Barcelona Declaration Project Delivering the Barcelona Declaration Closing Conference April 2004

Barcelona Declaration Project Celebrating the Adoption ! Michal Ozmin & Cearbhall O’Meadhra Project Team.

Barcelona Declaration Project The Barcelona Declaration Project Facilitating local authorities in creating a more inclusive society This project is being delivered by the Institute for Design and Disability on behalf of the National Disability Authority.

Barcelona Declaration Project Background to the Barcelona Declaration Project In June 2001, the National Disability Authority (NDA) was asked by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform to issue a public call to tender for the Barcelona Declaration Project. The Institute for Design and Disability (IDD) successfully tendered for the contract.

Barcelona Declaration Project Budget: € 387,000.00

Barcelona Declaration Project terms of reference

Barcelona Declaration Project Raising awareness and promoting the Barcelona Declaration among all local authorities in Ireland with a view to the adoption of the Declaration and its implementation by local authorities...

Barcelona Declaration Project Securing adoption of the Declaration by at least 75% of local authorities by the end of 2003.

Barcelona Declaration Project Developing and delivering a programme to local authorities which will enable them to disability-proof their decision making processes and activities in accordance with the principles of the Barcelona Declaration...

Barcelona Declaration Project Issuing guidelines which facilitate local authorities in developing implementation plans for specific pilot actions and projects to give practical application to the Barcelona Declaration principles within the work of the local authority

Barcelona Declaration Project Members of the Project Team Project Leader Michal J. Ozmin and Disability proofing template Adoption of the DeclarationCearbhall O’Meadhra Patsy Treanor Seminars and Training ProgrammeKen Ewart Ken Tiernan Pilot Projects/ Actions Caitriona Shaffrey Administrative AssistantJudy Kelly Closing Conference coordinatorEvelyn Kavanagh

Barcelona Declaration Project The Project team’s mission is: to design a situation in which all members of the community, including people with disabilities, can actively participate in a process that will produce tangible evidence of a barrier free society achieved by the application of the principles of Design for All

Barcelona Declaration Project The Initial calendar of the Project

Barcelona Declaration Project 2001Preparation 2002 Plannig, delivering and monitoring the adoption campaign Project Launching Plannig and delivering Seminars and Production of Guidelines 2003 Target: December 75% Training Programme (Stage 1) Pilot projects and Actions Monitoring (Stage 2) 2004 ConferenceReport

Barcelona Declaration Project National Launch Dublin The Project was launched by An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, TD

Barcelona Declaration Project Regional launch programme

Barcelona Declaration Project Galway, , opened by Bob Molloy, TD, Minister for Housing Tralee, , opened by John O’Donoghue,TD, Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform Athlone, , opened by Michael Smith, TD, Minister for Defence Dungarvan, , opened by Martin Cullen,TD, Minister of State, Dept of Finance Dundalk, , opened by Dermot Ahern, TD, Minister of Health and Social Welfare Nenagh, , opened by Senator Donie Cassidy Castlebar, , opened by Beverly Cooper Flynn, TD, Cork City, , opened by Michael Martin, TD, Minister for Education

Barcelona Declaration Project Plenary Conference Dublin Castle, opened by the Mayor of Dublin with a key note by Michael McDowell,TD, Minister of Justice Equality and Law Reform.

Barcelona Declaration Project Project Evaluation and Conclusions November 2002

Barcelona Declaration Project There is a positive change in the culture and attitudes among decision makers at local authority level leading towards creating an inclusive society. Local authorities have the power and the capability to remove physical and attitudinal barriers that cause intimidation and exclusion. Do they have the will to do so?

Barcelona Declaration Project There is a communication gap between local authority representatives and people with disabilities and their advocates. The disability proof decision-making process must be developed. It will only work if the consultative process is in place in which the disabled people and their advocates would participate meaningfully and effectively.

Barcelona Declaration Project The adoption of the Declaration without implementation is meaningless and has no impact on people with disabilities. The Declaration and its implementation are peripheral to the main stream issues of local authority managers and directors of services.

Barcelona Declaration Project The position of the Barcelona Declaration must be analysed in relation to Equality legislation in Ireland. The 17 Agreements of the Declaration need to be condensed into essential objectives. The cost of implementation is not an issue.

