Latest news
Health Equality for All: hear our aims
We debated the 5th White Paper from the People's Parliament. People with learning disabilities experience Health inequality. They live shorter lives and are more prone to illnesses and life-limiting conditions. Our White Paper asked questions about how health for people with learning disabilities can be improved. We asked commissioners, public health and health organisations for 10 pledges. We got 13! Real Jobs for Real People
'Real jobs for real people' was our 4th White Paper. Having a job can make a big difference to people’s lives. Research shows that people who work and get paid for it have more choices, more control over their money, better health and more confidence. Our White Paper asked questions about how work opportunities for people with learning disabilities can be improved. We debated it on Friday 13th March at County Hall. County Council Chief Executive Claire Marchant joined us for the photos and pledge signing - with a Comic Relief red nose! Take a look at the pledges we got from the County Council, the Department of Work and Pensions and the Local Enterprise Partnership. |
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Safe Places success!
A Safe Places scheme was already running in Kidderminster. One of the pledges we got at our debate on Crime and Justice was for funding to spread this across the county. The Police and Crime Commissioner gave £20,000. The scheme launched in Worcester last week. Watch the video on You Tube! It will soon start in Redditch and then Droitwich by the end of the year. Transitions Parliament
The 3rd People's Parliament was held on Fri 5th December. We debated going from being a youth to adulthood and the changes that take place. By the end of the debate Worcestershire County Council, NHS England and local colleges had made 8 pledges about how services will improve! You can watch part of the session on our Vimeo channel Download a copy of the White Paper we debated - click on 'Download File':
Our new Outreach Worker
Meet Connie Croft. Connie is the new Outreach Worker for the People's Parliament. Her job is to contact people with high support needs and find out what they think is important. read all about her work on this leaflet Connie is keen to hear from anyone in Worcestershire who could help her make contact with adults with learning disabilities and high support needs. Making headlines!
This is how the Worcester News reported our Crime and Justice Pledge signing. |
More Pledges signed!
MWPs met at West Mercia Police HQ to sign pledges from the Crime and Justice People's Parliament.
Here are Tim, Laura, Sally, Jess and Pat showing off the signed pledges.
MWPs met at West Mercia Police HQ to sign pledges from the Crime and Justice People's Parliament.
Here are Tim, Laura, Sally, Jess and Pat showing off the signed pledges.
Probation Pledges!
Susanna Stennett, Head of Service for the West Mercia Community Rehabilitation Company, met members of the People’s Parliament. She signed a pledge to make sure that every member of her staff receives proper training and information on working with adults with learning disabilities. Ms Stennett said, “We work directly with offenders to tackle the causes of their offending behaviour and help them to stop re-offending. Many of our clients have learning disabilities or difficulties so we welcome this opportunity to improve the way we identify their needs.” Sally Lapsley is vice chair of the parliament. “We are really pleased that so many of the people who made promises are actually doing something about them!” |
Signing the pledges after our second People's Parliament. MWPs had pledges from West Mercia Police, The Police and Crime Commissioner, Worcestershire County Council, West Mercia Probation Trust and the County Hate Incident Partnerships.
The pledges cover funding, support and training to reduce Hate Crime and improve the way that agencies work with people with learning disabilities.
The pledges cover funding, support and training to reduce Hate Crime and improve the way that agencies work with people with learning disabilities.
You can watch a video of the whole thing!
Just click the blue button to go to our Vimeo page.
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The People's Parliament on Fri 6th June
The second sitting of the People's Parliament was on Fri 6th June. It was in the Council Chamber at County Hall. We debated our White Paper on Crime and Justice. To read a copy click the blue button on the left. MWPs had been busy questioning the police, victim support, courts and probation workers. Here we are meeting with James Wheeliker from Community Safety, DI Pete Funnell and DS Lesley Fisher from West Mercia Police. We talked about Hate Crime. We heard about a new e-learning course called Tackling Hate Incidents Together. We want to see if it is OK for people with learning disabilities. Why not try it out? Click the blue button . |
The first Worcestershire People’s Parliament took place on Friday 31st January 2014.
Watch a podcast of the parliament! Click here The members (MWPs) debated their White Paper "Future Lives and the internet: the Good, the Bad, the Ugly." Working in pairs, MWPs highlighted important issues raised by the County Council's Future Lives change programme:
Debating with the MWPs were Dr Richard Harling, Director of Adult Social Care and Health for Worcestershire County Council, and Sharon Paterson, Joint Commissioning Manager. The debate has led to the County Council making four major pledges.
The People's Parliament got a lot of attention and over 30 guests came, taking part in the lively debate: County and District councillors, Robin Walker MP, representative from local self-advocacy groups, reps from day and support service providers, Worcestershire Coalition for Independent Living, Healthwatch, and Worcester Snoezelen. Closing the Parliament, Laura Gill, the chair of the group, thanked Sylvia Meyrick for her work in getting it going, and everyone for giving up their time to be there. Cllr Pattie Hill said, "Can I thank you all. This has been an exceptional meeting; in fact, one of the best council meetings me and my colleagues have ever attended. Your wit, your humour, your smiles and everything have been absolutely superb and I look forward to many more of them." |
Future Lives: pathways to independence
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In the White Paper members asked a number of questions, challenging the view that everyone finds using the internet easy, simple and safe.
. You can download a copy of the White Paper by clicking the pdf icon.
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We visited the Houses of Parliament!
We were very pleased to look round Westminster Hall and St Stephen's Hall and watch a debate in the House of Commons. We had a meeting with our local MPs while we were there: Robin Walker, Peter Luff, Harriet Baldwin and Karen Lumley asked us questions and told us about their work. |