Changing Our Lives Newsletter

Equal Voices

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Changing Our Lives successfully launched their films about Equal

Voices, Community Safety and the Our Money, Our Choice Project on 8th July. The event was held at

The Public and was compered by our brilliant double act, Nigel and Andy.

Community Safety

Our Money Choice

Equal Voices is a set of short films made by young people with autism about their lives. You can have a look at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Fe8lQqMuRw

The Community Safety film aims to improve the awareness of safety for people with learning disabilities and highlights the Safe Places scheme.

The Our Money, Our Choice project aims to help people gain a better understand of the costs of their services and support.

More to follow on the next page …..

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Adam Davies and Izzy Brant made short films about the challenges they face and their hopes and plans for the future. They are both aware of how autism affects them, but are determined not to let it hold them back. They are people first!

Equal Voices

I don’t want to be pushed into a corner. I want to live my life and not be labeled as different.

I am a 25 year old man.

I like to do things

independently and be

grown up.

Steve Dugmore, Changing Our Lives Trustee, introduced the Community Safety Film in which a group of people bully a man with a learning disability and explain what to do if you are a victim of hate crime. In Sandwell people

Community Safety

with learning disabilities carry a Safe Places Card with their name and contact details on. Nearly 300 local businesses and shops display the Safe Places Logo so that they are easily identifiable as a place to get help.

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Our Leaders Changing Our Lives is proud to tell you

about the achievements of some of our self-

advocates.

Three Sandwell MPs talk about being a leader.

Zabia - I like being an MP because it makes me aware of things that I never knew and gives me information to help myself as well as other people. I like to make changes by talking to professionals directly and getting the answers to make sure that things get done! In the future I plan to do more with Changing Our Lives, like training to become an Auditor.

Nazia - I like being an MP to have my voice heard, make things happen and meet new people. It means I go to different places and give presentations about topics that are important to us to make the lives of people with learning disabilities better.

Ravi - I am Secretary of the MP Meetings. I like doing this because it gives me work experience as I’d like to work in an office one day. I like to know that I’m helping people with learning disabilities to live equal lives.

Sexual Health and Relationships We are doing some work in partnership with Sandwell PCT about sexual health and relationships for adults with learning disabilities. We recently held 2 focus groups where we discussed sexual health and relationships to give us a clearer idea of people’s awareness and experiences. We sent out accessible surveys to local day services and providers to find out the views of lots of different people. We need staff to support people to complete these surveys to make sure that their voice is heard. This piece of work is really important to help make sure that adults with learning disabilities have the right support and access to services to make sure that they have all the information to help them to make the right decisions to keep them safe. If you would like to take part in the survey please contact ask@changingourlives.org

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Following our hugely successful Open Mic Nights, our judges have started to select the acts (what a tough choice!) that will appear in the Spotlight final at The Public on

Friday 18th November 6.00 – 10.00pm.

It will be a red carpet event – entry by Invitation only.

Open Mic Nights Changing Our Lives will be holding

regular Open Mic Nights at The Public, when anyone can perform. Put them in

your diary! 3rd February 2012

13th April 2012 1st June2012

Changing Our Lives supports

www.stayuplate.org

What’s happening next?

Changing Our Lives The Public, New Street, West Bromwich B70 7PG

Tel: 0121 533 7174

Email: ask@changiingourlives.org

www.changingourlives.org

www.twitter.com/Positive_Lives

Autism Survey

Sir David Nicholson, Chief Executive of the NHS in England visits, Changing Our Lives in November 2011

Changing Our Lives has worked with people with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, people with visual and hearing impairments and people with mental health issues and older people to develop a set of Quality of Health standards. These standards will be used as a basis for audits of health services carried out by people from the above groups. This is a national first and Sir David Nicolson is coming to Sandwell to find out more about the work and launch the standards.

Changing Our Lives is working with people on the Autistic Spectrum to complete a survey about their experiences of services relating Health, Housing, Employment & Personal Budgets. We are looking for people to tell us about the services they access and to make suggestions for things that they would like to change.

If you or someone you know would like to take part, please contact Subtan Mahmood at Changing Our Lives or download the survey.