April May Edition In Full

2003 is the European Year of the Disabled

The theme for this country is Promoting rights and Participation

To celebrate the European Year of the Disabled, Leeds City Council will be advertising lots of events throughout the city.

For more information contact: Gill Crawshaw at the Equal Opportunities Unit on

 247 4728

Minicom 224 3589

 gill.crawshaw@leeds.gov.uk

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What is Supporting People?

Supporting People is the new way of funding Peoples housing-related support needs.

Through the Maze have had many enquiries about this topic. They have worked with Louise Wood from the Joint Commissioning Service to produce an easy to understand Information Sheet about Supporting People.

This Information Sheet includes all the questions that people are asking, and details of who to contact for more information.

If you would like a copy please contact Through the Maze  243 9919.

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Learning Disability Partnership Board Meeting

At the last meeting the Partnership Board looked at draft copies of the Day Services Modernisation Plan and the Housing Strategy for Leeds.

The next open Partnership Board Meeting is on:

Wednesday 28th May at 5pm

At Shire View, Headingley, Leeds.

For more information contact the Joint Commissioning Service  247 8894.

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Launch of the Leeds Buddying Scheme

Leeds Buddying Scheme provides one-to-one support for a range of people, including people with learning disabilities, to give them the understanding and confidence to use public transport in Leeds.

Transport Minister, David Jamieson was at their launch. He said:

By enabling people to travel independently and with confidence, the scheme will give many a better quality of life.

For information contact Alice Sheldon at the Leeds Buddying Scheme  249 6386 or  alice.sheldon@wypte.gov.uk

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Whats on In April and May 2003?

City Varieties

Dream Charttoppers hits show 2003

Performing 2 hours of number 1 hits.

27th April only

Timewarp

A tribute to the Rocky Horror Show

8th May only

Sweet Charity

An all-time great American musical

13th to 17th May

For details contact City Varieties  243 0808

Leeds Marathon and Family Fun Run

on Sunday 11th May at 10am.

From Millennium Square

For more information contact Run Leeds 2003  395 0001

The Grand Theatre

Solid Silver 60s Show

All the classic hits performed by the original hitmakers

Sunday 27th April

Summer Holiday

The musical

12th to 17th May

For details contact the Grand  222 6222

Friends of Leeds Community Mental Health Trust Annual General Meeting

On Tuesday 20th May

From 2pm

At St Chads Centre, Headingley

For more information  278 5748

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Learning Disability Reference Group Meeting

The government has asked social workers, care managers and nurses to look at the way they work to make sure they are doing what is needed.

They wanted to know what people with learning disabilities thought about the way that they work.

A Learning Disability Reference Group Meeting was organised in March so that they could ask people with learning disabilities what they thought.

A report has been written on this. If you would like a copy please contact Les, Michael or Shelly at the User Involvement Project

 244 0606.

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This Newsletter is Also Available on Tape

Every time we write this newsletter we also record it on tape at a recording studio.

About 50 people get a copy of the newsletter on tape. This includes people who like to listen to it on their own, or people at college or self-advocacy groups who like to listen to it together.

If you would like a copy of this newsletter on tape contact Through the Maze  243 9919.

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Leeds Advocacy in the Spotlight

Jo Blackburn Interviewed Paul Seccombe, Manager of Leeds Advocacy.

What do Leeds Advocacy do?

We provide trained advocates to support people with learning disabilities to take control over their own lives. This includes volunteers and paid staff with short or long term support for individuals and groups.

When did you start this work?

We started in 1989 when we were funded just for parts of the city. Now we cover the whole of Leeds.

How can people get an advocate?

You can contact the office directly or ask a carer, social worker or friend to contact the office for you. We will ask some questions about what you want and about your support needs to help us choose the right advocate for you.

How much time would an advocate spend with someone?

They could spend a lot of time at first to help sort out problems, but then it could be occasional visits just to see if everything is all right.

How many people work at Leeds Advocacy?

At the moment there are 9 paid staff and a bank of 12 paid sessional advocates. We also support 37 volunteer advocates.

We are about to employ a new worker to work with people with learning disabilities who have mental health and/or housing issues.

For an information pack or information about advocates training courses contact Barry Wilson or Paul Seccombe at Leeds Advocacy  244 0606.

Access to Computers and the Internet

...at the Library

Some libraries now have equipment that can make it easier for disabled people and people with mobility and visual impairments to use computers and the Internet. This includes equipment like large keyboards, tracker ball mice, and touchscreen monitors.

For more information contact Ann Day  214 3316.

...at the Community Centre

Leeds City College of Technology are offering FREE computer training to people with learning disabilities aged 16 to 35 at 6 different community centres in Leeds.

They have accessible equipment and can offer personal support. They also offer careers advice and help with travel costs.

For more information contact Lauren Lister  297 6477.

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Black People First Meeting

In March there was a conference for people who wanted to set up a Black People First Group in Leeds.

Raymond Johnson, a member of Black People First in London, was invited to the conference to talk about how to do this. They also had workshops where they discussed topics such as leisure, employment and education.

For more information about Black People First contact Awtar or Glen at People in Action  247 0411.

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Free Books from Scope:

A Good Practice Guide written by disabled people for support workers and personal assistants working with disabled people with communication impairments.

A lot to Say a guide for social workers, and personal advisors working with disabled children and young people with communication impairments.

To order a copy contact Scope  020 7619 7341.

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...And Finally

Congratulations to Mark Wallis who has been offered the job of Access Worker for Through the Maze.