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Cumhacht Vol 1, Number 4. Spring 2003

Youth - Beyond Disability

Huge Turnout at PwDI Seminars

Over 1,000 people attended the recent PwDI seminars on the theme "Youth - Beyond Disability". The Seminars drew delegates from a wide spectrum of people with all disabilities and supporting agencies.

Each seminar consisted of a Guest Speaker, four young speakers and a series of Workshops. The Workshops closed with a final feedback session. All sessions were recorded and a major report is currently being drafted for submission to the Government as part of PwDI's contribution to the European Year of People with disabilities. The report will be published and copies will be sent to all networks and participants. A summary of the report will be published in the next issue of Cumhacht.

The Seminars will form the basis for a major National Conference in Dublin Castle on Friday October 10th this year which President Mary McAleese has been invited to open. The Conference will be addressed by a number of key national and international speakers.

The Regional Seminars were held at the Landmark Hotel, Carrick-On-Shannon (October 31), the Ormonde Hotel, Kilkenny (November 6th) the Nuremore Hotel, Carrickmacross (November 13th) and the Rochestown Park Hotel, Cork (November 19th).

The Guest Speakers were Enda Kenny TD, Leader of Fine Gael (Carrick-on-Shannon), Garda Colm Cullen (Kilkenny), Mary Davis, Chief Executive of the 2003 Olympic World Summer Games (Carrickmacross) and Mary Grogan, Offaly Centre for Independent Living (Cork).

Each Seminar also heard a presentation from a representative from the National Children's Office.

A highlight of the Seminars was the very interesting and descriptive accounts of living with a disability outlined by the young speakers.

The speakers included Una Lawlor, Niamh Hyland, Arun Asan, Julianne Gillen and Kevin Harrison (Carrick-on-Shannon); Anna Shinnors, Lyndsey Purcell and Alan Duffy (Kilkenny); Jane McDermott, Mark McCaffrey, Mark Fitzsimmons and Sean Muldoon (Carrickmacross) and Susan O'Callaghan, Mary Nugent, George Dineen, Brian Aylward and Nicky Fitzgibbon (Cork).

PwDI Chief Executive Michael Ringrose said he wished to pay tribute to the many people who helped make the events such a success. These included the Workshop facilitators, rapporteurs, carers and many others who gave so freely of their time.

"The Seminars drew many more delegates than we had anticipated and proved very worthwhile in helping to outline a vision for the future needs and aspirations of our young people with disabilities" he said.

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