Halton Speak Out

Annual Report 2014

Decide what you want... believe you can have it, believe you deserve it, believe it’s possible for you.....Rhonda Byne

6 June 2014

   

Welcome from chair of Trustee’s..... Jim Fox

Adult Project.....! Racheal Melarangi

Bright Sparks........Consultation.......... Thomas NorrisKitemark Stage 1.. Kitemark Stage 2..!

Peer Advocacy........ Leah Jones

Peoples Cabinet........ Adam Stringer

Person Centred Planning........Laura Green

Planning for Life........Ged Conroy

Safe in Town.......! Jason Pilkington

Stay Up Late........ Thomas Brown

Our money........! Mal Hampson

Kevin Edwards Award........ Kevin’s Family

Closing the meeting........Nick Grace

Order of presentationsWelcome........! ! Nick Grace

   

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The Adult Project works with members from the ages of 18 upwards

We help people to understand their Rights, speak up for themselves and have more control of their lives.

We have worked with over 230 people this year (Self Advocates, Family Members, Staff Teams and Professionals) helping people to plan and make changes in their lives, training staff, running meetings/events

and enabling people to have their voices heard. Sometimes our members arent listened to or understood. The work we do helps others in their lives to work with them and helps people get better lives and sometimes get their dreams. It changes how people with disabilities are seen in our community!

What’s next for 2014

•Staying Safe /recognising abuse events.

•Stay Up Late Campaign.•Health Big Meeting.•Meetings to talk about

issues in peoples lives.•Helping people to plan

and have a voice.•Training and offering help

to staff and people that support our members.

•Theme days are being planned for people to talk about things that such as Housing, Relationships, employment and inclusion.

Adults enjoyed time getting to know us and talking about issues that affect their lives at our `Fun Day in March 2014

   

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Bright Sparks supports young people to be involved in decision making in Halton

This helps young people with disabilities to help shape services provided for them.

As well as the work done on the changes to urgent health care, our Bright Sparks Groups have helped the Transition Group to make the new Halton transition booklet accessible, improve the Cheshire Police website for young

people, have input into the sexual health consultation as well as consulting with young people about the quality of short breaks they receive.

We’ve developed strong links with 3 more schools and we are delighted to see one of our members sit on the Halton Youth Cabinet.

What’s next for 2014

•Developing relationships in the 3 schools and introducing the Bright Sparks post boxes

•Consulting with more young people who receive short breaks

•Supporting and consulting young people about the national changes to SEN provision and their 0-25 plans

Adults enjoyed time getting to know us and talking about issues that affect their lives at our `Fun Day in March 2014

Consulting with young people about the changes to urgent health care in Halton

proposed by the Clinical Commissioning Group

   

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Bright Sparks Project works with children and young people with additional needs

We support young people to check out venues and facilities in Halton for their peers

Our trained young Kitemarkers have been working hard this year. They have checked out 27 venues and facilities. 22 of these were given the Bright Sparks Quality Kitemark Award to say they are good places for young people with

disabilities to visit or use. They are currently assessing another 7.

They have trained another group of parents in doing Kitemarks.

We are working with schools, and families to increase the number of Kitemarkers.

This is helping to improve the lives of young people in their borough.

What’s next for 2014

•Training more Kitemarkers covering different ages

•Supporting families to do Kitemarking with their children

•Supporting teachers to do kitemarking with their classes

•Widening our focus to kitemark services provided for young people

Adults enjoyed time getting to know us and talking about issues that affect their lives at our `Fun Day in March 2014

Wilkinson’s (Halton Lea) award is proudly displayed by their main entrance for

all to see

   

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Bright Sparks Project works with children and young people with additional needs

Funding from the Council for Disabled Children has enabled a new phase of the Bright Sparks project.

Two young people with a disability and a part-time co-ordinator have been employed to build on our current Kitemark project, that has been growing rapidly. We want to increase the number of

amenities in Halton that are welcoming and supportive of disabled children, young people and their families. Before now we were aware of a gap in supporting those services not reaching the Kitemark award. Moving forward, our new team are able to work closely with the local services to offer guidance and recommendations.

