NewsletterSEPTEMBER 2017

2 From the Editor

2 Learning DisabilityWeek

3 Focus on …Volunteering andFundraising4-6 News & Events —Bright Futures:

-Employment-COPs-Working for YouTrusteesUNICEF

7 Being . . .Chris Clements

8 Photo Finish

8 Diary Dates

8 How to find us

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Some of the cast in the successful ‘House of (un)Commons’ COPs drama production at the artsdepot theatre. The sold out musical wasdevised and written by the Showdown drama group, who meet at Finchley Youth Theatre on Mondays.

(Un)Common People

Learning Disability Week 2017It is important that staff in key public services know

how best to communicate with people with learningdisabilities. Raising awareness with mainstream servicesis one of Barnet Mencap’s strategic goals.

So this year’s Learning Disability Week has been agreat opportunity to do that. Barnet Mencap, withmembers of the Have Your Say group, has worked withthe Barnet Learning Disability Service by spending a daywith the police and fire service. They talked with policeofficers at Colindale station, giving them communicationtips and dispelling some of the myths around learningdisability. They explained how the police could work betterwith people with learning disabilities who report a crime orare witnesses. They also told officers how to refer tospecialist services, where this is necessary to get extrahelp. Both the police and fire service would like moretraining and want to have easy read information available.

The group also went to the fire stations in Finchley andHendon and did the same thing. Fire Officers can play avital role in helping people with learning disabilities withfire safety. They can help with alarms and othermeasures, as well as advising them on issues likehoarding paper at home. The fire service would like thereto be more referrals between them and Barnet Mencap.

Learning Disability Week was also a chance for staff,trustees and people with learning disabilities to meetcounterparts across southern England at the Big Day Out.

Barnet Mencap contributed to the session on earlyintervention services for children and families and its rolein the North West London Mencap Consortium. Peoplefrom Barnet Mencap volunteered on the day and everyonefound it a useful way to cement the relationship with RoyalMencap.

It is almost three years since westarted work on the Bright Futurescontract and on pages 4-5 we havehighlighted some of the things thisservice has achieved.

Zofia started work with BarnetMencap and has already been busyrecruiting volunteers and raising moneyfor the organisation in her role asVolunteering and FundraisingCoordinator.

On 8th November, Barnet Mencap isholding its AGM and we hope as manymembers and supporters as possibleare able to attend. We’re at a newvenue this year, and the details of thiscan be found on the back page. Thisyear marks some importantanniversaries for us. It is 30 yearssince the Family Support servicestarted, helping parent carers anddisabled children and 25 years forOpen Door. This service helpedfamilies in those vital early years andboth projects are still going strong.

It is also 25 years since COPsstarted. While the project has changedin that time, it has always given peoplewith learning disabilities and autism theopportunity to make friends, learn skillsand have fun.

At the AGM, we will also bepresenting a special resolution. BarnetMencap needs to update its Articlesand Memorandum of Understanding.This is our governing document andinformation will be made available toexplain the changes. I hope that youare able to support it when it comes toa vote on 8th November.

Ray Booth

From theEditor

PAGE 2

Big Day Out: Nicola and Amir representing our Have Your Say groupwith volunteers at the Big Day Out

It is a very exciting time at Barnet Mencapdue to a number of volunteer positions opening inthe past few months. We have already recruited10 new volunteers who will support our activities,reception desk and office as well as the Childs HillLibrary service. We have participated in theBarnet Volunteer Fair which took place at theartsdepot theatre in early June and gave us achance to spread the word about our opportunitiesand services. The event also allowed us to awardtwo of our amazing volunteers, Annalie andGeorge, for their endless support, skills andenthusiasm!

