Stay Up All Night

Everyone likes to going out with friends but imagine not been able to do this.

That is the stark realty for people with learning disabilities in the UK today , as support workers are leaving from events by 8.30pm.

I first encountered this when I was invited along to a night club night in Glasgow called Late,  the first fully inclusive club night in Scotland .

This night was run by Dates-n-Mates , a dating and friendship agency for people with a learning disability.

It was so good to see so many people turn up, however by 8.30pm, those who came with support staff were going home , I didn't think anything of it.

I noticed it more when I went back a few months later and it happened again , so i did some work on this.

Someone told me of a campaign called Stay Up Late, a charity that enables adults with a learning disability and autistic people to lead a active social lives , to make decisions about how they want to live their life.

I don't know about you , but I wouldn’t want to be told when to go home , or go to bed.

Usually people with support get taken away early as support workers’ shift changes, that is why people get put to bed early, and get up in the morning early, but this has to stop.

That is the reason for this campaign, to affect change in Scotland, it was time for people to think differently.

I got in touch with a few organisations who all support the same values as myself, we formed a committee , of people with lived experience , that is so important for organisations.

We held a few gigs, when we went in to lockdown we moved to host online, finally everyone could stay up late , as all were in their homes , we still had people on the call at 1.30am or later.

However if that was in person no one would been left, in an ideal world we shouldn't have this campaign ,but until we see change we have to fight for people’s rights.

At the end of last year we became a charity, we are planning more gigs to raise awareness of this issue.

It’s a basic human right for people to stay up late , and have the right to party.

If you would like more information on the campaign ,or how you can get involved please email stayuplatescotland@gmail.com