People First is a self-advocacy organization operated by and for people with mental (intellectual) handicaps, with help from nonvoting non-disabled advisors. People First has been in existence for about a decade. Curtis describes "good" advisors as being:
People who have severe disabilities have lived under centuries of legalized dependency and ostracism. With every law that showed the liberalizing of society's commitment to disabled people has come the realization by disabled people that discrimination in the community didn't really end. This discrimination continued because oppressive changes were introduced to limit society's obligations and the few progressive changes that were introduced were never supported financially. It has become obvious that institutional prejudice shall not be overcome by good intentioned but uncoordinated and financially unsupported changes.
Changing Lanes... A guide to help when aging, illness or disability forces us into the Slow Lane.
Changing Lanes, by Michael Creurer offers valuable psycho-educational concepts combined with narratives about the author and his disabled peers. This information helps people cope with the myriad of emotional issues that are presented as people experience physical challenges which are presented as we age, experience illness or physical disability.
Josie was a wheelchair user spent 11 years inside
A short stay institution where she was banged up without trial
11 years the white coats met and talked and analyzed
Dispensed the drugs politely until one day Josie died
Not me said the social worker I was Josie's friend
She was our best customer I was with her till the end
Our boss said no resources were available at the time
And I'm just an employee can't put my job on the line
Not me said the director I can't be held to blame
It's the politicians who make decisions I'm just a pawn in their game I agree
Most strongly that Ms Evans was done wrong
But the council wanted cuts and I had to sing their song
The enjoyment of the rights and freedoms set forth in this Convention shall be secured without discrimination on any ground such as sex, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, association with a national minority, property, birth or other status. (Article 14) European Convention on Human Rights
The Committee of Ministers, under the terms of Article 15.b of the Statute of the Council of Europe,
Considering that the aim of the Council of Europe is to achieve a greater unity between its members for the purpose of safeguarding and realising the ideals and principles which are their common heritage and facilitating their economic and social progress, while respecting human rights and fundamental freedoms;
