ecdp email bulletin 37 - June 2012
25
Page 1 of 25 Monthly Bulletin 37 June 2012: Monthly Update 37 This update includes articles on the following topics: ecdp news 1. Could you be a Trustee/Director at ecdp? 2. ecdp’s disability hate crime report used as a case study in a report on improving victim support local news 3. Time to Change: East of England networking event 4. The Mental Way Blog 5. Disability Sports Day June 2012 Dear Members, Welcome to the June edition of the ecdp monthly email bulletin. At ecdp we’re starting to get very excited about the Paralympics and are working on a special Paralympic edition of the ecdp magazine to celebrate. If you have any information about disability sports in Essex or are a disabled athlete who would like to share your story please contact Faye at ecdp: [email protected]. We are also looking for talented disabled people to join ecdp’s Board. Our Board of Trustees are all disabled people and have a variety of lived experience and skills. If you would like to help shape the strategic direction of the organisation, please see page 3 for more details or contact Margaret by email:
description
Transcript of ecdp email bulletin 37 - June 2012
Page 1 of 17
Monthly Bulletin 37
June 2012: Monthly Update 37
This update includes articles on the following topics:
ecdp news
1. Could you be a Trustee/Director at ecdp?
2. ecdp’s disability hate crime report used as a case study in a report on improving victim support
local news
3. Time to Change: East of England networking event
4. The Mental Way Blog5. Disability Sports Day 6. Step up and join Miles
for Macmillan7. Zinc Arts ‘Launch Pad’
national news
June 2012
Dear Members,
Welcome to the June edition of the ecdp monthly email bulletin. At ecdp we’re starting to get very excited about the Paralympics and are working on a special Paralympic edition of the ecdp magazine to celebrate. If you have any information about disability sports in Essex or are a disabled athlete who would like to share your story please contact Faye at ecdp: [email protected].
We are also looking for talented disabled people to join ecdp’s Board. Our Board of Trustees are all disabled people and have a variety of lived experience and skills. If you would like to help shape the strategic direction of the organisation, please see page 3 for more details or contact Margaret by email: [email protected] or phone 07546 597044.
This month, we have another opportunity for you to get involved and share your views. ecdp is delighted to be working with Skills for Care to support disabled people in Essex and beyond who employ their own staff to access Skills for Care’s useful and time-saving resources. There are lots of ways you can get involved in this work, which you can read about on pages 5 and 6. These include a focus group
June 2012: Monthly Update 37
Page 2 of 17
Monthly Bulletin 37 – June 2012
8. Over £500k of Government Funding awarded to Disabled People’s User-Led Organisations
9. 100 days to go until the Paralympic Games
10. A perfect partnership: supporting disabled workers
11. Fulfilling Potential: what happens next?
taking place at 2pm on Friday 15 June 2012 (plus two more to save the date for) and an online survey about your views of the PA Toolkit.
Best wishes,
Rich WattsDirector of Policy & Development
We welcome member contributions to the bulletin, our website and the ecdp magazine. If you would like to write something, or comment on any of the articles in this edition of the bulletin, please get in touch with us using the details below.
If you have missed a previous email bulletin, they are all available on our website: ecdp monthly email bulletin.
Telephone: 01245 392 300Email: [email protected]: Ivan Peck House, 1 Russell Way,Chelmsford, Essex CM1 3AA
Page 3 of 17
Could you be a Trustee/Director at ecdp?
Could you help set the strategic direction at ecdp – a leading Disabled People’s User Led Organisation (DPULO) – which serves, and represents, the interests of disabled people in Essex and beyond?
We are a charity and company limited by guarantee and are looking for people to join our existing Board of Trustees/Directors. We need people who:
have a self-declared impairment, as recognised under equality law (this includes long-term health conditions such as diabetes, HIV etc)
live, work or study in the geographical county of Essex; have experience of working at a strategic level; and can commit to around 10 days a year to prepare for, and attend,
Board and/or committee meetings
In return Trustees/Directors will directly contribute to making ecdp’s vision of enhancing the everyday lives of disabled people a reality. They also have the opportunity to meet many policy formers in Essex and influence central government.
We would welcome expressions of interest from those with experience in any field, but would particularly like to hear from those with a background in financial management, policy, law or marketing.To find out more, please contact the Companies and Charity Secretary, Margaret Watchorn ([email protected] ) or telephone 07546 597044.
June 2012: Monthly Update 37
ecdp news
June 2012: Monthly Update 37
Page 4 of 17
ecdp's disability hate crime report used as a case study in a report on improving victim support
“Victims’ services advocates: Helping to shine a light on victims’ issues”
In 2011, Victim Support launched a new project with Louise Casey (former Commissioner for victims and witnesses) to find out more about the issues affecting local victims and witnesses of crime. They recruited a national network of victims’ services advocates (VSAs) to research and report on local victim and witness issues.
