Guide. If you need further assistance, you can contact our technical support partners by telephoning 07825 219766 or emailing support@video3.co.uk

What if I miss a seminar?

We would prefer you to watch and listen to the live presentation and take part in the question session. However, if you cannot to do this, you can still access the recording and slides in your own time as all of the supporting materials for each seminar will be archived on this web page.