Assistive technology is not just about equipment or software, but is a matter of fundamental rights, according to those supported by St John of God Community Service who attended a Community Hub for Assistive Technology event to highlight how AT can change lives.
St. John of God Community Services (SJOGCS) teamed up with FreedomTech to organize yesterday’s edition [February 17] event called ‘AT in Action: From Rights to Reality’ at SJOG Hospitaller House in Stillorgan.
The national community of practice, sponsored by Sight and Sound Technologies and CREATE Fund, wanted to give people with disabilities an opportunity to share their AT stories and hear ideas that can encourage better understanding and acceptance of AT, as it can help improve the lives of people with disabilities, supporting them with communication, independence, decision-making, employment and relationships.
Patrick Fitzgerald, a paid DIGCoach supported by SJOGCS Liffey, said this is an important discussion in the run-up to International Social Justice Day on February 20.
“AT is not just about equipment or software, but as a matter of fundamental rights,” he said. “This event is about putting lived experiences at the center of the conversation. Assistive technology is often described in technical terms. We want to focus on what AT really means in people’s everyday lives: the difference between having a voice and being silenced, between participating and being left out,” Patrick said.
Sarah Boland, Assistive Technology Facilitator at SJOGCS explained that it is crucial that the voices of AT users are heard when Ireland makes decisions about what comes next in the sector.
“Too often, decisions about assistive technology are made without the voices of the people who use them. This event was about reversing that dynamic, by learning through experience directly from the experts,” she said.
Attendees heard from AT users and families, with a panel discussion, about how access to AT is a fundamental right, what barriers still exist and what needs to change to ensure fair and timely access to support.
The event was attended by AT users, family members and supporters, health and social care professionals, teachers and researchers, policy makers and advocates and community organisations.
There were interactive demonstration areas to also show AT in action, from communications and complementary and alternative aids, low vision support, regular accessibility features and smart home and environmental controls.
The AT Passport Initiative was also discussed, as was the DigiCoach project, which upskills and employs people with disabilities to support others with digital accessibility and AT. The project is sponsored by ReThink Ireland, CREATE and the National Clinical Program for People with Disability.
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