To raise awareness on disability inclusion in education and industry, showcase policies, support systems and opportunities for youth with disabilities, the Buffalo City Metro, the University of Fort Hare, the South African Human Rights Commission and other stakeholders hosted the Youth Disability Inclusion Programme under the theme “Mainstreaming Youth with Disabilities: Opportunities, Challenges and Collaborative Solutions,” on Friday, May 16.
This two-part initiative also fostered a dialogue among professionals, policymakers, employers and youth with disabilities.
It kicked off with a panel discussion focusing on breaking barriers and creating pathways to inclusion for youth with disabilities at the University of Fort Hare’s East London Campus and concluded with a site visit to the Khayalethu Protective Workwear Centre at Beaconsfield Road in East London, a centre that supports people living with autism and intellectual disabilities.
Acting Youth Manager in the Buffalo City Metro, Salizwa Kotobe, said the dialogue speaks directly to the transformation the Metro envisions for its society.
“We have come together with the university and other stakeholders to focus on inclusion, particularly for marginalised people who lack economic opportunities. Our goal is to facilitate a meaningful discussion, share perspectives and contribute to policymaking and business practices that promote inclusivity.”
He said they are determined to challenge the stigma. “We cannot normalise a society that sidelines their brothers and sisters living with disabilities.”
The chairperson of the University of Fort Hare Students with Disabilities, Yomelelani Mabaso, told the Express that the university made a commendable stride towards being an inclusive institution with the acquisition of disability-friendly buses earlier this year.
“The university is trying to make lives of students living with disabilities easier. For example, we are now shuttled comfortably to events and accompanied to do our monthly groceries. Even in classes we are prioritised in terms of sitting arrangements, especially during exam time. We are assisted and seated based on our different types of disabilities, and if a student needs it, extra time provision is made through the Disability Unit,” said Mabaso.
However, Mabaso added that there are still societal inequalities and infringements that must be looked into.
“We still need to balance out the issue of the 3% of persons living with disabilities in the workforce; we are not there yet. Also, the age limit of 35 years in the workplace is too tight for us as some of us start schooling later due to different conditions of our disabilities,” he said.
