Category — Matthew's blog
Support for more ‘Changing Places’
It wasn’t until I sat down with a group from MENCAP that the things most take for granted really hit home…
And when I had that hour ’roundtable’ recently with a dozen or so individuals with severe disabilities and listened, with the help of their carers, to what they had to say about their lives, the basis of this post became very clear.
So when MENCAP Staffordshire asked me to actively back their campaign for specialist toilet facilities in each main town in the county I was very 
happy to do so.
Most of us take completely for granted our flexibility when it comes to needing the loo but people with severe disabilities and mental health issues often do not have that flexibility.
And on top of that, normal public toilets are unsuitable for those with the greatest disabilities. Practically, they do need much more elaborate toilet changing facilities so their carers are able to help them with what we take for granted.
Changing Places facilities offer those extra features, space and special equipment to allow people with the greatest needs to have a little bit more of a normal life when it comes to going out and about with their carers.
The County development currently being built in Stafford town will have Changing Places facilities open for public use and I recently wrote to every district council in Staffordshire encouraging them to consider requiring new builds to include the specialist changing and toilet facilities under planning rules.
They are only marginally more expensive than decent normal disability toilets and so the extra bit of expense, even in these difficult times, is well worth it when you account for the real difference it will make to lives.
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July 22, 2010 No Comments
Chance for parishes to deliver ‘people’ services
A million quid to help establish services aimed at helping older people stay in their community…
A significant investment, yes, but one that will help older and vulnerable people stay in their homes, in their communities, safely and for longer.
Chance for community groups to play a part in delivering support services
And because the services to support them could be locally delivered it means they would be entirely focussed on that local need… and, yes, of course it’s less expensive than people giving in and ending up in the institutionalised care system when, with some lighter touch support, they need not.
The money made available by Staffordshire Social Care and Health via the new Community Wellbeing Fund will be used to kick start new services or expand existing ones which support independent living and wellbeing.
It could be to start lunch clubs, offer befriending services, undertake home safety audits, local transport provision… in fact anything which contributes to safe, healthy and independent living. And if new services are successful and meet the need as expected they can then move to continued funding via the Department’s joint commissioning unit.
So this is all about expanding the voluntary sector in a managed way whilst providing parish councils and other local groups with an opportunity to further enhance the communities and people they serve.
Initial response has been exceptional with far more expressions of interest and formal funding applications than we could possibly have expected. So if you are involved with a local community group and have ideas about a service which will support older or more vulnerable people live safely in their community you can find out more here.
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July 20, 2010 No Comments
Volunteer Staffordshire, six months on…
“The ‘Big Society’ has now arrived but six months ago we started work on recognising volunteering”
It was actually a couple of years ago that, in opposition, I criticised in committee the then Labour Administration in Staffordshire for not properly recognising or promoting the role of volunteers.
That could be someone who does their bit for the scouts, or at a Sunday morning kids’ football match, or people that pay friendship visits to those in hospital or individuals that support bigger charities like Age UK or Mencap or many others.
In fact anyone that gives back to society, something for nothing. There are already millions of people across the country who volunteer and many of those don’t even think of it as volunteering… it’s just what they do.
And just before Christmas last year my colleague, Ben Adams, who is Staffordshire’s Cabinet Member for Communities kicked off work on the countywide campaign to highlight the good volunteering work which is ongoing and find better ways to support and get even more people actively involved.
That work has resulted in Volunteer Staffordshire. It brings together information on thousands of volunteering opportunities, offers advice on where and how to get involved and will recognise formally those individuals or groups who who go that extra mile to give something back as well as celebrating everyone who volunteers, no matter how small or infrequently.
It will also be the conduit for a new Staffordshire Award which will be akin to the national Honours but specifically for individuals that have done something in the voluntary sector here which is unique and benefits people right across the county.
The latter Award will not be given easily and they will be few and far between recognising a uniquely important contribution to Staffordshire life. But whatever level of volunteering if you know someone who helps out for the good of others, even if it’s nowhere near the level required for the Staffordshire Award, you can nominate them for recognition here.
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July 16, 2010 No Comments
Staffordshire LINk has new future
Many more volunteers and loads more voluntary organisations and now a fully functioning LINk…
It was last December when I made the decision that Staffordshire LINk wasn’t working and so a fresh start was needed.
The Staffordshire Local Involvement Network is a voluntary group, funded by the County, which monitors and advises on health and social care services. It’s work is important and should be valuable.
It was established, as part of nationwide legislation, under the previous County Administration and although the volunteers involved had worked tremendously hard the support contracted externally by the County was not working meaning the LINk was less effective than it should have been.
We brought the support for LINk back into my Department and delighted that since then it has literally been transformed beyond belief. Excellent work being undertaken and far greater and wider engagement with Staffordshire people and voluntary organisations means it’s time for the next step.
That next step is ensuring greater independence by developing a social enterprise meaning Staffordshire LINk will be an entity in its own right and free from any interference in the future.
That work is now underway and I’m pleased the decision I made in December, which was considered controversial by many back then, has turned out to be the right one.
You can learn more about Staffordshire LINk or get involved here.
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July 8, 2010 No Comments
