Transcript Building Communities - Canterbury Christ Church University

Kent LD Partnership Board
Building Communities
Des Sowerby
Joint Director Learning Disability
Kent
Summary of what I will say
• What does “building communities” mean
• Why do it
• How does it fit into the big ideas (policy)
What does “Building Communities” Mean?
• History….
Institutions
Professionals
Lonely &
Isolated
The present
• Current Society
is so fast……
• We are so busy, we live parallel lives and
don’t really meet
• These are not very good places for people
with disabilities to live happily….
Why Do “Community Building”
1. Money – we can’t afford to keep the
institutions going
2. Values – People thrive and are happiest
when they are welcome, useful members of
their local community. When they belong
and have good relationships with people
they see often.
How does it fit into Policy?
New System of Welfare + Social Contract
In Control
Self Directed Support
Personalisation
Putting People First
Use money differently
Some ways of using the money
differently….
• Individual Budgets
• Local control or influence on
commissioning
• Investing in Communities
as well as in Services
Sevenoaks - a great place to
live and work?
Building Inclusive Communities
In Kent
Working with local people in Sevenoaks, Kent
Community is an Experience not just a Place
Things We Like About Where We
Live and Work
Discovering and Using the Assets
of the Community
• We are the community
• Not integration but true
inclusion
• Breaking the barriers to
people meeting and
knowing each other
• Building a capacity map of
the place we live
• Working with local leaders
– Leaders come in many
ways
To Offer Help to Support and
Strengthen Communities
• Strengthen links to
community networks
• Expand memberships in
community associations
• Increase openness of
local economy
• Improving inclusiveness
of all services available
to all local people
MAIN GOAL: Getting People Better Lives
Connecting people to
stay in
(Partnerships,
friendships and
support networks)
Letting People in
(Access to places)
Welcoming People In
(Raising awareness)
Supporting People in
(Sharing gifts,
abilities and providing
good support to
contribute)
Everyone Playing Their Part
Town and District Councils
Community
Safety
NHS
Schools
Business
WHAT ARE OUR COMMON
GOALS/LOCAL PRIORITIES?
Public Transport
Public
Finding Ways to Be Together
• Speaking directly to
our community –
• Our ‘Penshurst Place
experiment’
A logo that embraces all of our
work
Work with Schools
• Making a film about
getting a good life
• Working with young
people – tomorrows
leaders
Telling People Who Can Be Part of
Changing Things
• Gaining political
support and public
profile
• Lloyds TSB Inclusion
Award
Linking with Faith Communities
• Opening up
opportunities to
express faith
• Improving access to
church services
• Looking at transport
• Helping ‘Churches
Together’ with their
outreach mission
Reaching Local People
• Sharing ideas using
the newspapers
• Building alliances with
other community
groups
Helping local services to welcome
all
• Opening access to
mainstream public
services
• Sevenoaks Library
• Sports and Leisure
• Always being open to
opportunities and
acting quickly
Building Working Partnerships
• DPG and Voluntary
Action West Kent
together
 Volunteering
 Work experience
 Sports
 Leisure
 Employment
Links Across the World
• Victoria, Australia
• Minnesotta, USA
District Partnership Group –
Lessons Learned and Next Steps
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•
•
•
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Need sympathetic local government
A few good people / networks / contacts
Difficult to engage very disabled people
Difficult to engage relatives and carers
Don’t be too structured
Use local media
Next Steps
•
-
Services
No decision without individuals involvement
District Partnership Group
Broker/Commissioner of services
• Community
- broader and deeper links
- Different definition of issues
Broader & Deeper Links
•
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Business Section
Local
Community
Public Sector – Leisure/Library/Social
Care
Different Definition of Issues
• People with disabilities as customers
• People with disabilities as workers
• People with disabilities as citizens