User Empowerment for People with Disabilities – our Interview with Disability Partnership
By Milena Rampoldi and Denise Nanni, ProMosaik. In the
following an interview with Dave Thompson of the organisation Disability Partnership in
the UK. We asked him questions about integration of people with disabilities,
about the services his organisation offers, and about general problems peopel
with disabilities face. ProMosaik struggles for non-discrimination of people
with disabilities according to the princple that diversity enriches our life
and experience, by extending our horizon and knowledge. We have so much to
learn from people with disabilities. Thanks to Dave for his participation and
his time to answer to our questions.
What is independent living and how it improve
the life’s quality of people with long term health conditions?
the life’s quality of people with long term health conditions?
choice and control that disabled people, and people living with long term
health conditions have over lives and work.
As the majority of our team of staff and volunteers at Warrington Disability Partnership have years of experience of living
with a disability or long term health condition, they are experts on a wide
range of matters including housing, equipment, employment, transport, etc.
Together we share our life experiences to help others through a range of
information, advice and guidance.
with a disability or long term health condition, they are experts on a wide
range of matters including housing, equipment, employment, transport, etc.
Together we share our life experiences to help others through a range of
information, advice and guidance.
In which way do you make contact with people
that can have benefits from your work? How are you spreading useful
information about independent living?
that can have benefits from your work? How are you spreading useful
information about independent living?
We offer a range of
27 services aimed at improving mobility and independent living. These services
are located in publicly accessible facilities including our Centre for
Independent Living which offers a one stop shop of services, and several
services that are located within the town centre.
27 services aimed at improving mobility and independent living. These services
are located in publicly accessible facilities including our Centre for
Independent Living which offers a one stop shop of services, and several
services that are located within the town centre.
Our staff and volunteers are heavily involved in the community,
attending dozens of meetings each month, and staffing exhibition and
information stands at venues across the town.
attending dozens of meetings each month, and staffing exhibition and
information stands at venues across the town.
Do you cooperate with any local authorities or
schools/universities?
schools/universities?
We work very closely with our local statutory partners including health
and social care providers. We operate a number of contracts that they find
including employment, independent living and education and training
services.
and social care providers. We operate a number of contracts that they find
including employment, independent living and education and training
services.
more in order to address the empowerment of people with long term health issues?
During the past 25 years I have travelled widely across Europe and
the Middle East. I found a wide disparity between institutions that provided
excellent services which encouraged and supported on their own lives. Sadly, I
also found a number of institutions which created institutional behaviour where
users of services were disempowered and reliant on support staff for basic
daily living with little or no choice or control over their lives.
the Middle East. I found a wide disparity between institutions that provided
excellent services which encouraged and supported on their own lives. Sadly, I
also found a number of institutions which created institutional behaviour where
users of services were disempowered and reliant on support staff for basic
daily living with little or no choice or control over their lives.
institutions and policy makers about this topic?
It’s simple, institutions should look to promote a “can do culture”
focus sing on what disabled people and people living with long term conditions
“can do”, not what we can’t do. They should look to develop peer
support, encouraging shared learning from people with lived experience.
focus sing on what disabled people and people living with long term conditions
“can do”, not what we can’t do. They should look to develop peer
support, encouraging shared learning from people with lived experience.
Our team consists of 52 paid staff and 230 volunteers. This has
been developed over 25 years from 3 disabled people who met at a social
services day centre in 1991. We believe it’s true “user
empowerment”.
been developed over 25 years from 3 disabled people who met at a social
services day centre in 1991. We believe it’s true “user
empowerment”.
