Centre
for Independent Living Workshop
The Fresh Voice of Disabled People in Merton
What
We said in Pictures
Duncan drew the things we were talking about.
These
are the pictures of the thingst we felt were important in developing a new CIL
in Merton:
In Words
What
does independent living mean to me?
- Doing what I
want, when I want, for the rest of my life.
- Inclusion. Disability
should not be an issue.
- Being able to
access what you want, when you want.
- People say you
are disability as a wheelchair, there are many other kinds of disability not
seen.
- Transport: so
any issues around moving around the place. Why should it be so difficult,
sometimes impossible?
- Toilets-all toilets
should be accessible.
- Information-there's
a lot of information out there but it needs to be gathered in one place.
- Awareness of peoples
disabilities.
------------------------
- Making own choices
- Having the where
with all to look after yourself
- access to constant
service to enable independence
- access to buildings,
transport, safe streets and travel
- public transport
-------------------
- To live life
as I want to live it and other people should help as and when I need it.
- Support to support
and family, particularly children in school holidays, more holistic approach.
- Independent living
is individual and specific to each individual
- Lead and live
life specific to individual
- Network of people
who are known and trusted by the individual and who don't act as if they are
doing you a favour
- more family participation
-------------------
- making choices
- live in our own
home
- having own pa
to let me live on own. Able to go out when I want
- direct payments
let me choose what, when, how.
- Choices to attend
centre, gives me a chance to attend courses with support
- able to link with
other communities
- need for advocacy
- access work
- not having to
cope with cuts
- does CILs mean
shift of responsibility
- listening to people's
personal needs (age).
-------------------------
- Support to choose
where I live
- support to live
at home to help me
- somewhere we can
get information instead of relying on other people
- being near friends
and family
- making our own
decisions not having them made for us.
- Having help to
make informed decisions.
What
do I need to achieve independent living?
- Communication
breakdowns: how to write a long time to get an interpreter, more signage needs
to be available, problems in emergencies especially at hospitals for instants.
Effects deaf people and visually impaired people.
Information from Merton where I can get interpreter.
A sign would be an asset in CIL.
Physically disabled people can get a PA, can deaf people get a PA?
A lot of money to be independent with physical disabilities, money for PA
to help with daily activities.
Companies could employ one person to learn signage to help us with our enquiries,
bank etc
----------------------
- support-professional,
financial and peer support
- information-choices
- direct payments
- CILs-one stop
shop
- to be able to
get where I want when I want
- understanding
of society, education and society
-----------------
- accessing a variety
of services such as equipment, aids, car adaptations.
- Having access
to all the services within disability needs
- education and
awareness raising within the community, families, neighbours except for.
- Support from all
people around.
- Enough money to
do it
------------------
- choices
- support
- direct payments
- Pull services
together
- funding
- people listening
- transport
- age-related/resources/disability
---------------------
- we need help
to live eg. PA's
- information in
lots of accessible formats
- advocates and
help to understand things
- choices
- support from other
disabled people
-------------------
How
could a CIL help to achieve independent living?
- What is the
gap?
- Information cavern-encourage
companies to employ staff that can assist disabled people with their problems
- collate information
- buildings inaccessible
- nowhere to meet
friends
- advocacy for disabled
people
- Organisations
– awareness of peoples disabilities
-----------------------
- Lack of information
- lack of services
- lack of finance
- difficulty in
personnel: my position (?)
- Not knowing where
to go or who to meet with for help
-------------------
- lack of advice
and information
- lack of peer support/advocacy
- individual focus
- low self-esteem
- things done to
us
----------------
- cuts
- limited choice
of activities
- funding
-------------------
- information
- advocates
- peer support
A solution for the gap
- London Borough
of Merton to pilots awareness training to encourage commercial organisations
to employ trained staff that are aware of disabilities and are able to communicate
with people in the manner they need
- model the CIL
on the above so that all can gather the located information.
- Make all organisations
aware and be DDA compliant. CILs could take up these matters.
- Have meetings
place at the CIL for coffee mornings
- a CIL advocate
- training awareness
to companies
-------------------
- Peer support
& understanding of people with impairments
- stronger voice
- campaigning
- one stop shop
- advocacy
- CIL
--------------------
- increased advice/information
- opportunities
for peer support (drop in etc)
- family focused
(creche)
- signposting
- funds (increased)
- advocacy
- courses
- increased control
over our own lives
- crisis line-rapid
response
- appropriate accommodation
- robust marketing
of CILs
- 24-hour opening/support
line
- user led-need
clout
----------------------
- run alongside
other services
- more choice, commitment
- looking at resources
and run more efficiently
- private sector
involvement
-----------------
- to have somewhere
to go to access information
- more advocates
and help to speak out for ourselves
- without having
to wait on a list
-----------------------
What
could a CILs do to support disabled people to fully participate in Merton?
