Changing Young Lives Newsletter Winter 2011
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Transcript of Changing Young Lives Newsletter Winter 2011
Sir David Nicholson pledges his support for
The Whole of Life Standards!
Young People with disabilities have written a set of standards called the “Whole of Life Standards”. These standards tell commissioners, professionals, staff and services what people with disabilities expect. Within this will sit the ‘Inclusion and Participation Standards’, which will be launched on 24th February 2012. They also tell people with disabilities what rights they have!
Our Whole of Life standards were launched at our All of Me Event, co-hosted by Gina Patel, on the 11th November.
We were very lucky to have people such as “Our Dave’” from London (Sir David Nicholson Chief Executive of the NHS) who pledged his support for our standards, Helen Smith, Service Director for Children, Barbara Peacock, Corporate Director – People and Karen Dowman, Chief Executive of the Black County Partnership Foundation Trust.
W I N T E R 2 0 1 1
C H A N G I N G Y O U N G L I V E S
What’s been happening…
“Our Dave” from London supports Whole of Life standards.
Gina takes over the job of Sandwell Council Chief Executive!
Young people write school standards about Inclusion and Participation.
Young people help design accessible health leaflets.
The Whole of Life Passport trials.
Young leaders present to the Children’s Trust Board.
CHANGING YOUNG LIVES WINTER 2011
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Gina takes over Jan Britton’s job for Take Over
day 2011! On the 11th November 2011 Gina Patel, one our young leaders had the opportunity to take over the job of Sandwell Councils Chief Executive Jan Britton. Gina was kept really busy all day!
The morning of take over day was spent at the All Of Me event launching the Quality of Life standards and Whole of Health Principles. During this time Gina also met Sir David Nicholson, who is the Chief Executive of the NHS for England. In the afternoon Gina met all the council directors who are in charge of things the council deals with, such as housing and finance. Gina was also invited to approve the Christmas edition of the Sandwell Herald and some business cards for all the people who work at Sandwell Council. To finish off her day she interviewed Jan about his job, and asked him a few questions.
What did Gina think of her day as Chief Executive?
I enjoyed taking part in the Takeover Day and to me, it was an amazing opportunity and has led to hopefully getting some volunteer work in the Council. My favorite part of the day was meeting Jan Britton as I found out lots of things about him and his job. The best part of the day was when I asked Jan “Why he came Chief Executive?” He replied with “It was a complete accident!” which really made me laugh. Taking over the job of the Chief Executive and working in the Council was a great opportunity for me.
This is what Jan had to say……….
Gina handled the job of Chief Executive for the day with real style and the need to explain what I do caused me to pause for thought a couple of times as well! We both had a useful learning experience and Gina made a mark in her short time in the top job. I think it's quite possible that one day she might be after my job for real.” (Jan Britton, Chief Executive of Sandwell Council).
CHANGING YOUNG LIVES WINTER 2011
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The Whole of Life Passport
copy. Young leaders from the Young Voices Network have designed what the Passport looks like and what areas of information will be included in the Passport. The passport is going to be trialed in the schools between December 2011 and February 2012.
What will it include?
These are just a few examples
My Views
Information about me
My disability
My communication
My health
My food and drink
My transport
My reviews
My employment
The Whole of Life Passport is a person centred way of recording a young person’s story. Young people with disabilities have told us they don’t want to tell their story over and over again to a range of different professionals. They want to be able to control the way they are seen and control what happens in their lives. The Passport will be “owned” by the young person; they will decide how they describe themselves and they will control what information is shared in the Passport and what information they want to keep private. At times where young people need support, the family will manage the Passport. The Passport will be portable and web based, on a secure site. In meetings young people will be able to either access their Passport by downloading it from the website, or by bringing a printed paper
CHANGING YOUNG LIVES WINTER 2011
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School Standards
Everyone is being included!
Some young leaders have been working in schools
in Sandwell, to write some standards about
inclusion and participation for young people with physical
disabilities. These standards are going to be used in the future to
check that schools are including young people. Peer researchers have worked
with students at Wodensborough, St. Michaels and Crocketts Lane, Victoria Park.
My Life, My Dreams
Isabelle continues to co –chair the meeting with Janine Brown.
Gina, Matt and Gemma continue to represent the views of the
young people in the young voices network. The group has been
working to develop the Whole of Life service, for both children and
adults.
Giving young people with a Profound and
Multiple Learning Disabilities a voice
We have been working in the Meadows school, looking at
the different ways young people communicate. We have
made a set of short films, showing the range of communication
young people use (Makaton and PECS) We want to make sure all the
young people in Sandwell have communication passports and that everyone who
does not use words to communicate has a voice.
Designing Health Leaflets
The young leaders have worked with Phil
Lyddon to look at health leaflets for young
people to see if they can be made more
accessible, find out what sort of information
was missing and to make suggestions on how
they can be more young people friendly.
Young Leaders present to the
Children’s Trust Board
Young leaders Matt Purcell, Gemma Caffrey and Gina
Patel met with the Children’s Trust Board to present their
Whole of Life Standards. Everyone thought the young
people presented extremely well and they got the
professionals working and thinking hard. The young
leaders are also presenting their standards to John
Middleton’s Public Health policy group in December.
They also wrote the Job Description for the ‘Get It
Done’ workers.
CHANGING YOUNG LIVES WINTER 2011
Changing Our Lives
The Public, New Street, West Bromwich B70 7PG
Tel: 0121 533 7174
Email: [email protected]
www.changingourlives.org
www.twitter.com/Positive_Lives
And finally …a very Happy Christmas to everyone!
We’ve done something a bit different with our Christmas card this year. Have a look at:
http://sendables.jibjab.com/view/fHci5BN2m
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