What’s next for 2014

•Continue to offer support to local amenities & facilities

•Provide a clear pathway of improvment for business’ to gain a Kitemark award

•Produce a resource pack and DVD to explain the purpose of the project & the journey of the young people involved

•Share our learning & experiences with other young peoples groups across Halton

Adults enjoyed time getting to know us and talking about issues that affect their lives at our `Fun Day in March 2014

The Bright Sparks Team - supporting local business’ to reach successful kitemark

accredition.

   

Peer

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Peer advocacy works with people from 18+The aim of our project is to provide a peer advocacy service to people with a learning disability living in Halton Peer advocacy recognises the value of an advocate having shared common experiences with a person that they are supporting, some people with a learning disability often find it hard talking to a parent or care worker about something that they are worried about peer advocates are

here to listen and support you.

!What a peer advocate can do you

•speak up on your behalf

•Help you build confidence

•listen to you your voice is important

•support you to think about choices !!

What’s next for 2014? •one to one consultations •attend events to promote

our services •attend forum groups •more training for peer

advocates •Meetings to talk about

issues in peoples lives. •present a peer advocacy

day event. •support people to think

about choices. !

   

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The Peoples Cabinet"gives"learning"disabled"people"a"voice"in"how"services"are"provided.

We have 6 Ministers who go out into the community to talk to people about their lives and the services they receive.

We have heard the voices of about 350 people this past year.

We wanted to give people with learning disabilities a chance to talk to those people who

provide and organise their services.

We hope that by talking to people and letting the Partnership Board know what people think, we are helping Halton to provide good services to enable people with learning disabilities to get better lives.

What’s next for 2014

•We will be continuing to work around the themes of Valuing People Now

•We will continue to work with individuals and Agencies, finding out what they think.

•We are holding 2 big events, called the ‘3 theme events’ which will allow us more consultation with people.

•We are holding Coffee mornings, to allow opportunities for people to tell us about their lives.

The Cabinet meet regularly to talk about issues that affect their lives and their services.

!

 

 

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The Person Centred Planning Project works with people from the age of 14

Person-Centred planning is a different kind of listening, a different kind of action.

Working alongside people their families and their support, we have seen how by listening to people real change can happen in their lives. Through our work we are seeing people have real choice and control. Working together

through the person centred review process we have supported people to explore what is working and not working for them today and then to make ‘real changes’ for the future.

“Using outcome focused reviews, has help my daughter live her life to the full.- Yvonne, family member

What’s next for 2014

•Continue with one-one referrals for reviews and plans

•Build facilitator capacity within provider agencies

•Develop a community of practice

•Work with providers to build on their skills and understanding of person centred thinking and practice

•To continue the work with families on ‘Families Leading Planning’

•Supporting personalisation

Working in creative ways - supporting people to think about their lives and how they can take control

   

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The planning for life project works with young people in transition aged 14-18

We have had a very busy year on the planning for life as we have worked with 91 young people.The planning for life project started back in November 2006 and has been working with young people aged 14-18 preparing them for their transition to adult services. We work with all young people identified by social care as most likely to access adult social care.The information gathered informs adult services what

they will need to have in place before the young persons 18th birthday. Hopefully resulting in a smooth transition.Both young people and families are gaining confidence and taking initiative.Services are now beginning to tailor their services more to what!the young people want.

What’s next for 2014* With the SEN reform taking effect from

September 2014 we will be continueing to work closely with our colleagues from education, health and social care on the 0-25 plans.

* We will be running a planning live event for 10 families of young people in transition working with them and professionals to develop their own plans.

* We will be developing a course for the families that we work with to develop natural circles of support

* We will be delivering The jigsaws for job project within this project - continuing to support the young people to think about their future employment options.

* We will once again be delivering the Supermarket of life day to the year 9 pupils at Cavendish school.

*

   

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The Adult Project works with members from the ages of 18 upwards

 

The Stay Up Late Campaign works with members aged 18 upwards

We are working with people/providers to support our members to have the right to choose to ‘Stay Up Late’

We will be working with members and providers this year to promote ‘Stay Up Late’. Helping people build their friendships and relationships. To plan and attend late night gigs, events and cinema

showings. Working with staff and provider agencies in promoting flexible rota’s. We will providing a

regular ‘Whats on in Halton’ Flyer with details of local gigs and events that people may want to attend.

What’s next for 2014

•Launch of Stay Up Late event in September 2014

•Working with providers in promoting Stay up Late