- Make itself known
to the community
- provide the means,
what is needed.
- Advice (benefits)
- advocacy
- information *marked
in box
- means
- access services/Merton
Council *marked in box
- specialist equipment
- Housing (support)
- peer support *marked
in box
- direct payment
(services and support)
- facilitates transport
- access to buildings/trains/buses
- training and learning-sign
language
- communication
with London Borough of Merton Council services
- liaise with police-safer
communities
- awareness training
for everybody *marked in box
- travel advice
(local and holiday)
- Availability of
on street disabled parking bays at various town centres.
-------------------------
- Enabling organisation
- a CIL would make
London Borough of Merton more aware of its duties and responsibilities towards
disabled people to have full equality as every other citizen.
- Advocacy, peer
support, information, helping, sharing.
- Full integration
into society and to enable this it will educate society
- a CIL will help
"make Merton equal".
- One voice for
all disabled people
- working with the
council and equally the council working with disabled people.
- The CIL will give
people more choices.
- A CIL should represent
disabled people on council decision making bodies.
------------------------
- Committee made
up all disabled and able-bodied people.
- Robust constitution
(setting out rules etc)
- Mission statements
to be clear
- well-developed
lines of communication to higher management in la and other service providers
- business plan
and adequate funding
- housing applications,
returned to work, courses, counselling, life skills, business enterprise.
- Local information
to deal with problems-rights etc
- advocacy and direct
action to rectify accessibility problems, negotiate resolutions where individual
is unsuccessful.
- Networking/contacts
with key contacts to bring change in the community, wider (National) if required.
- Manage direct
payments/individual budgets
- incorporate disability
awareness into courses such as those used in jobseekers etc.
- programmes link
education/disability awareness to primary schools to embed it into young children
- proof of disability-define
disability.
------------------------
- Access to interpreters
- supply advocacy
support to get legal advice on DDA matters
- to promote full
inclusion to leisure, sports, transport facilities.
- Building/for support/socialising/befriending
- access to expert
advice
- joined up communication
with all departments and agencies
- need outreach
to reach everybody
- support to carers
and families.
- Awareness training
ie companies etc
- training for the
disabled
- to support existing
services.
--------------------------
- Internet cafe
with accessable computers
- disabled people
could get together to campaign for better transport
- disabled people
want to get together to give us more confidence to speak up for ourselves
- disabled people
should educate children/teenagers about disability awareness
--------------------------
- working with
the council:
- disabled people could join partnership boards, mobility Forum, client committees,
though Forum, Council meetings, other multi agency meetings
- better public transport
- mobility Forum to campaign for access for trains and stations
- information about free things to do
- information about access for places to go and accessible transport to get
there
- feeling safe and
included:
- could have trips together with friends
- campaigning against bullying
- training and support for other disabled people about how to stay safe
- disability equality training
- drama groups go into schools and community groups
- writing to newspapers
- teaching sign language at school
-----------------
- Promote accessible
transport
- promote safe environments
- liase with companies leisure facilities and shops. Buildings and correct
access needs
- working with Merton Council to be fully included in policy-making/decisions
on existing policies/working practices
- advertising/campaigning for disability awareness and rights
- training. Management. Advocacy.
- Bids for funding: budget control/fund finance
- legal issues. IT training
- empowering people
- peer support
- confidence building
- Supply courses (specialist)
Priorities
Short term/easier
- campaign for better
public transport
- steering group
for CILs (expand go forum)
----------------
- timescale-agree
realistic time
- peer support
------------------
- dialogue with
Merton Council
- meets more frequently
- debate/discussion
with other groups
-------------------
Priorities
- Long-term
- stop bullying
- self advocacy
and peer support
- timetable and
keep to it
- developed vision
and agreed funding for CILs
-------------------
- funding
- building on existing
services
- availability of
information
- accessing services
from Merton Council
- awareness training
------------------
- publicise benefits
to wider community
- benefits to us,
- benefits today
for the future benefit
----------------------
- agreed timescale
- funding
- building on existing
services
For a word document
version of these flipchart notes, click
here , open then click on 'read only'
We will
be discussing what next at the next go Forum meeting on April 1st
(no Jokes!) @ The All Saints Day Centre, Wimbledon from 1pm till 2.30pm
Solidarity,
Participation and Equality in Merton for Disabled People.
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