June-July 2004 Newsletter In Full

Making Services Better by Getting Involved

Leeds Mental Health would like people who use their Learning Disability Services to get more involved.

They are trying to make services better and need help from service users to do this. This might mean:

• Producing information
• Choosing new staff
• Coming to meetings
• Helping make choices…………. and much more!

They will pay people for any work they do.

They are holding a buffet lunch for anyone that is interested to find out more. This will take place on July 23rd from 12.30 to 2.30pm at

The Committee Room,
St Mary’s Hospital,
Armley,
Leeds.

If you would like to come please contact John Burley at
Sycamore House,
St Marys Hospital,
Greenhill Road,
Armley Leeds
LS12 3QE.

You can phone John on telephone  305 5047
or email  John.burley@leedsmh.nhs.uk

---

New Training Courses From the British Institute of Learning Disabilities.

The new list of training courses run by BILD is now available. There are nearly 30 courses happening across the country from May 2004 until March 2005. Courses include aspects of ageing, positive communication, developing life stories and working with people who are said to have challenging behaviour.

For more information contact Through The Maze on telephone
 243 9919 or BILD on telephone  01562 723 025.

You can visit the BILD website at www.bild.org.uk

---

Interview with Fiona Evans, People First Support Worker and Sheila Quinn, Chairperson. By Philip Hawley.

Q: What is your name and job title?
I am Fiona Evans, the People First support worker. I also work at Wetherby training centre and I am involved with the advocacy group there.

Q: What have you achieved so far?
The group has achieved a lot in the last 5 months. We now meet every 4 weeks, on Thursdays. Now there is a sessional worker to support people during meetings. Group members can now be supported to go to task groups and other meetings, and they are more involved in running the group. In April we held an open meeting to let people know about what we do and encourage new members from other centres to join the group.

Q: What do you want to do in the future?
The group would like to meet every 2 weeks and to go to more meetings. To support them in this, I would need more time to work for People First. We are hoping to go and meet People First groups from other cities to see if we can work together.

The People First management committee are: Chair - Sheila Quinn, Vice-chairs – David Rose and Alex Gedge, Secretary – Margaret Baines, Treasurer – Jonathon Butler.

For more information contact People First on telephone:
 205 6530

---

Holiday Information

Mencap has produced a new holiday information factsheet for 2004. This includes how you can get help with the cost of a holiday and information about places to go on holiday, either on your own or with a group or your family.

To get a copy of the factsheet call telephone  243 9919.

---

Things You Need to Know About Taxis

People with disabilities people are using taxis more often for school, college, work, shopping or socialising. There are different types of vehicles on the road in Leeds, which suit different people’s needs.

Whatever type of vehicle you use, and whether you prefer taxis or private hire, it is important that you understand how they work so that you can make your journey safely.

The Taxi Partnership Group and the Modernisation Team - Disability have produced a book with large print and pictures which will help you. The partnership group includes disabled people’s groups, taxi companies and staff from the council’s Equality and Taxi and Private Hire Licensing teams.

If you would like a copy of the booklet, which is also available in Braille, tape and on computer disc or by email, contact Gill Crawshaw in the Council’s Equality Team on telephone
 247 4728 or: Minicom: 224 3589  247 4768  gill.crawshaw@leeds.gov.uk

---

New Direct Payments Advice and Support Worker

Real Life Options is working on a project to let more people with a learning disability know about direct payments. Direct payments are a different way for people to get the support they need and have more choice and control over their lives.

The project now has an Advice and Support Worker who can give you more information about direct payments. She can also help people who want direct payments to get them.

For more information on direct payments please contact Elizabeth on telephone  263 95 44 or  077 303 564 625

---

What’s On in June and July 2004

The Grand
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat
Monday 5 – Saturday 10 July

Halfway to Paradise – The Billy Fury Story
Sunday 25 July

For tickets call  222 6 222

City Varieties
Passa Passa
Sunday 20th June 4pm & 8pm
Jamaican music and dance.

The Wizard of Oz
Saturday 26th June at 2pm & 7pm
This is drama, not a musical.

For tickets call  0845 6441 881

Yorkshire Dance
Cheer Leading class
Sunday 6 June
For more information call  243 8765

Dansopolis – community dance festival
8 to 10 July.
Includes workshops and performances.
Contact Kirsty on  243 9867 for information.

Civic Theatre
Calamity Jane
8th - 12th June Romantic musical

Let's Swing
Saturday 26th June
3pm and 7.30 pm
Music of Frank Sinatra and Harry Connick Junior

For tickets call  257 3429

---

Leeds Learning Disability Partnership Board.

The next meeting of the Leeds Learning Disability Partnership Board is on Tuesday 15 June 2004 at
St Matthias Church Centre,
Burley Road,
Leeds
LS4. This will be from 10am - 3pm including lunch.
For more information contact Louise Mills on  247 8894

---

Finding out About People’s Health in Leeds

The Department of Health has asked a team from Leeds University to make a list, or register, of people with a learning disability in Leeds.

The register will be used to improve the health care of people with a learning disability in Leeds. It will do this by checking whether the goals set out in the Valuing People White Paper are going to be met. These goals are:

1. All patients with a learning disability will have a health facilitator by June 2003.
2. All patients with a learning disability will be registered with a GP by June 2004.
3. All patients with a learning disability have done a Health Action Plan with a health facilitator by July 2005.

The information held on the register will be confidential and will only be used by the research team. The register is voluntary, and if a person does not wish to stay on the register their name can be removed at anytime.

Please print this out and fill in your details here:

Name: ------------------------------ Date of birth: ------------------
Are you: Male: ----------- Female: --------------

What is your postcode (like LS7 1AB)?: ---------------------

Please send your answer to: Ghazala Mir, Centre for Research in Primary Care, 71-75 Clarendon Road, The University of Leeds, FREEPOST LS3018, Leeds, LS2 1YY.

You do not need to use a stamp.

---

CHANGE ‘Parenting Project’ Illustrator Job Advert

To work 3 days per week Wed – Friday (22.5 hours per week) with an initial Contract untill Dec 2006, which may be extended.
£12,941 per annum (Full time Salary equivalent £21,282 per annum)

CHANGE is a national organisation run by Disabled people, working for the rights of people with learning disabilities. We are looking for an Illustrator to work on our ‘You and Your Little Child’ Parenting Pack. You will work closely with the Project Worker who has learning disabilities and will write the pack.

The project is to develop an accessible information pack for parents with learning disabilities who have children aged 1-4 years. You will draw in the ‘CHANGE style’ and will be responsible for illustrating and editing the Parenting Pack in order that it is fully accessible to parents with learning disabilities. You will be based in our office in Leeds

For further information and an application form please send a 60p A4 Stampoed addessed envelope to:
Rachel Souster
CHANGE
Units 19-20
Unity Business Centre
26 Roundhay Road
Leeds
LS7 1AB.

CV’s not accepted. Closing Date for applications is Monday 21st June 2004.
The Department for Education and Skills is funding this project.

---

Children and Family Resource Directory

The Leeds Children’s Information Service has launched a new children and family resource directory. This has information about services and organisations in Leeds working with children and young people. The directory is also on the website: www.leedschildren.info. For more information contact Ian Green on 247 5487 or email childrenandfamilies@leeds.gov.uk

---

Return to: Newsletters