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Newsletter - July 2009 - Issue 9
Welcome to Disability Backup's Newsletter; please scroll down to see all the notices.
In this issue:
The Next Forum Meeting
23rd July 2009, 11-1pm at City Edge, 125 Mare Street, E8 3RG
See below for more information.
Disability Backup Evaluation
Disability Backup has been conducting an evaluation with Forum Members, the Council and other Service. See below for our Evaluation Report and see what Disability Backup has achieved so far.
Feedback
from Parking meeting and our Health and Social Care Consultation Day
Get involved!
Disability Backup nominates itself for a seat on the LINk Steering Group
Can you help sending the newsletter? See the bottom of this email for more information.
Leaflets
Minutes from Parking Meeting
Deaf Plus information
Thursday 23rd July 11-1pm
at City Edge, 125 Mare Street E8 3RG
Introduction to the new Service First Centre
- Find out how it will affect you and how you can get involved.
.
Disability Law Service
- Find out how this service can provide you with legal advice, see later in this newsletter for more information about the service.
Hackney Museum
- The museum want us to help them design a new sensory/disability themed exhibit for 2010!
-Find out how you can get involved!
Want to come? We can provide transport to collect you from your home!
For more information or to book interpreter please contact Catherine - 0207 257 0088 ext 209.
Feedback from June Forum Meeting - Parking
We had a lively Forum Meeting on Friday 12th June. Philip Burns, operational manager from the Parking Service came to talk.
The main outcomes from the Forum were:
- The parking team are reviewing its policies, especially regarding allocated parking bays outside residential properties
- There is a 'guide to disabled parking' being printed and will be circulated to all Blue Badge holders. Disability Backup have a copy available
- Disability Backup will be consulted in future on all aspects of parking and disabled bays
See minutes for more information.
Feedback from Health and Social Care Consultation Day
Disability Backup held its Health and Social Day Consultation Day on Friday 26th June.
The day was funded by NHS City and Hackney (formerly called the PCT) and was an opportunity to 'Have your Say' about local Health and Social Care Services. The event was open to disabled people aged 18-64. All who attended, and anyone interested will be provided with a report from the day, including the feedback gathered.
Thank you to all who attended and took part, we hope you found it useful.
The Commissioner who funded the project said:
'Not only did it bring together a wide range of people with disabilities, it was superbly organised and gave lots of opportunities for people to have their say.'
Hackney LINk Nominations
Hackney LINk is a statutory organisation responsible for ensuring genuine patient and public involvement at decision-making levels where health and social care services are planned and developed.
Hackney LINk is having their first election for the Steering Group, which is open to all members of Hackney LINk to stand and vote in the elections.
Disability Backup has nominated itself to have a place on this steering group with the view to elect Forum Members to attend the group on the Forum's behalf.
To be a representative you will need:
- Knowledge and/or experience of local services
- Knowledge about the local community and its needs
- Knowledge and / or experience of working for changes in local services or facilities
- Experience as a member of a board or governing body, or as a trustee of an organisation
- Experience of representing the community
- Able to give at least 10 hours per month to the work of Hackney LINk
- Ability to feedback to Disability Backup
- Ability to represent Disability Backup's views on behalf of other Forum Members
Deaf Plus
There are drop-in surgeries with the Hackney Officer for people who are Deaf or hard of hearing. They can help you with benefits and other issues.
Please click here to view full information.
There are drop-in surgeries with the Hackney Officer for people who are Deaf or hard of hearing. They can help you with benefits and other issues.
Please click here to view full information.
The Disability Law Service - specialists in legal advice and training
The Disability Law Service is a charity with expert knowledge in Community Care, disability Welfare Benefits and Disability Discrimination.
Are you are a disabled person, family member or carer?
We have an advice line you can contact and speak to a lawyer.
The sort of problems we can help with include
- getting the health and social care services you are entitled to,
- challenging disability benefits decisions,
- discrimination at work,
- problems with accessing goods and services or
- with further and higher education.
To contact us for advice call 020 7791 9800, minicom 020 7791
9801/text 07531 280 908 or email advice@dls.org.uk.
