Tag: facilitationfund

Strengthening DPULOs Programme monthly update, no.11 (February 2013) #dpulo

This is the 11th monthly update about the Strengthening DPULOs Programme, which aims to ensure DPULOs can provide a strong voice for disabled people by being more sustainable. You can find all 10 of the previous updates here:

Since this is the first monthly update of 2013 this is something of a bumper edition of news, useful links and resources, which we hope you find useful.

“DPULOs Making A Difference: Disability Hate Crime”

As part of the Strengthening DPULOs Programme, we are developing the ‘DPULOs Making A Difference’ series. The series will comprise of collections of practical case studies which demonstrate how DPULOs have and are making a difference in their local communities.

We’re delighted the first in this series of case studies has been published: “DPULOs Making A Difference: disability hate crime”. The case studies are written by a DPULO – Access Dorset – and demonstrate how nine DPULOs have made a difference in addressing disability hate crime.

These have also been shared with all Police & Crime Commissioners and police forces. We’d also encourage you to share them with any relevant contacts you have, too.

You can download the case studies here: DPULOs Making A Difference: disability hate crime

If you are on Facebook, photos of the launch event are here.

A full overview of DPULOs

We have published a post that links together as much of the key information about DPULOs that we know about. This includes (a) What is a DPULO? (b) What DPULOs exist? (c) What value do DPULOs add? (d) What does the government think of DPULOs? (e) What evidence is there concerning DPULOs?

You can find the post and all the information it includes here.

DPULOs news

Below are some great news stories from DPULOs across Great Britain. If you have any news you’d like to share, let us know!

Useful resources

One key part of the Strengthening DPULOs Programme is to share learning and useful resources. Our bumper edition of useful links and resources is below:

If you have any learning or resources you’d like to share or have any resources you’d particularly like, please let us know (contact details are at the bottom of this update).

Find out more about the Programme

To find out more about the Strengthening DPULOs Programme, you can visit our website.

We have 250 “likes” on our Facebook page. If you are on Facebook perhaps you’d like to like us, too? We regularly update the page with lots of information you will hopefully find useful, plus news from other DPULOs: www.facebook.com/dpulos

If you are on Twitter, you can share information and find out more about DPULOs using the hashtag #dpulo.

As always, we’d be grateful if you can spread the word and publicise this news throughout your networks / newsletters / websites etc. We’d also be grateful for any feedback you have on this regular email.

Contact us

For information, biographies, contact details and details of the areas covered by each of the DPULO Ambassadors covers, please visit the Ambassadors page.

If you have any questions about the Facilitation Fund or any part Strengthening DPULOs Programme, please contact odi.businessperformance@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

Please feel free to forward this information on to any DPULOs, networks or stakeholders you think might find it interesting. If you didn’t receive the original email, please share your contact details with us so you can receive our monthly emails.

Personal note

I’ll be leaving my secondment role with the Strengthening DPULOs Programme in the next week to take up a new role at the National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi – www.ndti.org.uk), leading their mental health programme. One of the existing Ambassadors will take on the National Lead responsibilities (including the monthly bulletin!) and we’ll share further information on this as soon as we have it.

My personal thanks to everyone I’ve worked with and met in this role. It’s been a privilege working with so many great people and DPULOs, and I have every confidence you’ll carry on being a vital part of your local communities.

For info, you can still find me on Twitter @rich_w and on this blog!

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Sharing DASH’s journey (#dpulo)

It’s always great to hear about the difference the Facilitation Fund has made to a DPULO. Below, the Disablement Association Hillingdon – DASH – share what they’ve done through their Facilitation Fund award. Thanks to Angela Wegener for sending this to us.

Our award through the Facilitation Fund has led us on a journey that has opened up a number of opportunities for DASH as an organisation and its service users.

This award enabled us to set up a retail arm as Accredited Retailers for the Transforming Community Equipment Service, raising a small income by dispensing prescriptions and selling small aids and adaptations.

At the same time as this service was set up, our successful three year Transitions Project was coming to an end. This project had provided support for young people with a disability aged 16-25. The knowledge gained from this project had shown us that there was a real need to provide supported work experience placements for young people with disabilities, who when they leave college do not have any opportunity to gain experience and find employment.

Working with Hillingdon Adult Education we set up a small pilot project to trial work experience placements for a small number of their students who were on an ALDD course, giving them the opportunity to experience retail work at our office, in a supportive environment. This pilot was so successful that we decided to apply for funding from the Cadburys Foundation to enable us to continue to run it. This funding was granted, enabling us to employ a member of staff to oversee our new work experience programme.

