WALK Self Advocacy Group

Article 8

Awareness Raising

Meaningful participation in society for people with disabilities is fully realised when they are in control of their own lives and choices. Their individual needs and perspectives are central, and they have the autonomy to make decisions. People with disabilities lead their own lives, determining their paths and shaping their futures according to their own preferences and rights. The United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) promotes, protects, and ensures the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all persons with disabilities, while also promoting respect for their inherent dignity. Others are to follow their lead, supporting and empowering them to live life on their terms.

The UNCRPD was adopted by the UN in 2006 and ratified by Ireland in March 2018. It is a global human rights treaty and framework to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and freedoms by people with disabilities.

WALK (Walkinstown Association for People with an Intellectual Disability) is an Irish charity whose work is underpinned by the UNCRPD. They support people with disabilities to access employment, training and community opportunities and to live self-determined lives. Their approach empowers people with disabilities to participate fully in an equal and inclusive society.

Speaking-Up! Co-Learning About Advocacy and Disability Rights

From September to December 2025, 40 second-year Social Care (TU996) students from Technological University Dublin’s School of Social Sciences, Law and Education took part in a community-based collaboration with WALK, supported by TU Dublin’s Sustainability Action Lab programme.

Led by academic staff Niall Hanlon and Margaret Fingleton, the initiative partnered with WALK and was represented by Kevin Barnes (Head of Practice Development), Vanessa Martin (Human Rights & Participation Practice Developer), and approximately 15 WALK service users.

Designed as a co-learning experience grounded in relational pedagogy, small groups of students and WALK participants worked together on self-advocacy projects. Each group identified a human rights issue of personal importance to the service user and developed an advocacy presentation centred on that issue.

Projects explored themes such as accessibility (including accessible menu design and Dublin Bus schedules), social inclusion, community mapping and strengthening community connection.

The work was informed by the principles of the UNCRPD and incorporated sustainability competencies from the EU GreenComp framework, linking disability rights with inclusive citizenship and long-term social sustainability.

Empowerment, Inclusion and Professional Growth

The collaboration delivered shared value for both communities. For Walk participants, they said it strengthened their self-advocacy skills, gave them opportunities to have personal concerns recognised and developed into public advocacy messages, allowed them to have meaningful engagement on a university campus and provided social interaction with peers of a similar age group.

Matthew, one of the WALK participants, said:

“I loved it. It was my second time working with the team and they were very kind and helped me. We also came up with a lot of good ideas together.”

For TU Dublin Students, the collaboration provided practical experience and a deeper understanding of disability rights and advocacy.

Niall Hanlon, Lecturer at the School of Social Sciences, Law and Education, said:

“This partnership is helping to bridge the gap between theory and practice in social justice education. Participants are learning to think critically, develop caring relations, identify empowering objectives, and implement creative solutions to challenging problems. Moreover, it is inspiring me as an educator to rethink the rigid mindset of higher education as an exclusive domain, accessible only to some citizens and communities.”

2024 WALK Self-Advocacy Conference Video

This video features highlights from the 2024 WALK Self-Advocacy Conference, where participants from our Self-Advocacy Programme presented their personal advocacy projects and spoke about the everyday barriers they face—framed within the rights outlined in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

Through engaging presentations, creative performances, and meaningful conversations with community leaders and policymakers, the conference aimed to amplify voices, raise awareness, and inspire action toward greater inclusion. The event also celebrated the vital role of our partner human rights organizations—including the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, Smashing Times, Inclusion Ireland, Independent Living Movement Ireland, All Wales People First, the National Women’s Council of Ireland, and Amnesty International—in advancing rights-based advocacy and building a more equal society.