Disability Backup Evaluation
Disability Backup conducted a recent evaluation of its 1st year. We asked Members and Service Providers for their feedback, see results below!
|
Have you been kept up to date with dates for Forum Meetings? | |||
| Yes | Not sure | No | |
| 74% | 19% | 7% | |
| Does Disability Backup have enough Forum Meetings? | |||
| Yes | Not sure | No | |
| 59% | 39% | 2% | |
| Are Disability Backup's Newsletters useful? | |||
| Yes | Not sure | No | |
| 79% | 21% | 0% | |
| Are Disability Backup's Newsletters interesting? | |||
| Yes | Not sure | No | |
| 72% | 26% | 0% | |
| Does Disability Backup keep you up to date with disability issues in Hackney? | |||
| Yes | Not sure | No | |
| 71% | 24% | 5% | |
| Are staff at Disability Backup helpful? | |||
| Yes | Not sure | No | |
| 79% | 23% | 0% | |
| Does Disability Backup cover relevant issues? | |||
| Yes | Not sure | No | |
| 64% | 38% | 0% | |
| Do you think Disability Backup has a good relationship with Hackney Council? | |||
| Yes | Not sure | No | |
| 56% | 44% | 0% | |
Some feedback from Forum Members:
- You must always fight for disabled people's rights
- I cannot come to meetings as I study and the time is during the day (I would like) Individual meetings to discuss individual topics
- Disability Backup has given disabled people a voice in Hackney.
- I congratulate the Council for establishing such a forum where disabled issues can be directed to council officers and disabled people are consulted.
- I have not been involved long enough to give meaningful contributions although I certainly hope to be.
- Brilliant, this is what we need
- Disability Backup looks very well after disabled and elderly people, it is very informative
- I've said that the relationship with the council is good but I think we need to know that the various speakers who have spoken to us and have agreed follow ups do deliver the goods!
- Would like to see Cllr S Mulready join us at a one off meeting and have a discussion topic
- Keep on-going with the steering Groups
- I think Disability Backup has got off to a flying start - thank you for your work on it.
- You are doing well, please keep it up
- I have found Disability Backup to be consistently friendly and helpful
- Could do with a more mixed membership actually at meetings, also could do with a separate age and issue groups e.g. youth/education
- I have only just found out about it and had one newsletter so it's a bit early for me to give my full opinion
- I would like Forum dates until the end of the year to be arranged in advance
- Further training dates
- A review of disability Backup with all members
- Once a month is too long to wait and follow up on forum issues.
- I have found these meetings are excellent and all the staff are great they make me feel like at last I'm a human being and treated with the respect that's it due to me. They are great.
- Disability Backup has helped Street scene to target specific areas of the borough for public realm accessibility improvements that we didn't previously know presented a problem for residents with disabilities.
- I feel my experience and contact with Disability Backup has been extremely positive and productive and would not hesitate to contact them for advice and consultation in the future. The meeting was well organised
- It's a well run group with a good number and mix of members. Definitely worth consulting on all sorts of issues whether related to disability or related to living in Hackney etc. Have spread the word and will continue to do so.
- Very professionally run, excellent communication, keep up the good work.
- It was great to get honest feedback for the museum on what we are currently doing and how we can improve our service, and to develop a positive working relationship in the future
"The Equalities Team has a very positive relationship with Disability Backup. The Forum is working with various Council services in a positive way to eliminate barriers and to help plan and deliver services that meet the needs of local disabled people.
"One of the examples of joint working is the setting up of the Service First Focus group, which will look at access issues related with the Hackney Service Centre - to ensure that the building and services delivered are accessible.
"Meeting with and attending Forum meetings have helped to raise general awareness of Council officers around disability.
"We look forward to working with the Forum in the coming months."
Feedback from Cllr Sally Mulready:
"Disability Backup Forum is a demonstration of Hackney's Commitment to involve and engage local disabled people in its decision making process.
"It is helping the Council to get better understanding of what Disabled people expect of us and how we can develop and deliver our services to meet their needs.
"It is a really good example of partnership working to look at what works and what needs to change. Comments and feedback from Forum members will be used to formulate policies that will help to make a positive difference in the lives of disabled people.
"I would like to thank the Forum members for their Contribution and support and wish them continued successes."
Local Events
Hackney Disability Open Day - Stoke Newington West Reservoir Sunday July 19th
10am-4pm
A chance to try a variety of sports and arts activities.
Including:
- Athletics
- Boccia
- Wheelchair Basketball
- Archery
- Canoeing between 2-4pm
Lend a Hand?
As our membership is growing, we are sending more information by post. Catherine is asking for anyone who wants to volunteer a few hours of their time to helping sending out the Newsletter and other papers.
If you are interested in coming to the office to help please come to our offices on: Tuesday 14th July 2-3pm or call to arrange another time. Thank you.
Polite reminder for Professionals: Please note that the Forum Meetings and Focus groups are for disabled people to air their views. Those representing organisations are asked not to attend the Forum unless disabled themselves or having been invited first. Please contact Catherine to give your views on any topic raised.
All outcomes of the Forums will be made available on the website and newsletter! Many thanks!
Contact us
Disability Backup
Hackney Family Backup
The Print House
18 Ashwin Street
London
E8 3DL
Phone: 020 7275 0088
Fax: 020 7241 0088
Text: 07593 508 288
Text Phone: 18001 020 7275 0088
Email: catherine@hfbu.org.uk
Registered Charity No: 1017015 - Company Registration No: 2422896