This project has gone from strength to strength; we now work in partnership with property agents Knight Frank who kindly provide property maintenance work experience placements in their local office complex, Hyde Park Hayes, for young people once they have completed an initial six week assessment here with us. We are hoping that this will expand in the New Year to provide opportunities in working in their reception.

A number of young people have also been able to gain a Level 1 FA coaching qualification in football, and will be volunteering in local schools assisting at lunch time and after school clubs. It is hoped that in the future they will be paid a sessional fee for this.

We are also exploring the possibility of putting in a joint bid for funding with Hillingdon Adult Education, which will enable us to provide work experience placements at our local Rural Activities Garden Centre in their new café and shop.

You can find out more about DASH on their website here: http://www.dash.org.uk/

#dpulo Disability Cornwall awarded Investors in People gold status

This is great news: Disability Cornwall has been awarded the gold status for Investors in People. It’s particularly good news because it’s an award that any business or organisation would recognise, and shows the standard that DPULOs often operate at.

Below is the full press release from Disability Cornwall about their award. Congratulations to them on their achievement.

Disability Cornwall staff, Directors and volunteers celebrated their achievement on being awarded the highly prestigious Investors in People – Gold Standard by wearing gold at a special Away Day event held at Tregenna Castle on Friday.

Following a rigorous assessment that included lengthy interviews with all staff, Disability Cornwall now joins the top 3 of organisations across the UK who have achieved the GOLD standard. This standard is only given to organisations who can demonstrate excellence in developing and supporting their staff, and the charity needed to meet more than 165 evidence requirement standards that included commitment to values, personal development and social responsibility.

Chief Executive, Jane Johnson commented:

We are absolutely delighted to receive this extremely prestigious award. This is a fantastic result and the Assessor, Carolyn Inger was most complimentary in her feedback, stating the staff she met were some of the most committed, passionate and truly nice people she has ever had the pleasure of talking to, and that their attitude and competence, in her experience is second to none. It’s a great acknowledgement for the quality and personal commitment of staff and Directors to the continuous improvement of both themselves, our organisation, and the people we are here to support. It is said that if you get the right people in business the rest will follow.

Carolyn Inger, Investor in People Assessor working on behalf of Inspiring Business Performance LTD added:

Disability Cornwall has a totally positive culture, a real family feel, exceptional team working and true consideration for people as people. This combined with high skill levels, knowledge and experience of staff who feel really valued, as they make a difference to the lives of disabled people, generates not only a passion and buzz for the work undertaken, but also a highly successful organisation which has gone from strength to strength over the last few years.

Disability Cornwall is the leading pan disability organisation with a mission to facilitate a fully inclusive society in Cornwall through empowering disabled people to achieve independence, choice and control. In addition to being a representative body for equality, they provide a range of services including the Disability Information and Advice Line (DIAL) supporting more than 3000 people per year alone and Discover magazine, a disability lifestyle publication, in addition to a range of support services for personal budgets and for businesses, including access auditing, consultation and training.

You can find out more about Disability Cornwall here: http://disabilitycornwall.org.uk/

Strengthening DPULOs Programme monthly bulletin, no. 10 (end of year edition) #dpulo

This is the tenth monthly update about the Strengthening DPULOs Programme. This is also the last update of 2012, so rather than the usual mix of links and stories (which will begin again in January) I thought it would be useful to reflect on where the DPULOs agenda has got to.

2012: a year for DPULOs?

At the start of the year I suggested 2012 could be the year for DPULOs. There were 3 reasons for this view:

  1. There was a detectable shift towards leveling the playing field for different types of providers in public services
  2. There was proof that DPULOs could be clear about the value they add in representing disabled people’s voices locally
  3. The evidence for the difference DPULOs make was starting to come through, and stakeholders were starting to take note.

What we’ve seen over the last 12 months is further evidence for each of the points above. For example:

  1. DPULOs, social enterprises and mutuals are starting to be treated differently – and for the better – in the way public services are commissioned. Liverpool is one good example and we’ll have more in the New Year
  2. There is now significant evidence of the difference the voice of disabled people in their local communities, represented through DPULOs can make. This isn’t just in saving money (though that’s important), but also in the improvements in people’s quality of life. Just look at the evidence here.
  3. There is also now much more evidence than there’s ever been of the unique value DPULOs add when they deliver local services. They increase choice and control. They’re trusted more. They deliver a return on investment. And they save money. The evidence is here.

As a result, there’s been a major shift in thinking: the question I used to be asked all the time was “What is a DPULO?” Now, the question I am asked is “Now I know the difference they can make, how can I get the most out of one in my local area?”

