Southampton Centre for Independent Living

This post was written by Ian Loynes, SCIL’s Chief Executive.

At its joint AGM in September, SCIL and the Hampshire Coalition of Disabled People (HCODP) agreed the proposal that both organisations should work more closely together in the future. This article explains why we want to do this and what we hope to achieve.

SCIL & HCODP were formed separately, in 1984 & 1990 with different but linked aims. However (like many organisations) SCIL & HCODP have both found it difficult to attract resources, MC members and other volunteers.  As a result, both organisations increasingly share people (for example, staff with one organisation are commonly MC members on the other). In addition, both organisations share many other things like: members, premises, personnel, funding sources, similar projects etc.  We worried that this might lead to confusion, duplication, tension, burn-out or conflict which we wanted to avoid.

An initial joint meeting agreed the need to work more closely together, but felt a full merger would be inappropriate. Since then DAIN and DOVE have all agreed that the issues apply equally to them as well. Jointly we submitted a funding proposal to enable the appointment of a joint worker to take these ideas forward and to enable all the organisations to survive and thrive in the future.

What should we achieve by working closely together:

• Streamline our structures and core costs
• Reduce number of hats we all wear
• Investigate joint memberships and joint MCs
• Work together on joint funding
• Develop a common strategy
• Eliminate duplication to free up resources
• Be more effective as a result

However, there are a number of things we also want to avoid:

• Losing our individual identities
• Compromise funding opportunities
• Weaken governance of organisations
• Confuse personnel or line management
• Do anything that is not in the interests of our aims or the rights of Disabled People
• Weaken our democratic accountability to Disabled People 

So, what do you think?…If you have any views or ideas, please email me on ian@southamptoncil.co.uk or phone or post your views to the usual address.

ThIs post was written by Berni Vincent.

The new Equality and Human Rights Commission was launched on October 1 2007 resulting in the merger of the Disability Rights Commission, Commission for Racial Equality and Equal Opportunities Commission.

One of the last events that the Disability Rights Commission held jointly with Equalities National Council was a conference looking at Race, Disability and Human Rights on September 12. The event from my point of view was about raising awareness, listening to others and gaining some understanding of the multi oppression that my fellow Disabled people experience.

It was good to see so many Disabled people from Black and Minority Ethnic Communities (BME) coming together to share common experiences and address ways of breaking down barriers of multi oppression and exclusion. 

BME communities are more likely to experience poverty and isolation.  For example among families that include a Disabled adult the risk of poverty is 36 per cent in white families, 52 percent in Indian families, 63 percent in Pakistani families and 83 per cent in Bangladesh families.

With regard to family members providing unpaid support; assumptions are often made that BME Disabled people’s support will be met by a close family member, with little consideration to the disempowering impact this will have on family relationships or individual family members’ right to develop their own potential and aspirations. Further more the meaning of Independent Living and the Social Model of Disability has yet to be fully understood in BME communities generally.

In a workshop led by the ‘Black Men Moving forward project’ that provides advocacy support across the Criminal Justice System, mental health service users gave personal testimony of surviving the institutional racism and neglect across the Criminal Justice system.  Disabled People generally do not have their needs met within the judicial system, and a high majority of people with mental health impairments receive no support or medical treatment. There were examples quoted of medical records not being transported to prison resulting in lack of vital medication or medical intervention at point of entry on release from the prison service.   

So what needs to happen if things are to change; the starting point has to be ensuring that public bodies grasp their responsibility to ensure BME Disabled People enjoy the same freedom, respect and equality as everyone else.  Time and investment needs to be made to adequately fund peer support organisations that can continue to lead the way offer support and influence policy design.  

The responsibility lies with us all – public bodies, service providers, and the voluntary sector. We must work together to break down barriers of isolation and mistrust and find ways to listen and understand each other issues and experiences. We must believe It is possible to break the oppressive chains that isolate multi oppressed groups in BME communities.  We need to actively work together to bring the barriers down. 

As previously reported, Hampshire Adult Services with the support of Children’s Services is undertaking a review of Direct Payments. Hampshire state the the purpose of the review is to ‘make it easier for people to obtain and use Direct Payments, while at the same time making sure that Hampshire County Council meets its duty of care for individuals and its legal obligation to account for the way in which public money (Direct Payments) is used.’

Hampshire believe that the proposed changes presented in the consultation document are the best way of improving Direct Payments.These proposed changes relate to Self Assessment, Direct Payments Risk Assessment, Support Agency Role and Outcome based care planning. 

The full consultation document and questionnaire can be found here. 

Following a number of concerns raised by SCIL, HCIL and Carers Together regarding the accessibility of the document and questionnaire, Hampshire have organised 3 workshops around Hampshire for users to give their views.

According to the website, ‘The workshops will provide people with information about the proposals and an opportunity to discuss them in small working groups. The information will be explained and people will be able to ask questions so that that can get a clear understanding of the proposals. People will also have time to talk about their personal views during small group sessions and be able to put these forward via the group or by completing the questionnaire.’

The workshops are from 10am to 1pm on the following days:

Tuesday 16 October at Horndean Centre (Horndean Technology College)

Wednesday 17 October at The Maltings Centre – Centennial Room in Alton

Friday 18 October at Wells Place Centre in Eastleigh

Places are limited to 60 people per venue so you must book in advance by emailing the Adult Services Department or contacting the Direct Payments telephone helpline 01962 833039 

HCIL and HCODP are also hoping to host a joint meeting regarding the consultation in early November – details to be confirmed.

The consultation runs until Friday 14 December.

SCIL are hosting an online Independent Living Discussion Group in their chat room on Tuesday 9 October from 2.30pm to 4pm.

Topics that may be discussed include Self Directed Support, Our Lives Our Choices campaign, closure of the DRC, Hampshire’s consultation on ‘Improving Direct Payments’ as well as anything else people wish to chat about. Anyone, no matter where they live, is welcome to join in.

We look forward to seeing you there, but if anyone has any queries, then email me at Robert@southamptoncil.co.uk and I will try and assist.