An update on the Belonging & Participating project

23 July 2012

What is the ‘Belonging and Participating’ project?

In 2011, over 150 people took part in ‘Belonging and Participating’. This was a project that aimed to find out what being an active member of society means to deafblind people and their families.

In November 2011, Sense Chief Executive Officer Gill Morbey sent out a note to everyone who had taken part in the project, summing up what we had learnt and explaining how Sense planned to respond.

Gill is pleased with progress and often talks about individuals, families and staff taking time to “celebrate the ordinary”. In this update we share some of that progress.

We are putting into place more forums for deafblind people, we are helping individuals to shop, get out and about and spend time with their families in creative and appropriate ways for each individual. This is just the start and although the progress is promising and financial constraints restrict us we are determined to build on these early initiatives.

Deafblind people’s forums and Sense Users Reference Group

At the start of the Belonging and Participating project there were six forums. Now there are sixteen throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland. We have plans in place for setting up more forums during 2012 and by the end of the year we aim to have nearly thirty groups meeting regularly. This is possible because Sense is investing extra money in forums.

The forums are offering a wide range of innovative activities, from didgeridoo therapy sessions to a trip to a brewery. Forum members are being supported to make links with each other across counties and countries, through email and visits to each other. They are also getting more involved in decisions about the forums, for example by attending planning meetings with staff and contributing their expertise to the way forums are set up and run.

As forums develop it is also possible that some of them may decide to get involved in advocacy and campaigning.

Sense is currently developing the strategic plan for 2013 – 16 – planning what it will do over the three years. We will want to hear what people think about our proposals and branches and forums will be involved in this consultation process.

Sense Users Reference Group (SURG) is a national group that met for the first time in April 2012. The group will work directly with senior managers to help improve Sense services.

For more information about local forums, contact the Information and Advice Service

To find out more about national work with forums and the new Sense Users Reference Group (SURG), contact rosie.tabrizi@sense.org.uk or call Rosie on 0121 415 6733 or 0121 415 2720 (textphone).

Shopping, social and family life

Community and Residential Services in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are providing services aimed at the unique needs of each individual. The Belonging and Participating Report has helped focus and challenge staff to deliver enriching activities that create strong links with the local community.

Shopping
Support with shopping often requires imagination and sensitivity. One example is of a person who is a strict vegan and is supported by staff to access specialist shops and festivals to explore the different foods available. Staff members support her through deafblind manual communication. Some programs in Sense Resource Centres have been adjusted to give time and support to do personal shopping.

Getting out and about
Communicator guides and intervenors report on both the range of regular trips (to the bank, or weekly trip to the local church) as well as one off trips to events such as the lobby of Parliament and a trip to a butterfly farm and a mass trip to see a whole range of support is provided from driving someone to visit her son in another county to helping an individual catch a train to be met at the other end by family members. Other family related activities are reported such as sending Christmas and birthday cards or support in regular telephone calls.

Many people who took part in ‘Belonging and Participating’ said that spending time with their family was important to them. They also wanted better support for family members.

In response to this, Sense appointed Josie Bell as Family Liaison Officer. Josie supports families who have a relative who uses a Sense residential service. She has organised a number of family weekends where parents had the chance to make friends and talk about what they want from Sense.

Josie can be contacted at josie.bell@sense.org.uk telephone on 0121 415 6744 or textphone
0121 415 2720.

And finally…
We have been listening to our members and learning more about what is important to them. We have used their feedback to improve our membership package to offer greater benefits and effective involvement, so that more people can benefit from what Sense has to offer.

For more information about free Sense membership and how to join, contact Libby Hawkins at libby.hawkins@sense.org.uk telephone on 020 7014 9306 or textphone on 0845 127 0062.

Our key plans for the future are to:

  • Increase the number of deafblind people’s forums
  • Expand the use and flexibility of our community resource centres, experimenting with early and late opening and more weekend activities
  • Run a 12 month pilot of accessible technology based initially within residential homes
  • Explore greater use of volunteers to deliver more services and personalised support

Thank you once again to all those who took part in the "Belonging and Participating" consultation. We will update you again next year.

In the meantime, why not spend a few moments to tell us about your shopping experiences and needs in our shopping survey? We will publish the findings, and we will aim to use some of the results to highlight how retailers including our own shops can make a difference to the experience of their customers.

For more information about the Belonging and Participating project or this update, contact Alan Avis at alan.avis@sense.org.uk, telephone on 0845 127 0076 or textphone 0845 127 0078.