Government has taken note, too: where DPULOs used to be thought of mainly in terms of social care, now they are reflected in several areas of policy:

  • In the ODI’s Fulfilling Potential documents and Right to Control Trailblazers
  • In the Home Office’s Hate Crime Action Plan
  • In the DWP’s drive to increase take up of Access to Work
  • In the DfE’s new approach to SEN and disability
  • In DCLG’s Community Budgets work
  • In the Cabinet Office’s Open Public Services White Paper
  • (A full list is here)

Not only this, but the Strengthening DPULOs Programme has provided over £1m of funding through the Facilitation Fund to enhance the sustainability of DPULOs (see here) .

And we’re thinking ahead to the future, too: whilst keeping on with the good stuff we’ve been doing, we’ll be getting new work going  in areas such as:

  • Examples of DPULOs working well with commissioners
  • DPULOs and Making It Real in social care
  • DPULOs and local Healthwatch
  • DPULOs and young disabled people
  • DPULOs, social media and accessible engagement
  • DPULOs and fundraising
  • Mapping the DPULO sector
  • Further evidence on the return on investment DPULOs deliver.

What about 2013?

Despite all of the positives of 2012, it has of course been an incredibly challenging year. DPULOs have not been immune from this, partly because of the significant challenges that disabled people themselves have faced and will continue to face.

And we know that circumstances facing DPULOs are likely to be just as hard, if not harder, into the future as local government and others also face a tough time.

But I am optimistic. As Baroness Campbell said:

Disabled people are the best problem solvers.

In a year that will see lots of problems for lots of different people and organisations, what better people and organisations to have working with you than disabled people and Disabled People’s User-Led Organisations?

Over the festive period, I shall reflect on the incredible work that all of you have done through your DPULOs in your local communities, and think forward to what you will continue to achieve in 2013 and beyond.

I hope you have a restful and relaxing holiday.

Rich Watts

(On behalf of all at the Strengthening DPULOs Programme team)

Find out more about the Programme

To find out more about the Strengthening DPULOs Programme, you can visit our website. We also regularly update our Facebook the page with lots of information you will hopefully find useful, plus news from other DPULOs: http://www.facebook.com/dpulos. If you are on Twitter, you can share information and find out more about DPULOs using the hashtag #dpulo. Please also remember to use the #dpulo hashtag if ever you’re tweeting about your work

You can find all 9 of the previous monthly updates here.

Contact us

For information, biographies, contact details and details of the areas covered by each of the DPULO Ambassadors covers, please visit the Ambassadors page.

If you have any questions about the Facilitation Fund or any part Strengthening DPULOs Programme, please contact odi.businessperformance@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

Please feel free to forward this information on to any DPULOs, networks or stakeholders you think might find it interesting.

Disabled People’s User-Led Organisations: a full overview

Information regarding Disabled People’s User-Led Organisations – the what, who, how, where etc. – tends to be found in very many places indeed.

With my centralising tendencies, I thought it would be useful to publish a post that links together some of the key information available here about DPULOs. In turn, these posts link on to a wide array of resources available.

This is by no means comprehensive, so please do let me know (in the comments, via @rich_w on Twitter or via Facebook) if there’s anything I need to add in.

What is a DPULO?

What DPULOs exist?

What do DPULOs do?

What value do DPULOs add?

See also the evidence section below

What does the government think of DPULOs?

What evidence is there concerning DPULOs?

Beyond Barriers – Improving Library Services for all in Solihull

As part of the Strengthening Disabled People’s User-Led Organisations programme, I’m always keen to hear about how DPULOs are doing interesting work in their local communities. Enable-Solihull is doing some fascinating work with their local council on the topic of libraries as community hubs – read below for more details. If you’d like to share a similar story/success, freel free to leave a comment and I’ll follow up.

Enable-Solihull is a User-Led Disability Organisation based in Solihull, West Midlands. In close partnership with Solihull Council’s Libraries and Action for Blind People, we are currently organising two Beyond Barriers events.

Solihull Borough’s libraries are vital community hubs; not only the gateway to a vast range of information and entertainment, but also valued community meeting places. Our libraries should be readily available and fully accessible to all members of our community.

Although Solihull libraries provide a range of support services for disabled people, people are not necessarily aware of these. In addition, there may be other physical and social barriers that prevent disabled people from using these services. It is vital to engage with the local community to understand what their needs are and to be able to respond to them.

These events aim to raise awareness of these specialised services and to explore with disabled people any barriers they face in accessing these services.