The VSA team talked to victims and witnesses about their experience of crime and identified what services are available across England and Wales.
Their findings have come together in a series of local reports that raise awareness of important issues affecting victims and witnesses. These reports will also help the new police and crime commissioners as each police force have victim and witness issues on their agenda.
Through a series of focus groups and interviews VSA spoke to victims and witnesses about their experiences locally including:how they were treated by the police and criminal justice systemif they found suitable support services to help them through this difficult time in their life whether or not they reported the crime, and if not, why.
On the Victim Support website you can download the reports for all areas, including Essex.
The report from the team who worked in Essex is also available on the ecdp website. You will see that ecdp’s work on disability hate crime has been quoted as a case study (page 25).
ecdp news
June 2012: Monthly Update 37
Page 5 of 17
ecdp – Working with Skills for Care to support you as an employer ecdp is delighted to be working with Skills for Care to support disabled people in Essex and beyond who employ their own staff to access Skills for Care’s useful and time-saving resources.
Skills for Care wants to ensure the people who work for disabled and older people in providing care – often paid for by Direct Payments or Personal Budgets – have the right skills and qualifications to do so.
We know Direct Payments can be a very beneficial way of arranging your social care. But we also understand that it can sometimes take time to get the right information to feel fully in control. This is why ecdp is working with Skills for Care to ensure their useful information is made as available as possible to you. There are lots of ways you can get involved in this work.
Focus groups
We will be holding a series of focus groups on different areas of Skills for Care’s work over the next few months.
The first focus group will be to review their Personal Assistant Toolkit, which is designed to help people employ their own personal assistants. Skills for Care are about to update their PA Toolkit and would like to know your views about it, including any suggestions you may have on its content and format.
The focus group will take place at 2pm on Friday 15 June 2012 at ecdp’s office in Chelmsford.
We can pay for people’s travel to and from the focus group and can also pay £15 for your time. If you’re interested in attending this focus group please contact Faye Savage on [email protected] or 01245 214023.
ecdp news
June 2012: Monthly Update 37
Page 6 of 17
We will also be holding two other focus groups as follows, so hold the dates in your diary!
Apprenticeship Resources: 1pm on Tuesday 14 August 2012
Build Your Qualification Card Kit: 1pm on Tuesday 4 September 2012
Survey
We also currently have a survey open about the Skills for Care PA Toolkit. You can let us know your views by filling out this online survey.
More information
We hope you will consider getting involved in the different types of work outlined above.
If you have any questions about any of the above, please don’t hesitate to contact Richard Watts via email on [email protected].
ecdp news
Page 7 of 17
Time to Change: East of England networking event
Have you experience of Mental Health problems and the discrimination associated with it?
Time to Change are running an event on Monday 11 June from 1.30-4.30 pm to get people together to try and change this.
At the event you can:
Learn more about Time to Change Get involved – become a Time to Change Champion Make links and plan your own networking events Find out about training opportunities Build support through networking activities
The event is taking place at King’s Centre, King Street, Norwich, NR1 1PH
Book your place by contacting Sarah by email: [email protected], stating any access details, or call Sarah (East of England Regional Coordinator) on 07949083899.
Some financial support is available for travel expenses on production of receipts/car mileage and light refreshments will also be available. Please note places are limited at this event so book early to avoid disappointment.
June 2012: Monthly Update 37
local news
June 2012: Monthly Update 37
Page 8 of 17
The Mental Way Blog
Laura Brook – the pen name of a real mental health patient in Essex – has launched a blog on the NEPFT website. The aim of the blog is to get people talking about mental health so people can really understand what using mental health services is really like.
Laura has experienced severe issues for many years and has agreed to blog monthly on her treatments, her views about it and to comment on topics that take her fancy. People can comment or join in. To read the blog and post your comments, please visit the NEPFT website.
Andrew Geldard, Chief Executive of NEPFT said:
This is a brave move by Laura but I am completely in favour of it. The pen name reminds us of the dangers of stigma and discrimination - especially as Laura has a job - but there is also a stigma around treatments, which in fact are very effective. Real experiences will help public understanding of what really happens here. Well done Laura.
If you are interested in writing a blog, please contact Mike Waddington: [email protected]
local news
June 2012: Monthly Update 37
Page 9 of 17
Disability Sports Day
Riverside Ice and Leisure aims to meet the needs of the local community by providing access for all to a wide range of its facilities and services. To promote these services, Riverside – with support from the Sports Development Unit – host an annual Disability Sports Day.
