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Opinion & Analysis

Great strides in inclusion, but more to be do be done

Jenny Victory, manager of the Supported Needs and Disability Office.

Gibraltar has made significant strides in recent years in fostering inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities. Several key initiatives have been introduced, including the Supported Employment Programme, the Paths initiative and the creation of the Supported Needs Disability Office. These initiatives underscore a renewed focus on empowerment and enhancing services for the disability community. But there is still work to be done and community awareness is key.

A cornerstone of the efforts so far has been the Supported Employment Programme, which integrates individuals with diverse abilities into the workforce by aligning roles with their strengths. Participants receive ongoing support through mentoring, workplace adaptations, and skill-building opportunities.

A major milestone for the programme occurred on June 5, 2024, with the conference "Empowering Journeys, Igniting Careers" at the Sunborn Hotel. This event brought together employers, public service representatives, and organisations to discuss workplace transformation and relevant legislation.

Notably, the conference welcomed Celia Chartres-Aris, a multi-award-winning disability advocate, who shared invaluable insights into the National Disability Strategy. Complementing this programme is the Paths initiative, which provides accessible courses on essential workplace skills, such as Microsoft Word and Outlook, alongside self-development workshops. These programmes aim to break down barriers, highlight the value of diverse talents and foster a culture of empowerment and inclusivity within the workforce.

Jenny Victory is the manager of the Supported Needs and Disability Office, which has been serving the community since its opening in September 2021. She began her career as a Special Educational Needs (SEN) teacher, working in both special and secondary schools. Over the years, she has also contributed to various disability-focused charities, showcasing her unwavering dedication to advocacy and inclusion.

Disability holds a deeply personal significance for Ms Victory, as her son has profound needs. This connection has shaped her passion for promoting awareness and support.

In an interview, I asked about the progress she has observed in disability awareness, inclusion, and diversity.

“I have seen the community become more aware of different types of disabilities,” Ms Victory said.

“In the past, society’s views of disability were limited [to those] in a wheelchair. According to WHO, 16% of the world’s population is disabled, but only 1% of them are wheelchair users.”

This statistic sheds light on the diversity of disabilities, a reality that Ms Victory is thankful is increasingly recognised locally. However, she acknowledges the work still ahead.

“With regards to inclusion, we still have a long way to go,” she said.

As an advocate for meaningful inclusion and accessibility, I share that sentiment. While many people are making an effort to include individuals with disabilities, their intentions, though well-meaning, do not always translate into effective or meaningful outcomes. Too often, these efforts feel like box-ticking exercises rather than genuine attempts to create equal opportunities.

Although awareness around disabilities is steadily improving, true inclusion and integration often still feel just out of reach.

Many individuals continue to view us through the lens of our disabilities, defining us by what we cannot do rather than recognising our abilities, ambitions and potential. There’s a lingering perception that we are somehow less deserving of the freedom to live fully and with respect. This mindset creates significant barriers, not just in the physical world but also in social settings where we often feel excluded or marginalised.

I wanted to understand more about what can be done to tackle ableism, so I asked Ms Victory what concrete actions need to be taken locally to address this issue and promote a deeper, more meaningful awareness.

“This is exactly one of the issues that the National Disability Strategy is tackling,” she said.

“At present, I have written the HMGOG strand of the National Disability Strategy and I am currently researching what will be the private sector strand.”

One longstanding goal is the extension to Gibraltar of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities [UNCRPD], which sets out a significant commitment to equality and inclusion for all. Its full implementation in Gibraltar has not been realised yet.

As a British Overseas Territory, Gibraltar cannot address the United Nations directly and must go through the UK Government.

In an effort to start the process of having the UNCRPD extended to Gibraltar and ratified, Gibraltar has submitted all the required documentation to the UK Government. However, time has passed and there is little tangible progress as yet.

It is worth noting that the UK Government was simultaneously facing a trial before the United Nations Committee for not meeting the UNCRPD standards itself.

“This meant that they could not extend it until this matter was resolved,” Ms Victory explained.
Locally, there is a growing concern about the slow progress and a lack of full implementation of the convention in Gibraltar.

Last November, Ms Victory accompanied Equality Minister Christian Santos to a meeting in London with Sir Stephen Timms, the UK Minister for Disabilities in the House of Parliament.

“Sir Stephen assured us that they had resolved internal matters and could now look into the extension and ratification of the UNCRPD to Gibraltar,” she said.

“Since this meeting, we have received an email from the Disability Unit in the Cabinet Office which shows that they are actively working through the documentation we sent and I have a meeting scheduled with the them where I will hopefully get an update.”

Any progress on this front will be welcomed in Gibraltar.

In the past, many individuals may have felt excluded or turned away when seeking support, with some becoming disheartened by the decisions of certain panels.

As the head of disability services, there has been a strong focus on addressing these past practices and ensuring a more inclusive and supportive process moving forward.

One of the key purposes of the Supported Needs and Disability Office is to serve as a one-stop shop for persons with disabilities, centralising all necessary services.

The office now manages all disability-related allowances, with the exception of the Disability Allowance which remains under the Department of Social Security. This shift aims to streamline the support process and ensure individuals have easier access to the resources they need.

“There is a misconception that if you have a disability, then you are eligible for all the concessions and that is not the case,” Ms Victory explained.

“Every disability is different so what the person needs will be different. For example, you would not need a blue badge if you have a hearing impairment.”

It is because of this that each concession has different criteria.

“Radar keys for persons who need to use an accessible toilet because of continence issues or mobility issues, Blue Badge for persons with mobility issues, frontier passes for persons who cannot wait sitting down in a queue,” Ms Victory said, by way of example.

When applications come in to the SNDO, they get checked to ensure that the form is filled in properly and then cross-checked against eligibility criteria.

“Applications that do not meet the full criteria are sent to panel,” she added.

The SNDO does not deny any application. The panel is comprised of medical professionals who have access to the person’s GHA medical records and can therefore make an evidence-based decision of the applicant’s need for that allowance.

“There are cases where the panel does not find any evidence of the need, and the application is denied by the medical professionals,” Ms Victory said.

“The SNDO then communicates this to the person, but I repeat, the SNDO does not make these decisions.”

If the person disagrees with the panel’s decision, the team at the SNDO will help the person put together further evidence and help them to lodge an appeal. The SNDO can also provide the person with a one-to-one meeting which, known as disability clinics or support meetings, where the SNDO can fully assess the person’s current situation. Often the team finds that individuals should be applying for a different allowance and they receive help to make the correct application.

When we talk about achievements, we need to begin with the mere fact that the Disability Office exists, because there has been a lot of hard work.

“When looking at 2024 alone, I must say how proud I am of the number of disability clinics and support meetings that my team have conducted through the year, subsequently helping hundreds of persons with disabilities that year alone,” Ms Victory said.

“This aspect of our work is sensitive and thus we do not make it known, but we support many families on their journey, and this is not an easy feat.”

“Having a disability is difficult enough. The team at the SNDO are here to support anyone who needs it.”

“The office was created to help families and that will always be central to everything that we do.”

Looking ahead to this year, Ms Victory shared her optimism for 2025.

“2025 is looking promising. Minister Santos has given me clear instructions with regards to what he wants prioritised and of course, work begins on the National Disability Strategy private sector strand,” she said.

“I am looking forward to consulting with persons with disabilities, their advocates, charities, professionals and organisations to gather their views and an understanding of what the community think about where we need to go next.”

“It is important to always listen to the lived experiences of others and use this to develop policy.”

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