Following the two sessions, Enable-Solihull and Action for Blind People will work with Solihull Council to put together an action plan to make improvements and address any concerns that are raised by this engagement.

The first of the two open mornings takes place at Chelmsley Wood Library on Thursday 6th December, with the second event at Solihull Central Library on Tuesday 22nd January 2013. Both events run from 11:00am – 1:00pm, with an optional tour of our library facilities beginning at 11:00am. Please see flyer for full details.

Independent Living Information Points

In January, a brand-new disability and social care signposting and information service Independent Living Information Points will be launched. This will be available to the public on a drop-in basis and based in community libraries.

This will initially be a pilot scheme, with the service initially available in the two main libraries in the Borough: Chelmsley Wood Library and Solihull Central Library.

This new service will be delivered by trained volunteers and is seen as being the first step to developing a Centre of Independent Living (CIL) for disabled people and carers in Solihull.

This new service is being provided by Solihull Independent Living Consortium (SILC). SILC is led by Enable-Solihull and is a partnership of local charities involved in providing health and social care services to Solihull people.

Services offered by SILC members include home care, advice and information services, day services, leisure activities and care homes. The members of SILC are Enable-Solihull, SoLO, Family Care Trust, DIAL Solihull, Solihull Carers Centre, Age UK Solihull, Solihull Care Ltd and SWICDA (Solihull Workforce in Care Development Association).

For more information on Enable-Solihull visit: www.enable-solihull.org.uk

For more information on SILC Visit: www.solihull-silc.org.uk

#DPULO bulletin extra edition: over £1m awarded to DPULOs, working with commissioners, and Access to Work

Three pieces of good news through the Strengthening DPULOs Programme that I couldn’t wait any longer to share them…

The Strengthening DPULOs Programme has 3 pieces of news that are so good that we couldn’t wait until the end of the month to share them with you!

These are highlighted below. Remember: if you use social media and would like to stay up-to-date on relevant DPULO news, you can find regular updates on our Facebook page and on Twitter using the hashtag #dpulo.

1. Strengthening DPULOs Programme Facilitation Fund passes £1m mark

Over £1.2m has been awarded to more than 80 DPULOs through the Strengthening DPULOs Programme Facilitation Fund since it began in July 2011.

The full press notice is available here.

We have updated the website, guidance notes and application forms to make information about the Facilitation Fund easier to access. You can find this here.

Please do consider submitting a bid soon – we’re keen to ensure the Facilitation Fund benefits as many DPULOs in as many areas as possible!

2. DPULOs Making A Diference: working with commissioners

Living Options Devon – a DPULO in the south west – is bringing together a collection of case studies on behalf of the Strengthening DPULOs Programme to explore how DPULOs and commissioners have worked well together for the benefit of disabled people in their communities. The focus will be on practical solutions and will encourage commissioners to start, or continue, working closely with DPULOs in their area.

We are looking for a range of case study examples for the collection on a range of different topics, and can pay DPULOs £340 for their involvement in the work.

To find out what case studies we’re looking for and to get in touch with us on this, please visit DPULOs Making A Difference: working with commissioners.

3. Access to Work

Some positive changes to Access to Work were announced earlier this week – you can read the full press release here.

In announcing the changes, the Minister for Disabled People, Esther McVey MP, also highlighted that DPULOs will be invited to look at what else can be done to provide one-to-one peer support to disabled people using the Access to Work scheme. More information will follow on this soon.

Please feel free to share this update with your networks. The next Strengthening DPULOs Programme monthly bulletin will be sent next week. If you have anything you would like to include in it, please let me know – Richard.Watts1@dwp.gsi.gov.uk.

Strengthening DPULOs Programme monthly update, no.9 (October 2012) #dpulo

This is the ninth monthly update about the Strengthening DPULOs Programme, which aims to ensure DPULOs can provide a strong voice for disabled people by being more sustainable. You can find all 8 of the previous updates here.

There has been so much useful information published this month that this update is a bumper edition of useful links and resources. A special edition of the update – with some good news about the Strengthening DPULOs Programme and about our work with partners on Healthwatch – will follow very soon.

Useful resources

One key part of the Strengthening DPULOs Programme is to share learning and useful resources. Our bumper edition of useful links and resources is below:

If you have any learning or resources you’d like to share or have any resources you’d particularly like, please let us know (contact details are at the bottom of this update).

Find out more about the Programme

To find out more about the Strengthening DPULOs Programme, you can visit our website.

We have 193 “likes” on our Facebook page. If you are on Facebook, can you help us get to over 200? We regularly update the page with lots of information you will hopefully find useful, plus news from other DPULOs: www.facebook.com/dpulos

If you are on Twitter, you can share information and find out more about DPULOs using the hashtag #dpulo.

