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Changing Our Lives Newsletter May 2012

Inside…

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Siraaj speaks at West Midlands Getting Ready

seminar

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Annual Young Voices Forum

From Bike to Mike

On 20th April 2012, Siraaj attended "Commissioning for Quality Learning Disabilities Health Self Assessment Framework for 2012/13". The aim of the day was to look at the health self assessment framework and to see how we can work together and improve the health care for people with learning disabilities. Siraaj’s presentation focused on the importance of involving people with learning disabilities from the very beginning. It also looked at co-production between the health professionals and people with learning disabilities. He talked about how by looking at numbers we do not learn anything. We need to go out in the individual areas and listen and talk to people with learning disabilities to find out about good and bad stories and experiences of healthcare in their area.

New Patient Council

The Big Health Check

Changing Our Lives

May 2012

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New Patient Council – Newton House There is now a Patient Council in Newton House step down unit! Newton House is run by the Black Country Partnership Foundation Trust. Some of the members of the Gerry Simon Patient Council decided they wanted to set up their own Council when they moved to Newton House. Their first campaign is to get more employment and work experience opportunities for people with learning disabilities and mental health issues who have been sectioned under the mental health act. They will be letting everyone know how they are getting on soon!

We are setting up a multimedia team here at Changing Our Lives made up of people with learning disabilities and autism. If you are interested in taking part in this group, get in touch with subtan@changingourlives.org to find out more. We need a name for the new team, so if you are feeling creative and have some good ideas let us know!

Multi Media Team

Changing Our Lives May 2012

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From Bike to Mike

On 22nd June, Blind Dave Heeley will be cycling with 500 riders from Wolverhampton to Aberdovey in Wales to raise money for charity as part of the annual Aberdovey Bike Ride. Next day, Dave and his team are cycling all the way back again to The Public to raise money for Changing Our Lives. You can download a sponsorship form from our website under events.

To welcome them home on Saturday 23rd June we will be holding a special event to include an Open Mic Night. Be there from 2.30pm to cheer all the cyclists across the finish line. There will be with lots of fun stuff going on, including orchestras and dance, as well as opportunities for you find out more about the work that we do.

Let us know if you would like to perform at the open mic - talent scouts will be selecting the best acts for this year’s Spotlight final on 9th November.

Changing Our Lives

May 2012

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Changing Young Lives

May 24th was our annual Young Voices Forum day and the best yet! 40 students from Westminster, St Michael's High School, Victoria Park and Bristnall Hall came to join in the fun. They enjoyed a range of special workshops including art, comic life, music production and street dance. The event closed with two live street dance performances - you'd have never guessed that they only learnt the routine that morning!

Annual Young Voice’s Forum 2012

This is what the young people thought… "Brilliant, uplifting, confidence and self esteem building, children had freedom to express themselves - when is the next one?" "I liked making robots and it was funny because they had a battle, it was sick". "We loved the street dance 10/10". "Fun, fantastic, brilliant, wicked, can we come again? The DJ was really good".

Changing Our Lives May 2012

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Siraaj Nadat led a Getting Ready health event on 29th May at the Public in West Bromwich. The Getting Ready event is part of the learning disability Health Self-Assessment that is happening all around England. At the Getting Ready day, we have been asking local people with learning disabilities what good things are happening with health care and what needs to get better. This information is then fed into a Big Health Check Day where people with learning disabilities work with professionals to prioritise what needs to be done locally to make health care better. All of this information, along with information from the local council and the Primary Care Trust is then sent to the NHS West Midlands. NHS West Midlands check to see if this information is correct and then each local authority area is told how they are doing and what they need to do better. The Big Health Check Day is happening at the Public on 19th June. If you want any more information about it email ask@changingourlives.org

Getting Ready for the Big Health Check

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The Public New Street

West Bromwich B70 7PG

Tel: 0121 533 7174 ask@changingourlives.org

www.changingourlives.org www.twitter.com/Positive_Lives

Altogether Different

Changing Our Lives May 2012

Altogether Different is a new women’s group led by local women with learning

disabilities. We meet the last Wednesday of each month for women aged 25 - 45, 12.00am – 1.30pm In the Pinktank at The Public. Come along!

• Make new friends • Share life experiences and culture • Become more independent • Get support