We were very happy to attend the EastBarnet Festival where we sold DVDs and toys andwe were able to reach out to the local communityand promote our work and services. Anotherexciting project that we launched in June is ourCrowdfunding Campaign, which we run withKisharon. Together we want to turn Childs HillLibrary into a thriving community space where

everyone is welcome. We want everybody fromthe area to be able to benefit from film screenings,picnics, workshop space and a children cornerwhich will be funded through this project! Formore information and to pledge any amount youcan to support this campaign, search for‘Spacehive Childs Hill Library’.

We are also extremely happy to workclosely with local Co-operative stores as we runour Community Fund Co-op campaign to raisefunds for a sensory room at Sherrick House. Weare half way through the campaign and we stillneed to raise another half of the funds! Pleasechoose us as your Co-op local cause. All you needto do is get a Co-op membership card and you willbe able to support us every time you shop!

We are looking for devoted fundraisingvolunteers who would help us raise the money andpromote our presence in the borough! If you areinterested please get in touch with Zofia Piotrowiczat zofia.piotrowicz@barnetmencap.org.uk.

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THE BIG

PICTURE

Volunteering/FundraisingFocuson...Zofia at Barnet Volunteer Fair and East Barnet Festival, and Annalie with Mayor of Barnet Councillor Brian Salinger

PAGE 4

News&Events

Three Years of BrighterFutures

BRIGHT FUTURES

The Employment project is a specialistprogramme of support to help people with alearning disability get a job. We have provensuccess rates getting people into employment,combined with a high quality person-centredapproach, which makes us the leader in thisfield.

We believe the best way to support peoplewith a learning disability into paid employment isthrough practical support. We help people toidentify vacancies and provide support on thejob, while also identifying training needs.

Giuseppa from Barnet was deemed ‘surplusto requirements’ from a supermarket at the endof February 2017. She got referred to RoyalMencap from Barnet Mencap and the Job Centreas they tried to keep her in work, but wereunable to secure her a job.

“I got referred to Jon as I was told he will helpme find employment. When I left Sainsbury’s Iwent straight to the Job Centre as I have a familyto provide for and needed some money comingin. The Job Centre referred me to Jon and withina week he secured me a job interview withMcDonalds. He supported me at the interviewand helped me with my online Food and Safetytraining course. I’m very grateful to Jon and histeam for such a quick turnaround from beingunemployed to working full-time at McDonalds”.

Royal Mencap helped Giuseppa apply forjobs by searching online and helping to fill inapplication forms. She has dyslexia so with theaid from Royal Mencap she was able to fill in theMcDonalds online application form and getsupport completing the online test.

She has been wonderful to work with and thequick turnaround of getting her into paidemployment within a month is a great good newsstory.

Since the start of the contract, we haveplaced over 75 people like Giuseppa into work.

Community OpportunitiesCOPs provides a wide range of community-

based social, leisure, educational and culturalactivities during the day, evenings and atweekends for adults with learning disabilities,Asperger’s or autism. We currently have 175members accessing the service which hassteadily increased over the past couple of years. The activities and short courses we offer aredecided by the members, such as trips tomuseums; the theatre and other attractions inLondon; our walking group; a huge range ofsports and fitness activities and much more. Wehave also run courses on e-safety and sexual

Employment

We’re fast approaching three years of our BrightFutures project, which combines our usual socialand learning activities through COPs, ourWorking for You advice, information andguidance service, and Royal Mencap’sEmployment Project. As we reach this point,we’re looking back at some of the things wehave achieved over the past few years.

Top: The Employment project has found work for over 75people. Bottom: The COPs group at Whetstone StrayAllotments (photo from @comm_plot on twitter)

News&Events

PAGE 5

Working for You provides information, adviceand guidance to adults with learning disabilities

health and relationships, as well as culturalevenings.

COPs works in partnership with many otherorganisations to promote as many opportunitiesas possible. Recently we have offered two daysat Sweet Tree Farm, where members learntabout the day-to-day running of a farm, caring forthe livestock and growing food - which washarvested and cooked for all to try.

