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HEALTHIER DAY
Nick, Kelly, Robyn and Michelle attended a "Healthier North Somerset Day" to speak to the visitors who came to the Community Team for Learning Disabilities stand. They talked about their jobs, promoted North Somerset People First and were very busy networking. |
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DISABILITY ACCESS GROUP
The issues raised at the meeting of this group, which affect our members are:
At Hutton Moor Leisure Centre there are swimming sessions for people with a disability on Wednesdays and Saturdays. A new hoist has been put in to help people in and out of the pool.
At the Cabstand junction in Portishead the traffic lights were switched off to see if the traffic flows better. There are no controlled pedestrian crossings.
Weston Town Council want to open up the space in front of the pier to make it easier for people to get from the town to the pier. To do this roads will be a "shared space" for people on foot and traffic.
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Congratulations to Robyn and Kelly who started working for sixteen hours a week each for the North Somerset Primary Care Trust at three different venues. They do a variety of tasks, including filing photocopying, sorting and delivering the mail and using computers to access e mails as well as many other administrative duties. Robyn and Kelly have both succeeded in adapting to their new work environments, which has not been easy in such a short space of time. They both enjoy what they are doing and are meeting a variety of people. Their work colleagues have made them feel at home. |
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SW TOTAL COMMUNICATION NETWORK
James, Karen and Anne attended this meeting. It was about Intensive Interaction. This is a way of communicating with people who have profound and multiple learning disabilities.
It means working 1:1 with the person. Sessions need to be regular at an agreed time and over a long period.
A Speech and Language Therapist must say, beforehand, whether intensive interaction would work for the person.
The first step is to get to know the person really well by just being with them. Then you can find out the best way to communicate. It may be by copying the movements they make or doing an activity with them. There is a website to find out more:
www.intensiveinteraction.co.uk |
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EMPLOYMENT
We met up with lots of our members to talk about employment. At our June General Meeting we told everyone what we had found out.
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WELCOMING PLACES
We shall make a booklet about places that are really welcoming to people with learning disabilities. If you know of anywhere that you think should be in our book, let us know and our “secret shoppers” will visit with their check list.
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SPECIAL PROJECT
Our Big Lottery Project has now finished and we would like to thank Ian for all his hard work. The Project was looking at ways to support people with high support needs to say what they want. Ian has produced a “Tool kit” of ideas If you are interested in the “Tool Kit” please get in touch with us. We have now appointed a champion who will represent this group and make sure their needs and wishes are heard. |
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NEW PROJECT
We now have another grant from Awards for All which will help us to raise awareness about self advocacy and NSPF and continue to help those with complex needs through the use of media. |
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NVQ AWARDS
The Support Assistants who are employed at Partnership House by People First completed their NVQ Level 1. They were congratulated at a ceremon when the Director of Social Services presented them with certificates. |
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CELEBRATION
The "Big Event"was held in Taunton to celebrate 25 years of self advocacy. We really enjoyed the day.
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Leanne, one of our Support Assistants, has enjoyed a holiday in Turkey. She parachuted over the sea on the back of a speedboat. That was brave!! |
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Following elections at the AGM last year our committee has been in full swing and met monthly. Please contact us if you have anything they could help with. The next AGM will be held in September 2010. If you would like to stand for election please phone Michelle.
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