The next Disability Sports Day will take place on Sunday 17 June 2012 from 1pm to 5pm, at Riverside Ice and Leisure Centre in Chelmsford.
Watch the website for more updates on the Riverside website or call Neil Potter on 01245 615069. You can follow Riverside on Twitter: @riversideLC.
Volunteering Opportunities
Year on year the Disability Sports Day has been largely supported by volunteers from various backgrounds. If you would like to volunteer your time to help out on the day, there are a number of roles including: Meet and Greet, Chaperones, Registration/information Point, and Sports helpers.
To find out more please contact Neil Potter using the details above.
local news
June 2012: Monthly Update 37
Page 10 of 17
Step up and join Miles for Macmillan
Explore the countryside and take in the beautiful views on Macmillan’s three or ten mile walk on Sunday 1 July from the Discovery Centre, Great Notley Country Park, Braintree.
If you are interested in supporting Macmillan but do not want to walk, volunteers are also needed to help with registrations, marshal the route, hand out water and help with car parking.
For more information about the above walks, please contact Macmillan’s Fundraising Support Centre on 0300 1000 200 or email [email protected]
local news
June 2012: Monthly Update 37
Page 11 of 17
Zinc Arts 'Launch Pad' Summer Programme
Zinc… gives… some independence and opportunity to mix with new people and access new activities and pursue interests –Parent of participant
As part of the BBC Children in Need’s ‘Fun and Friendship’ programme, Zinc is running ‘Launch Pad’, a unique series of activities for young people aged 12 - 18 years of age who are Deaf or have a physical, visual or hearing impairment.
Between June and August they are launching the Summer Programme which will feature a host of activities, including creative arts workshops, residential weekends away, and even a group trip of the participants’ choice!
To get a better idea about what this programme can do for young people, check out this article on the BBC Children in Need’s website about two of our Launch Pad participants, Symran and Benjamin. BBC Children in Need - Zinc Arts.
If you know of any young person that may benefit from this creative programme or for more information contact Alice Williams on [email protected] or call 01277 365626. Transportation, personal care and communication support can be arranged if required.
A timetable of activities for the Summer Programme is available to download from the ecdp website: Launch Pad Summer Programme
For more information on Zinc, visit their website: www.zincarts.org.uk, or follow ‘Zinc Arts’ on: Twitter, Facebook or Flickr.
local news
Page 12 of 17
Over £500k of Government Funding awarded to Disabled People's User-Led Organisations
£509,124 has been awarded to Disabled People’s User Led Organisations since the Strengthening DPULO Programme was launched in July 2011, it has been announced today by the Minister for Disabled People, Maria Miller MP.
These User Led Organisations run by and for disabled people, often provide support and services alongside those provided by the public sector. Drawing on their own first hand experiences of a disability, they have clear ideas about what works and what doesn’t.
61 applications for funding have been received from DPULOs across England, 41 of which have been successful. As well as offering financial support, the Strengthening DPULOs Programme’s provides DPULOs with support and advice on how to strengthen and make their organisations more sustainable through its Ambassadors.
Some examples of how the Strengthening DPULO programme is strengthening and building DPULOs, as well as making a difference to the lives of disabled people in the local community are available on the ecdp website.
Minister for Disabled People, Maria Miller MP, said:
I am delighted the Strengthening DPULO programme is successfully promoting the growth and improving sustainability of Disabled People’s User-Led Organisations, as well as making practical real improvements to the lives of disabled people and their communities.
Whilst it is good the Facilitation Fund has awarded £509,124, a large amount of the £3 million funding remains, so I would encourage DPULOs to apply: In particular bids would be welcomed from the Midlands, and East of England.
June 2012: Monthly Update 37
national news
June 2012: Monthly Update 37
Page 13 of 17
100 days to go until the Paralympic Games
Last month we celebrated just 100 days to go to the London Paralympic Games. To mark the occasion, the British Paralympic Association (BPA) launched a new five year plan to ensure the Paralympic games continue having a positive impact on the lives of disabled people after they have taken place. Their plan sets out a new vision that highlights the power of sport to inspire change in people’s lives.
The plan outlines how it will harness the momentum from a home Games to drive and support progress across Paralympic sport to Sochi 2014, Rio 2016 and beyond.
Called ‘Maximising Momentum’, the plan also states what impact the BPA thinks London can have on disability sport more widely, what outcomes should be targeted as a result, and what role the BPA should play with partners in assisting their deliver.
It follows six months of detailed consultation with the membership of the BPA, other stakeholders and sponsors of the Paralympic Games.