COPs caters for a wide range of abilities andages and this is reflected in what we offer. Wehave just had our first wheelchair basketballtaster session at Middlesex University which wasvery popular and great fun. We are now in ourthird year of supporting Silver Week, which is anational initiative promoting services andactivities for those aged 55+ who are sometimesisolated or who have health and mobility issues.From Silver Week last year, COPs has a monthly“Nosh Night” supper club held at our office. Eachmonth a different cuisine is served - as chosen bythe members - alongside a social activity. Theaim is to bring together people over 50 who areisolated, giving them the chance to have a goodmeal while socialising and making friends.

David (pictured) wasunknown to BarnetMencap before hejoined our allotmentcourse. We weremade aware that all ofhis family liveoverseas, he has quitea few falls and livesalone. He came in toWorking for You, anddecided to join COPsto help with hisisolation, includingjoining the Nosh Night

group. He turned upto the first session in a suit and tie, andthoroughly enjoyed himself, chatting away. Hesaid it was “the best meal he had eaten in a longtime” and told staff that often he “can’t bebothered” to cook proper meals so this was”really special”. He plans to continue attendingour future events.

David at one of our NoshNights

Working for You

and/or autism in the Borough of Barnet. We havesuccessfully worked with over 500 people overthe past 3 years. Every day is different, with therange of issues we help with as varied as theindividuals with whom we work.

We regularly support people to completebenefit applications, and attend assessments andtribunals. We have advocated for clients in courtand helped with a myriad of housing issues,budgeting and debt advice, understandingcorrespondence, supporting with health issuesand appointments. Sometimes we are just asounding board and offer emotional support, butwhatever the issue, we work closely with theindividual offering them tailored support to get theoutcome they need.

One client, Mr X, is 45 years old with alearning disability, depression and anxiety. Hecontacted us when he received an eviction noticefrom his private landlord. Our staff worked with Mr X and after almost 2years of perseverance, frustrations anddisappointments, he finally secured a onebedroom flat. During this time, Mr X wassupported to see a housing officer, complete aself-assessment, financial assessment andconsent form. Mr X was supported to renew hispassport as this was needed for ID and to obtainmedical reports from his health professionals.Staff attended an assessment with regards to aESA benefit claim as well as attending a courthearing regarding the eviction.

Mr X secured temporary accommodation untileventually he was offered a one-bed property.Although this case took 2 years, it had a verypositive outcome thanks to the staff involvedconstantly advocating on Mr X’s behalf to achievethe best outcome.

Mr X is very grateful for the support hereceived and feels he would not have been ableto navigate the bureaucracy or the stress of thesituation without us.

Petermeetingwith aWorkingfor Youclient

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News&Events

Barnet Mencap has vacancies for volunteersto join the board. The words trustee, directorand board member are often used to describethe role, but they all mean the same. As a trustee, you are required to act in thecharity’s best interests and ensure that it iscarrying out its purpose properly. In practicalterms this means attending Board meetingsevery couple of months with the Chief Executiveto hear about the ongoing work of the charityand have an opportunity to ask questions.Although the business of the evening is formal,the atmosphere is friendly and informal withbreaks for tea and coffee. There are alwayspolicies to approve and a financial report fromthe Honorary Treasurer as trustees areexpected to carefully manage the charity’sfinancial resources.

Each trustee brings their own unique skillsand experience to the board to the benefit ofBarnet Mencap. Currently, trustees havebackgrounds in finance, education, fundraisingand risk management but more is needed!Board meetings are always interesting andoften you learn as much from your fellowtrustees as the professional staff who managethe various projects. Trustees can also sit onvarious sub committees, help in the office,attend social events and the AGM. We would be delighted to hear from you ifyou are interested to learn more aboutbecoming a trustee. There is also a helpfulleaflet on the gov.uk website which explains theessential duties of a trustee.If you are interested, please contactprojectsupport@barnetmencap.org.uk.

We’re looking fortrustees!

