Tuesday, 22 February 2011
Friday, 11 February 2011
Aid Excel Support Services
Whoo hoo!
Funding has now been secured for Aid Excel support services - a small voluntary sector organisation in Barnet, providing advice and information for parents of disabled children from BME communities.
Awards for All and Barnet Small Grants Team have made grants to Aid Excel which mean that the range of services on offer can be expanded and more families can be reached through new routes - including a telephone hotline and school based support groups.
The next step is a detailed implementation plan - to ensure that this funding stretches as far as possible. Also, application for charitable status.
Barnet Centre for Independent Living
Did I really not mention the work with Barnet Centre for Independent Living?
This is a new, user led organisation establishing itself in Barnet to deliver Right to Control for disabled adults who meet the criteria - as well as providing advice, information and advocacy for vulnerable adults with a variety of additional needs.
Right to Control merges a number of sources of funding and involves the development of tailored support plans that reflect an individual's interests, needs and aspirations. Peer support brokers will assist in sourcing and securing services and information so that the support plans can be implemented - and positive outcomes achieved. The aim is increased choice and independence for disabled adults in the first instance. Barnet are a trailblazer for Right to Control.
My role was in the recruitment of the BCIL service manager, which included design and implementation of a selection process based on key competencies. During the early days of the induction of the appointed manager there were some service development activities. Now we are in February - the next step is the development of materials to support the recruitment of the peer support brokers.
Mobile skatepark - launched 29th January 2011
So all the funding was secured, insurance issues ironed out, charitable registration achieved - and now Barnet Community Projects has its mobile skatepark. The equipment was demonstrated at a launch event, covered by the local press, on 29th January 2011.
This was a fabulous piece of work - bringing together the local safer neighbourhood team, young people, Barnet's youth and connexions service, Milly Apthorp charitable trust, Barnet Homes, BCVYS and the team at Barnet Community Projects - lead by Steve Neale.
Skatepark sessions will be run during February half term - by trained young people, who will lead the project. After Easter sessions will be available in other parts of the borough.
Great to be involved in the fundraising, publicity, infrastructure, capacity building and governance of this new project.
Updating - Barnet LINk
A long time since my last post - and pretty much flat out on a 4 month assignment for CommUNITY Barnet - as the new hosts for the local involvement network Barnet LINk.
LINks were introduced in 2008 as a replace for the PPI forums. They are volunteer led groups that give residents a voice in shaping, and holding to account, local health and social care services. There are 150 in the country - and Barnet LINk has had a quiet time of it over the last 18 months or so. My role was to reinvigorate the organisation, increase membership and establish it as a credible, active and respected force within Barnet.
So far the membership has trebled (in 2 months). Three LINk welcome events have been held - with speakers including the Chair of NHS Barnet briefing members on the Health and Social Care Bill and the Chair and Chief Executive of the Royal Free Hospital talking on the proposed move to foundation trust status.
There is a major adult social care event planned for March 10th - with speakers including the new director of health and social care and the lead councillor for adult social care. This include communication on the budget cuts to ASS.
A training programme is in place - covering Enter and View (a statutory inspection power), ambassador training (to develop an outreach team) and effective representation at meetings (to cover the roles and responsibilities involved in being a spokesperson at key decision making meetings).
Finally, we are are providing weekly e-newsletters to all members so that they are able to keep in touch with developments.
A hectic schedule of activities - with lots of project research and exploratory meetings taking place behind the scenes.
It all comes to an end on 25th March - when CommUNITY Barnet will appoint staff members to carry on the work.
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