Barcelona Declaration Project Formulation of a new approach November 2002

Barcelona Declaration Project Carry out the adoption campaign. Identify the Declaration with the framework of Equality legislation. Define the essence of the 17 Agreements. Produce a Disability Proof Decision- Making Template. Assist selected local authorities to develop models of good practice for the implementation of the Declaration (Pilot Actions). Provide Awareness and Communication Training for personnel and disabled people and their advocates from the selected authorities.

Barcelona Declaration Project The Revised calendar of the Project November 2003-May2004

Barcelona Declaration Project 2001Preparation 2002 Plannig, delivering and monitoring the adoption campaign Launching programme Evaluation of results, conclusions, Formulation of a new approach ff Selection of 2 LA- Pilot Actions 2003 December 75% Training and Seminar programme Design Template Disability Proofing Process Monitoring Actions Models of good practice Implementation Selection of 4 more LA-Pilot Actions Training and Seminar programme 2004April 81%ConferenceReport

Barcelona Declaration Project The Adoption of the Declaration

Barcelona Declaration Project In Europe the Declaration has been adopted by 432 local authorities, including Ireland (April 2004). In Ireland the Declaration has been adopted by 93 local authorities (out of 114) and there is still more to come. At 82% this is the highest rate of adoption of the Declaration in Europe.

Barcelona Declaration Project The pattern of adoption of the Declaration by Irish local authorities was as follows: 1995 to December In November In January In November In April

Barcelona Declaration Project The full list of local authorities,which adopted the Barcelona Declaration is in the folder

Barcelona Declaration Project Is the adoption of the Declaration the right gateway for local authorities to address disability issues as part of Equality Agenda? Yes

Barcelona Declaration Project The framework The Project’s first breakthrough

Barcelona Declaration Project Disability is one of nine grounds of the Equality Agenda. The Barcelona Declaration therefore must be seen within the Equality framework of Irish (and European) legislation. Local authorities can fulfill their statutory obligation by implementing Agreements II, III, VI, VII and X of the Barcelona Declaration.

Barcelona Declaration Project The initial assumption that the Barcelona Declaration stands in its own right as an inspirational manifesto was incorrect. Equally, the initial assumption that the adoption of the Declaration does not obligate local authorities to take actions was also incorrect.

Barcelona Declaration Project Key legislation in Ireland Employment Equality Act 1998 Equal Status Act 2000 Local Government Act 2000 Part M of Building Regulations 2000 Equality Bill 2004 Disability Bill (in the process) 2004

Barcelona Declaration Project Key national plans National Action Plan against Poverty and Social Exclusion 2001/2003 Employment Action Plan 2002 Sustaining Progress 2003

Barcelona Declaration Project What is the Barcelona Declaration(1995)? The Barcelona Declaration is a gateway that facilitates local authorities in tackling one of the grounds of the Equality Agenda- Disability

Barcelona Declaration Project The fundamental principle of the Declaration: “Every person has a value and the right to be treated with dignity” This is an Equality issue

Barcelona Declaration Project The essence of the 17 Agreements in the 6 Objectives The project’s second break through Adopting the Declaration obliges local authorities to:

Barcelona Declaration Project 1. Promotion Promote disability awareness and ensure the right of people with disabilities to be different and their right to receive personal attention

Barcelona Declaration Project 2. Adopt Policies and Measures Develop the disability proof decision-making process including impact assessment and monitoring procedures for policies, actions and projects

Barcelona Declaration Project 3. Develop the Consultative Process Incorporate participative and consultative procedures into the disability proofing process

Barcelona Declaration Project 4. Achieve Inclusion and Accessibility Provide disable people with access to social and physical environments as well as services

Barcelona Declaration Project 5. Make adjustment Develop policies for adapting the environment to the needs of people with disabilities

Barcelona Declaration Project 6. Training Provide training programmes dealing with disability proof decisin-making process

Barcelona Declaration Project So? For the local authority, what’s the difference before and after the adoption ? The Consultative Process makes all the difference – this is the first and most important step towards inclusion

Barcelona Declaration Project The Implementation Structure

Barcelona Declaration Project There are clear procedures for adopting the Declaration however There is no clear structure to implement the Declaration

Barcelona Declaration Project In most of the cases it has been the Community and Enterprise Service which provided structure and plans for implementation of the Declaration thus So far two structural models are being developed for implementation of the Barcelona Declaration Action Plan (Kerry Local Authorities and Waterford City Council)

Barcelona Declaration Project The Disability Proofing Process

Barcelona Declaration Project Who are the players in the process? On the policy and executive level: Members of Local Authority, Strategic Planning Committee, County/City Managers and Directors of Services. On the operational and supervisory level: Professional and Administrative staff including Access, Social Inclusion, Community and Enterprise Officers, On the consultative level: Disabled People and their Advocates

Barcelona Declaration Project What model of disability has been adopted? At the heart of the Barcelona Declaration is the social model of disability, which places a person's impairment in the context of the social and environmental factors, that create disabling barriers preventing people from functioning and participating in society.

