Transcript Document

User Led Organisations (ULOs)
What are User-Led Organisations (ULO’s)?
DOH definition
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an organisation where the people the organisation represents,
or provides a service to, have a majority Management
Committee or Board and where there is clear accountability to
members and/or service users
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at least 75 percent of the voting members on the Management
Committee or Board must be drawn from people the
organisation represents, supports or is set up to work with
Why ULOs?
• Improving Life Chances
Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People (2005). A key
recommendation - by 2010, each locality covered by a Council with
social services responsibilities should have a User-led Organisation
modelled on existing CILs (Centres for Independent Living)”.
• Putting People First Objective
‘Support for at least one local user led organisation and mainstream
mechanisms to develop networks which ensure people using services
and their families have a collective voice and can influence policy
• Local Authority Circular 2008
‘Where ULOs do not exist, a strategy to foster, stimulate and develop
user led organisations locally.’
But most importantly disabled people, their families and
carers say they want and need them!
Important questions
• How far can user-led organisations be involved in development of
a ULO modelled on a Centre for Independent Living (CIL)?
• How ready are we to “grow” a ULO ?
• How ready and able are local user-led organisations to develop
into “ULOs modelled on existing CILs?
• What do people want and need in Lincolnshire?
ULO Design criteria - values
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Based on the social model of disability
Promotes independent living
Promotes people’s human and other legal rights
Shaped by people who use services
Is ‘peer support’ based
Covers all local disabled people, carers and other people who
use support either directly or via links with other organisations
• Is non discriminatory and recognises and works with diversity
• Recognises that carers have their own needs/requirements
• Engages the organisation’s constituents in decision-making
processes at every level of their organisation
ULO Design criteria - characteristics
• Provides support to enable people to exercise choice and control
• Is a legally constituted organisation
• Has a minimum of 75 per cent of the voting members on the
management board drawn from people who use services
• Able to demonstrate that people are supported to play a full and
active role in decisions
• Has a clear management structure
• Is financially sustainable
• Has paid employees, many of whom are users of the services
• Accountable to users of services and represents their views
• Supports the participation of people in designing, delivering and
monitoring its services
• Works with commissioners to improve commissioning and
procurement
Types of services provided by a ULO
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Information advice and guidance;
Advocacy and peer support;
Assistance with self-assessment;
Support in using individual budgets to meet needs;
Support to recruit and employ personal assistants;
Community transport network
Disability equality training; and
Consumer audits of local services
HR and training services
Why should public sector invest in ULOs
• Key to delivering choice and control and promoting
independent living
• Can empower people to shape their own lives and
services
• To deliver real user involvement
• ULOs can support Councils to deliver on key priorities
and therefore improve their performance, e.g. personal
budgets, carers strategy, promoting health
Findings from ULO Regional Project
• Little evidence of investment in ULOs from social care reform
grant
• Uncertainty about what a ULO is
• Lack of information about whether ULOs meet some or all of the
21 design criteria.
• Some LAs slow off the mark to put strategic plans in place
• Acknowledgement of the need for ULOs to be supported; areas
identified include training, funding, social enterprise
development, regional support systems, strategic and business
planning and marketing.
• ULOs identified a need for regional support and sharing of
information but limited resources to make this happen
Progress in Lincolnshire
• ULO’s - subject of the Co-Production development group
meeting on 11th September 2009.
• A draft strategy showing ‘what we will do to foster, stimulate and
encourage user led organisations locally’ was agreed by the
PPF Board on 9th November
• Regional workshop in Newark on 20th January
• New advocacy and involvement contract includes support for
the development of a ULO
• Research work to be commissioned
• Grant funding application being made