On ecdp’s website you can find quotes from various people involved in putting the plan together, including Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, BPA Patron and one of our most successful ever Paralympians,.
The BPA Strategic Plan for 2012-2017 is available to download on the BPA website.
Please feel free to share your thoughts on this strategy with ecdp by commenting below, writing on our Facebook page or tweeting us, @ecdp.
national news
June 2012: Monthly Update 37
Page 14 of 17
A perfect partnership: supporting disabled workers
A new report from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has found that disabled people continue to be put at a disadvantage in the workplace. They are not realising their full potential as they are not getting the support they need at work. The report, “A Perfect Partnership,” says that closing the employment gap between disabled workers and non disabled workers can increase the performance of staff across the board.
It found that disabled people do not want to be singled out for special treatment. They are looking for company-wide solutions that support all workers – not just those with a disability – to do their jobs effectively. However, the review shows that employers are sometimes confused by what exactly disability means. They are unsure of who is disabled and what support disabled workers might need. The Commission recommends that the employer and disabled worker collaborating together best resolves these issues.
One of the barriers disabled people say they face is their own reluctance to reveal their disability. People with mental health conditions told the Commission that work was their best rehabilitation route. Yet they did not feel comfortable in discussing any changes in their working day that might benefit them and their employer.
There are wider benefits as the UK economy also gains from a reduced reliance on State benefits when disabled people are in work. More than one in five adults is disabled, yet only half are likely to be in work, compared to four fifths of non disabled adults. One disabled person in six loses their job in the first year after acquiring a disability, more than doubling two years later.
The full report and other recommendations arising from the it are and available on the EHRC website: EHRC - the perfect partnership.
national news
June 2012: Monthly Update 37
Page 15 of 17
Youth Select Committee Inquiry: Call for evidence
A Youth Select Committee has been established by the British Youth Council ‘to inquire into issues and concerns around safe, affordable and accessible transport for young people and make recommendations to decision makers to address them.’
Some of ecdp’s young members might be interested in sharing their views on the problems they face using public transport. During our Fulfilling Potential work with members to inform the Government’s new disability strategy we were told about various transport barriers which prevent young disabled people from living as independently as they would like to.
The Youth Select Committee is inviting written evidence about various issues – including accessibility for disabled people – all of which are listed on ecdp’s website.
How to submit evidence
Written submissions are due by 4 June 2012. Individuals and organisations can submit evidence to the Youth Select Committee by emailing: [email protected]
The Committee intends to hold oral evidence sessions on 6 and 13 July.
For more information, please see the Youth Parliament website.
national news
June 2012: Monthly Update 37
Page 16 of 17
Fulfilling Potential: what happens next?
The Government has released an update on the Fulfilling Potential discussion our members and thousands of other disabled people across the country contributed to at the start of this year. The experiences disabled people shared will inform the new disability strategy.
The update below is taken from the Office for Disability Issues (ODI) website:
There will be three phases of further work - so we can continue co-production of this important strategy. This will address the issues raised in the Fulfilling Potential discussions and in our recent work with stakeholders. We also want to ensure there is ongoing work on practical measures which will make a real difference to the lives of disabled people.
Phase 1: we aim to complete our current work with disabled people and disabled people's organisations in June 2012, so that we can then agree two documents with government colleagues in July 2012. These will be (provisional titles):
Fulfilling Potential – Next Steps, setting out the strategic narrative, priority areas for further action, specific next steps, and how we would co-produce further plans. This will set out the vision for ensuring disabled people have better opportunities to realise their aspirations, with more choice and control over their lives and an approach to changing attitudes and behaviours in society. It will outline a new partnership approach which aims to build the capability of communities, and explore new ways to put power in the hands of individuals.
There will be a focus on how we can strengthen the role of disabled people's user led organisations and other community groups. It will draw on the extensive discussions with disabled people and disabled peoples' organisations, and address the key issues raised including how to improve key life transitions, improving information
national news
June 2012: Monthly Update 37
Page 17 of 17
and advice, new approaches to early intervention, and improving the accessibility of the environment and services.
Fulfilling Potential – the discussions so far, which will include a summary of responses to Fulfilling Potential and set out current and planned actions across government.
These documents will then be published in September 2012, to allow time for preparation of a range of accessible formats. This will be complemented by publishing the full set of Fulfilling Potential discussion responses received from organisations and individuals.
Phase 2: in addition we will publish in the autumn, an analytical document, drawing on statistical and research data, exploring the nature of disability in the UK today and the issues faced by disabled people.
Phase 3: the further work set out in Fulfilling Potential - Next Steps would lead to a further strategic document and action plan in the New Year, along with full analysis of the Life Opportunities Survey Wave 2 data.
national news