Barcelona Declaration Project This is not about ‘compensating’ people with impairments for what is ‘wrong’ with their bodies or learning capabilities, then targeting special ‘benefits’ at them and providing segregated services for them. This is about inclusion

Barcelona Declaration Project What are basic components of the Proofing Process?

Barcelona Declaration Project Awareness Raising – ‘putting the house in order' The major aim is to: Develop a proper attitudinal framework for disability proofing decision-making processes at all levels.

Barcelona Declaration Project Audit – “the base for Impact Assessment” The major aims are to: Identify the extent to which disability issues are dealt and have been dealt with in past policies, actions and projects Identify specific local needs and requirements Initiate the consultative process

Barcelona Declaration Project Consultative Process – “the Key Element for Effective Proofing” The major aims are to: Define the level(s) and methods of participation of disabled people in the decision-making process. Identify, jointly, the expectations and essential objectives that, if not satisfied, invalidate a policy, action or project. Agree implementation methods.

Barcelona Declaration Project Impact Assessment- “it makes the difference to the local community” The aims are to: Evaluate the qualitative and quantitative consequences of decisions to be made. Monitor the effectiveness of disability proofing decision-making process as a whole.

Barcelona Declaration Project The Impact Assessment has 7steps : 1. Screening 2. Scoping 3. Impact Apraisal 4. Decision making 5. Statement of influence 6. Implementation 7. Monitoring and Evaluation

Barcelona Declaration Project Project Conclusions April 2004

Barcelona Declaration Project The success of the Barcelona Project must be seen as the success of an Irish Government initiative leading towards the creation of an inclusive society. In this context the Barcelona Declaration has proven to be the right tool to focus on Disability issues and to address them directly at local community level.

Barcelona Declaration Project European initiatives such as the Barcelona Declaration, should be conceived in operational terms as well as inspirational terms to fully benefit society. The “What” is as important as the “How”. The Barcelona Project in Ireland constitutes the “How”

Barcelona Declaration Project The positive impact of the Barcelona Declaration in Ireland is due to consolidated approach involving the National Disability Authority, County/City Development Boards, Local Authorities, Institute for Design and Disability (whose team has delivered the Project), people with disabilities and their advocates.

Barcelona Declaration Project The Project reached its objectives as stated in the Terms of Reference: – promoted the Barcelona Declaration and identified it with the Equality legislation in Ireland, – exceeded the required 75% of adoptions, – achieved 82%, the highest rate of adoption in Europe, – developed Disability proof decision- making process,

Barcelona Declaration Project – produced Disability Proofing Template, – condensed the 17 Agreements into 6 readily recognisable essential objectives, – identified the Consultative process as the most important element of the Declaration. – ensured that ownership of models of good practice is identified with the local authority personnel who developed them.

Barcelona Declaration Project The Terms of reference of the Project focused on local authorities. The Project Team concentrated on delivering a programme, which enabled local authorities to disability-proof their decision-making process. There is a need to develop a corresponding programme for disabled people in order to make the consultative process more effective and meaningful.

Barcelona Declaration Project To date, most local authorities are at the transition stage between the act of adoption and the act of planning the implementation. Learning from the European experience, “follow-up” support is required to ensure the sustainability of the implementation and to disseminate models of good practice.

Barcelona Declaration Project The Disability proofing process has only just been introduced. The Impact Assessment has not been fully tested. The local authorities, which lead the implementation and those at the transition stage would benefit from having their work proactively monitored after the completion of this Project.

Barcelona Declaration Project “Ireland took the Declaration as a national policy and gained from it. Ireland is now heading the European Union’s Council of Ministers…who better to build on the Barcelona Declaration in a new ‘Celtic Strategy’ for a fairer, better Europe?” (Pete Kercher, President, European Institute for Design and Disability)

Barcelona Declaration Project Thank you We hope that you have found this presentation informative. Any Questions?

Barcelona Declaration Project Barcelona Declaration Project April 2004

Irish Perspectives - The Barcelona Declaration An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern TD April 2004

Barcelona Declaration Project Delivering the Barcelona Declaration Closing Conference April 2004