Candidates in South Belfast and West Tyrone are attending the charities
election
An election is when people choose who should be in charge of something. This could be in charge of a group, an area, or the country. People choose by voting. The person with the most votes wins.
Café Conversations at the Mencap Centre in Belfast and at the Omagh
Community
A community is the people and places in an area.
House on Wednesday 22 February (Belfast) and Thursday 23 February (Omagh).
Café Conversations is like political speed dating as candidates will speak directly to people at tables for a limited time, to hear their concerns about issues affecting people with a
learning disability
A learning disability is to do with the way someone's brain works. It makes it harder for someone to learn, understand or do things.
and answer their questions, before moving on to the next table and the next group of people.
Margaret Kelly, Director of Mencap Northern Ireland said: “Café Conversations is speed dating for politicians and an informal way for families and people with a learning disability to speak directly to prospective MLA’s about issues that affect people with a learning disability, their families and carers. Mencap want to see people with a learning disability included and valued equally in Northern Ireland society. So this is not a normal hustings event where politicians argue with each other, people with a learning disability and their families will express their views and challenge candidates on what their parties plan to do for them.”
Candidates from all the major Northern Ireland parties are set to attend the two events. In South Belfast candidates attending include Paula Bradshaw (Alliance) Minister Máirtín Ó Muilleoir (Sinn Fein), Claire Hannah (SDLP), Christopher Stalford (DUP), Michael Henderson (UUP) and Ellen Murray (Green Party). In West Tyrone candidates attending are Michaela Boyle (Sinn Fein), Daniel McCrossan (SDLP), Roger Lomas (Conservative), Alicia Clarke (UUP), Thomas Buchanan (DUP), Barry McElduff (Sinn Fein) and Roisin McMackin (Independent).
John McKinney, a supporter of Mencap said: ''What matters to me as a parent and carer of boys with a learning disability, is that our returned MLAs for West Tyrone will, through working together, continue to support the implementation of the Bamford Review. This Review and Action Plan agreed by the Assembly is now 10 years old and only partially implemented. It is imperative that the actions, agreed in respect of local
respite
Respite is when a person goes somewhere for a few hours or days to have a break. People with a learning disability can have respite from their carers and family, and carers and family can have respite from the people they care for.
care places, and support for rural transport and independent living is included and agreed as part of the programme for government in the post-election negotiations in March''
Mencap campaigns to change society’s attitudes to learning disability and improve the quality of life of people with a learning disability and their families. The charity plans to achieve this by ensuring the views of people with a learning and their families are continually represented and heard in the next Assembly.
Mencap highlights four asks of all candidates in the Northern Ireland Election, to ‘Give children the best start in life’, to ‘Care for people with a learning disability at every stage of their lives’, to ‘Improve health outcomes for people with learning disabilities’ and to ‘Support friendships and
relationships
Relationships are about the people in your life. You might have different types of relationships like friendships, family relationships, or a boyfriend or girlfriend.
.’
John Paul McCusker, is a member of the Strule Buzz campaign group in Omagh and has a learning disability, he said: “I want politicians to do what they can to promote the
rights
Rights are the things everyone should be allowed to do like have a say, or go to school.
of people with a learning disability. I would like doctors educated more about health treatment relevant to people with a learning disability and be aware of the issues they might have, such as anxiety. Also it is very important that people with learning disability get equal opportunities and sometimes need relevant information broken down to make it easier to understand. “
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