Self-advocacy visits Connect in the north and

Keyring Self-advocates North Yorkshire

Connect in the North
l first talked to the group about the last
national and regional forum; we then asked
the 3 questions asked regarding funding cuts
and issues this is what some people said.
1) Pass it on group working on accessible
information standards so having benefit
letters in easy read

People matters group group of

organizations that runs, social activities

Yorkshire Humber Feedback from

regional
Leap caf in Leeds you can get
certificates in catering. The caf
also runs a project together with
local supermarkets were they
donate all left over food to caf so
can cook with this food and lower
food waste

Love to meet you group a group

about dating and friendships

Yorkshire Humber Feedback

regional
Get me better champions at St
James hospital they have a
working group go to meetings
about how doctors can make
accessible information

People having to pay towards

support which means you have
less money for social activities

Yorkshire Humber feedback

regional
2) Transforming care work plan in
Leeds was done in a room without
telling people about it, at connect
in the north we have tried very
hard to get involved with this
work but we are not listened to

Advocacy groups in Leeds have

grouped together this means it
takes a long time to get an
advocate

Yorkshire Humber Feedback

regional
Connect in the north members events,
we do shows, pride events etc., we have
question time this is where we invite local
MPs to a panel meeting and ask them
questions about local areas

3)Connect in the north Michael goes to

partnership board but there are now fewer
meetings

Peoples parliaments were people with

learning disability talk about issues

Feedback

Citizens advice disability advisor

helps to fill forms out for benefits
she is very helpful
Transport funding cuts for e.g. no
transport to get to events so less
people are able to attend
meetings this means people are
missing out on information

feedback
What are peoples issues?
Employment

People dont help

Mencap services are not helpful
Employ me has stopped was a helpful service
but is now shutting down
Remploy I went on courses that didnt lead to
anything

Yorkshire Humber Feedback

regional
Housing
Bidding for houses very difficult to
understand dont understand what
priority means so staff are not
understanding feel like I am not
listened to
There are lots of problems with
anti-social behavior, drugs and
alcohol, around areas where I live

Yorkshire Humber Feedback from regional

Council asking people to go for private

housing but if we do this we will loose
housing benefits

I have been bidding on houses for 5

years and got know where, I dont feel
safe in my own home I have a damaged
roof, and water leaking but because I am
in a home council dont see me as a
priority

Yorkshire Humber from regional

Support
4 self-advocates talked about
issues with their support
One said:
I get 21 hours support, they want
me to have support workers and try
and get them to come to meetings
with me but I dont need that kind of
support, but they say I need to have
this support or I cannot live there its not
person centered planning

Yorkshire Humber feedback

regional

People are paying more towards

their support, this leaves people
short of money staff are telling
people what can spend their
money on

Yorkshire Humber from regional

Where I live is not person centered I dont
want a male member of staff to support
me for personal reasons. Its feels more
residential than supported living
I feel like I dont get a choice of who
supports me
Other things
Bus passes cant use it until after 9:30
which makes it harder for people to have
a job

Yorkshire Humber from regional

Learning disability services at

least 15% funding cut money
used to come from social care

North Yorkshire keyring selfadvocates meeting

North Yorkshire keyring self-advocates meeting

Issues for the region

Transport

Taxis not taking guide dogs if you are

blind what can people do about this and
could we ask the national forum what they
are doing

Lack of wheelchair taxis and buses in

Harrogate and Craven, there needs to be
more buses with audio messages it is
happening in Leeds but needs to be rolled
out across all areas

Yorkshire Humber from regional

Support
There is not enough support for parents with
learning
disabilities, its difficult get special mum and baby
groups for people with learning disabilities.
Before I got pregnant I had direct payments but as
soon as I got pregnant they stopped. I have no
family,
I have had to learn to do everything myself,
cooking,
cleaning, looking after my children, sorting my
husbands tablets out, and letters.
My husband is blind and has epilepsy I am his main
carer but also have no help with this. No one has
told

Yorkshire Humber from regional

2) day center in Settle is being looked
at by the council. They will try and
get people on direct payments to
access more community services
such as activities in library.
Transport is a problem it doesnt run
often it means people are at risk of
being lonely in their own homes
because its no as easy to get about.

Yorkshire Humber from regional

3) I had a stroke earlier this year, and I had support
from the stroke association. They used to come in
my home and support me with daily living activities.

My hours have been cut from 22 hours to

5 hours this means I have difficulty making lunch.

The stroke has effected what I eat I can only

make sandwiches and ready meals in the
microwave they are really good with me but I
need more support.

Yorkshire Humber form regional

All services are being cut

ATU beds are being cut we have

asked for more information about
this but dont know what will
happen

North Yorkshire council are trying to

get people on direct payments

Yorkshire Humber form Regional Forum

On the 17th October we held our regional
forum In Leeds.

At the forum we gave self-advocacy groups

information about the mortality review.

We also thought about creating a newsletter for

our forum, so that other groups in our area know
about the important work self-advocacy groups do

Issues from the regional

forum
Hate crime all areas said that there
has been an increase in hate crime
and people feeling unsafe when walking
through town centers.

For example in Doncaster there isnt

enough community support officers
around. There are a lot of drug
dealers hanging round town centre,
approaching people with learning
disabilities asking them for money.

Issues from the regional

forum
Support lots of people said that
There wasnt enough support from
social services.

For example in Rotherham all social

workers are now supporting everybody.

There are no social workers for learning

disabilities and autism. Therefore social
workers dont understand your situation
and you are building a new relationship
up with them again.

Issues from the regional

forum
Benefits
lots of people said that they
were worried about what would
happen to their benefit, such as
PIP.
Or
was not clear about what
benefits they could have.