Submitted by elsa on 4 February, 2007 - 11:11.
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The European League of Stuttering Associations (ELSA) is holding a Youth Meeting 15-21 July 2007 in the Netherlands for young people who stutter between 18 and 26 years old.
The Meeting will consist of workshops, lectures, presentation, social outings and many other activities. The title of the Youth Meeting is Stand Up, Speak Up - Promoting Human Rights And Disability Policy For Young People Who Stutter.
At the meeting the young people who stutter (pws) will be able to network with other European pws, learn about the work of the national associations, share fears, frustrations and triumphs, practice their speech techniques in a secure environment and engage in speaking experiences that they would otherwise shy away from. It is hoped that the meeting will inspire the delegates to participate in the work of their own association and importantly provide for personal development.
Summary
People who stutter represent 1% of the population. After the 2007 enlargement of the European Union, this amounts to over 7 million people affected by this little-known disability.
Not all young people who stutter regard themselves as disabled. However, they are often treated as such, routinely facing discrimination in many areas of life. They are socially excluded, left behind in the labour market and often held back in school or University due to widespread ignorance about the condition. Consequently, their basic human rights in the fields of society, education and employment are often breached.
The European League of Stuttering Associations (ELSA) believes that the education and encouragement of young people who stutter to "stand up, speak up" for their rights is the key to change. Encouraging young people who stutter to be involved in all levels of policy and decision-making, and contributing to the improvement and expansion of legislation will open the door to a tolerant and barrier-free Europe for them in the future.
Purpose
ELSA's short-term aspirations are to educate young people who stutter to make a positive change by ‘Standing Up' and ‘Speaking Up' for their human rights in society. It is intended to educate and inform delegates of the various rights and the disability policies available. ELSA's existing publication "International and European Disability Policy Relating to Stuttering - What you need to know and why" will be used. The medium and long term vision and aim is for the newly empowered young people to apply this knowledge in their own country, at levels that both they and their national stuttering associations feel comfortable with. The meeting will also be a "launch pad" towards stronger intercultural dialogue, networking, making new contacts, personally and through their national associations, and breaking down borders - another objective of ELSA.
Young people are the future of all voluntary organisations. Feedback from ELSA's member associations point to a low number of young people interested in being volunteers or Board Members. A further medium to long term strategy is to show young people that being an active member of a disability organisation can be a fulfilling, fun position, and enables them to be proactive in tackling issues such as being denied their rights.
