Speaking Up Groups

The Speaking Up Groups are part of the Skillnet Group.

We have been supporting the District Partnership Groups, Joint Chairs, the Kent Partnership Board, Implementation, Focus Groups and Networks, the Regional Forum for People with a Learning Disability, and other big meetings and conferences.

We meet at different places including:

• Deal Drop-in,
• Skillnet Dover office,
• Canterbury Oasis Club,
• Sheppey Healthy Living Centre,
• Crawford Centre,
• Skillnet Group House in Sittingbourne.

 

 

Things we talk about:

• Local Issues
• Transport
• Hate Crime
• Relationships
• Responsibilities
• Money
• Health
• Jobs
• New Laws That Affect Us
• How To Be More Independent.
• How To Speak Up And Be More Confident.

                                      
We work in partnership with other organisations and groups. We provide training and go to meetings about things that are important to us. We hold workshops about things that people feel strongly about.

The Speaking Up Groups is working with Doctors and Health staff to provide training to them about how to make it better for people with learning difficulties when we have to go to the Doctor’s.

We are also working with the Department of Health to develop an accessible DVD and other information about In Control so that more people can find out about it.

Some of the other projects we are working on:

• Working with schools to riase awareness oflearning difficulties.
  
• Hate Crime Workshops.
  
• Disability Equality Duty Training.
  
• Direct Payments.
  
• Person Centred Planning.
  
• Employment in the South East.
  
• Transport.
  
• Work Force Development.
  

Things We Want To Do In The Future

• Encourage and support more people to speak up and be more confident. We will make sure that people are listened to and taken seriously.
  
  
• Do more training and get paid for the work that we do.
  
  
• Hold more workshops.
  
  
• Go to more conferences and meetings.
  
  
• Try to reach more people in residential homes and people with high support needs.
  
  
• Continue to work closely with other Advocacy Organisations such as People First, Voice 4 Kent, Advocacy Works and North Kent Advocacy.
  
  
• Continue to support other people with a learning difficulty to become leaders and be more confident.
  
  
• Continue networking and meeting up with people from other areas so that we get stronger.