Vote for Speech and Language Therapy! 

*deadline for submissions extended to May 24th 2013*

Many of you have told us about upcoming events that are the perfect opportunity to gather suggestions. To accommodate this, the deadline for submitting your manifesto ideas is now May 24th 2013.

What’s it about?

The period in which party manifestos are developed is a crucial time to gather support for a cause. RCSLT is collecting your suggestions this spring, allowing the maximum amount of time for us promote the chosen ‘asks’ to politicians in the run up to the election.

Here’s how you can play your part:

• Read our briefing to learn what an effective manifesto call includes and how to get more involved in the campaign

• Submit your ideas online

Click here for the blank suggestion forms and here  for the ballot box label.

• In May 2013 RCSLT will collate and review your suggestions and select a shortlist of priority asks.

• In autumn 2013 RCSLT will equip you with briefings and resources so you can promote these priority asks locally, when you meet your local politicians.

RCSLT will be meeting political parties at a national level to promote the asks.

• In 2014 as the election approaches, RCSLT will report back to you which parties have adopted which asks, giving you the chance to vote for speech and language therapy in 2015!

As with many campaigns, the vote for speech and language therapy will take a long time to prepare for and a lot of effort for perhaps just one sentence to appear in one party manifesto! However, the next general election is set to be such a crucial moment in setting the future direction of austerity measures and public service reforms that we must take up the challenge.

 Elections in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are set to take place in 2016. RCSLT will use your suggestions to plan our influencing in the run up to elections to the devolved parliaments and assemblies. If you work in the devolved nations, please take time to send us your suggestion now.