As always, we’d be grateful if you can spread the word and publicise this news throughout your networks / newsletters / websites etc. We’d also be grateful for any feedback you have on this regular email.

Contact us

For information, biographies, contact details and details of the areas covered by each of the DPULO Ambassadors covers, please visit the Ambassadors page.

If you have any questions about the Facilitation Fund or any part Strengthening DPULOs Programme, please contact odi.businessperformance@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

Please feel free to forward this information on to any DPULOs, networks or stakeholders you think might find it interesting. If you didn’t receive the original email, please share your contact details with us so you can receive our monthly emails.

All in one place: every monthly #dpulo bulletin

Each month, I publish a monthly bulletin for the Strengthening DPULOs Programme. As well as recent good and relevant news from the world of Disabled People’s User-Led Organisations, each monthly bulletin also includes links to useful resources.

Below are links to each of the monthly bulletins.

If there are any resources or learning you’d like to share with the wide DPULO network, just let me know in the comments below.

Strengthening DPULOs Programme, monthly bulletins:

Strengthening DPULOs Programme monthly update, no.8 (September 2012) #dpulo

This is the eighth monthly update about the Strengthening DPULOs Programme, which aims to ensure DPULOs can provide a strong voice for disabled people by being more sustainable. You can find the seventh update here.

1. DPULOs at the heart of the government’s disability work

On 17 September, the government published documents which set out its approach to the commitment to enable disabled people to fulfil their potential and play a full role in society.

“Fulfilling Potential: the discussions so far” summarised what the government heard from disabled people and their organisations, whilst “Fulfilling Potential: next steps” outlines areas for action. You can read both of these documents here.

The role of Disabled People’s User-Led Organisations is central to the government’s work on disability – a role that is made clear in both of the Fulfilling Potential documents.

In two dedicated posts, we have highlighted where DPULOs are recognised within Fulfilling Potential. This will also support you refer to these parts in your own conversations with local councils and other funders.

2. Significant Facilitation Fund milestone on the horizon…

The Strengthening DPULOs Programme is close to awarding over £1m to DPULOs. So far, we have awarded over £910,000 to 68 DPULOs so far. Good stuff, but always more to do! If you want to know more about how to access the £3m Facilitation Fund, visit http://odi.dwp.gov.uk/dpuloprogramme.

If you’re a DPULO in Scotland or Wales, don’t forget that the Strengthening DPULOs Programme is now available for you, too.  The dedicated Ambassador for Scotland is Margaret Simpson and the dedicated Ambassador for Wales is Cerrys Hill. You can find their contract details here.

3. Speaking of success…

A DPULO supported by the Facilitation Fund wins European Diversity Award from Google: “Georgie” – which is a phone app for blind people created by Communication for Blind People – won the “Outstanding use of tech in the field of diversity” award, sponsored by Google. You can read more here: http://www.europeandiversityawards.com/

4. Breakthrough National Independent Living Awards

Don’t forget: Breakthrough UK is currently receiving nominations for its 5th National Independent Living Awards. These are a tremendous opportunity to showcase the work you do, either by yourself or working with other partners. To find out more and enter, please visit their website.

The closing date for applications is Monday 15 October 2012.

5. Useful resources

One key part of the Strengthening DPULOs Programme is to share learning and useful resources. Some useful links to recent information we’ve published are below:

If you have any learning or resources you’d like to share or have any resources you’d particularly like, please let us know (contact details are at the bottom of this update).

Find out more about the Programme

To find out more about the Strengthening DPULOs Programme, you can visit our website: http://odi.dwp.gov.uk/dpuloprogramme

We have now “liked” every DPULO we know about on Facebook and will regularly share news from them around the country. If you are on Facebook you can keep in touch with the programme through our regularly updated page: www.facebook.com/dpulos

If you are on Twitter, you can share information and find out more about DPULOs using the hashtag #dpulo.

As always, we’d be grateful if you can spread the word and publicise this news throughout your networks / newsletters / websites etc. We’d also be grateful for any feedback you have on this regular email.

Contact us

For information, biographies, contact details and details of the areas covered by each of the DPULO Ambassadors covers, please visit the Ambassadors page.

If you have any questions about the Facilitation Fund or any part Strengthening DPULOs Programme, please contact odi.businessperformance@dwp.gsi.gov.uk.

Please feel free to forward this information on to any DPULOs, networks or stakeholders you think might find it interesting. If you didn’t receive the original email, please share your contact details with us so you can receive our monthly emails.