The vast majority of us will be affected by disability at some point of our lives. Directly through personal experience or indirectly through our families, friends and families.

So if someone asks you if you are disabled, and assuming you are not, the most honest answer you can give is “not yet”.

Those were the words of Bert Massie chair of the Disability Rights Commission on Monday at the launch of there Are we taking the Dis campaign (www.drc.org.uk/disabilitydebate/news/adcampaign/) and their written agenda for social justice entitled Changing Britain for good- Putting disability at the heart of public policy www.drc.org.uk/disabilitydebate.

For me they resonated and reinforced to me why the NUS SWD Campaign is in existence. We have still got so far to go to achieve equality and social justice for disabled people and disabled students in this country and whilst over the last 10 years we have come so far we still have got such a long way to go. In his speech Bert Massie used the example of Anthony Ford Shubrook. He is a wheelchair user who at 16 almost didn’t get into his college of choice to do an IT course because the college refused to make the classroom accessible. Surely every student has the right to continue their education and I wish that Anthony was in the minority but I know that he is not. Students throughout the UK in both FE & HE are still facing discrimination and barriers to their education. Every week I get phone calls off students who are facing discrimination and do not know what to do.

Disabled people have low expectations already- they are so used to being told no. Barriers that still do exist only continue to keep disabled students aspirations low. This has to change and as students we must be at the forefront of brining about their change- as both non-disabled and disabled students. You see education is the key. If you think about in FE & HE at this moment we have the future leaders of our country, of social policy, the voluntary sector and of businesses. If we stand up and say that as students we do not accept discrimination, that we do not accept the status quo and that we do not accept society as it stands then surely the future holds a time when we can achieve equality and social justice?

Now back to those words of Bert Massie- Are you disabled? Not yet!! Yes we all have the possibility of being disabled. I wasn’t born disabled- I actually didn’t become a ‘disabled student’ until the age of 17 and even then it wasn't until 21 that i actually defined. This is so true for many people who now self define as disabled and come along to NUS conferences, events, lobbies etc. Some of us are born disabled but some, like myself, become disabled at some other point of our lives. The thing is we all have potential to become disabled and many of us will. Becoming older is so linked to disability- developing things like arthritis, losing sight & hearing and other such things. One day you could be non-disabled and then something happens and suddenly you are disabled. It could happen to you.

So as it stands many of us will be discriminated against, will need support and actually when many disabled students are campaigning for social justice & equality for disabled students they are not just campaigning for themselves. That to me was so clear on Monday and give me more energy for the campaign and its importance. We are not just campaigning for us, the students who already self define but also for everyone because we ALL could be disabled at some point so surely we must all come together to demand equality.

This year is also an important one- with the introduction of the disability discrimination act part 5 (to find out more go here www.officeronline.co.uk/campaignsupport/swd/271712.aspx) or come along to a FREE NUS/SKILL/DRC event on Feb 17th. Also in September 2006 we see the introduction of top fees and I have to say that I do wonder how this will impact upon disabled students- I mean paying £3k every year for our education when we do not have the same life chances as our non-disabled peers and have a higher unemployment rate and still risk not getting jobs just because we are disabled!! It will have an impact- of course it will and considering disabled people have low expectations and the thought of being in debt and never being able to get out of it will certainly deter many disabled students from education.

Also in Further Education Adult Learning Grants are being cut- big deal? Of course it is because for some disabled adults the denial of access to education will again be another barrier and just reinforce the cycle of low expectation. For some disabled adults these courses are a way back to initiating themselves in society but also acquiring skills and confidence to actually break their cycle of low expectation. That is their right and now that right is being denied.

Sorry this was such a huge blog- I mean its not like I blog lots anyhow :) - but Monday really inspired me and I wanted to get some of my thoughts out there. Do get involved with the DRC Campaign, do get out their campaign, join the fight for equality and social justice for disabled people. We can have ‘a society that accepts that it is not our differences that makes us unequal but our failure to acknowledge and accepts them.’

Also just to let you know that the close of registrations for NUS SWD Conference in Blackpool which is happening on February 20 & 21st is this Friday. Every college or university who has a students' union who is affiliated to NUS can send a delegate to this conference for free. The conference should be great with stalls from people like Disability Now, GMB, guest speakers from the DRC, Skill doing workshops and Steve Day and Mat Fraser www.matfraser.com speaking in the evening. The event is free for one delegate who self defines as having a disability. Motions that are being discussed include social model of disability, DSAs in FE, Disability Pride, Pro-Choice and assisted dying etc. It should be a great conference and it would be awesome to get as many students with disabilities to come together as possible to discuss their education etc. If people know of students who they think would be interested in going to the conference get them to get in touch with their Students' union ASAP to register or get them to get in touch with me. Anything you'd like to know please do get in touch.

Here is more information about the conference and motions that will be discussed etc: www.officeronline.co.uk/events/nationalevents/271457.aspx

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