TRUSTEES

Barnet Mencap supports the rights ofdisabled children, and Barnet council iscommitted to building child and family friendlycommunities. But it is not always clear whatthat means or how we do that in our day-to-daywork.

Over the next couple of years a newinitiative will help us to make sense of this andfind concrete ways for us all to recognize and

respect children’srights.Unicef is best knownfor its work overseasbut it is also activehere in the UK. Therehave been some pilotprojects looking at

aspects of children’s rights and now Unicef willbe working with LB Barnet and their partners inthe voluntary sector. Starting with the UNConvention on the Rights of the Child, there willbe work done locally to raise awareness ofchildren’s rights across the community.

The intention is to develop work onimportant areas like inclusion, good physicaland mental health and ensuring children aresafe and secure. The focus will be on children’srights, making services more child-centred andto strengthen multi-agency working. Childrenwill be helped to engage in their communities.

This is a really promising initiative. BarnetMencap will be involved so that we can learnmore and help to make it a success for childrenand young people with learning disabilities andautism.

Unicef will provide support, training,mentoring and resources. Barnet Mencap’sstaff will help to plan the work and take part inthe training on offer.

What we want to see is real equality fordisabled children and young people so that theyhave opportunities like their peers. A vital steptowards equality is for people to know theirrights and for them to be respected ineducation, health, employment, in the familyand in all areas of their lives.

Supporting disabledchildren

UNICEF

M y name is Christopher James Clements and I was born in 1976 in

Belgium in a place called Tongeren.My dad was stationed there with NATO in theRAF. In June 1976 we came back to the UK andwent to live in RAF Locking near Weston-super-Mare. In June 1977 my dad’s service in the RAFended and we moved back to Edgware where mymum came from. I have one sister called Sarahwho was born in November 1978 and I see herduring the holidays.

I went to Grove Park School which was inColindale and then Whitefield School (which is nowa sports college). After that, I went to Oak LodgeSchool which is in East Finchley then into aworklink course at Barnet College and then FirstRun. I enjoyed school, and the teachers weren’tbad. Lots of Barnet Mencap members were atschool with me.

I have been going to Community Focus for tenyears on and off. In Community Focus I didcreative writing and drama and I also do painting

Being...

PAGE 7

and drawing.I go to Finchley Youth Theatre where I do many

drama plays with other people from Barnet Mencap.In the most recent play, House of Uncommons, Iplayed Gordon Ramsay. The performance wentreally well, but in rehearsals I tripped over a cableand fell over! This hurt my leg and arm but I wasok for the show. My mum was there to watch me.

I have been going to COPs (Barnet Mencap’sproject for leisure and learning activities) for manyyears. I remember Sarah (Akokhia) interviewingme when I joined. I like it because I enjoy meetingwith my friends like Dimi, Gary, Tom and others,and I like making new ones. I enjoy going bowlingand to the pub with the group. I also help with themailout for COPs, putting the flyers in theenvelopes and stamping them ready to go out tomembers. I do this once a month, and have doneit for about 6 months.

I have started to go to a pottery class at StJoseph’s. I have been to pottery classes beforeand I enjoy doing it. I have made quite a few thingsin pottery like a letter rack, a vase and a plantholder. I hope to make even more when I start backin September! I’m looking forward to doing lotsmore pottery in the future.

Earlier this year I began living in one of BarnetMencap’s Equality Housing shared houses in EastFinchley where I hope to become moreindependent, but I still come to my mum and dadat the weekends, where we hang out and goshopping.

There are five of us who share the house, twowomen and three men, so we all have to try andlearn to get along. We are like a family – we mighthave arguments but we sort ourselves out and geton well. My favourite thing about living here is thatI like the company. I would like to learn to cookmore for myself – especially Italian food - and keepmy room tidy and do more everyday tasks.

In my spare time, I love to go out and about.My last holiday was to Great Yarmouth through(Barnet Mencap’s) Sherrick House. This was good– especially being with my friend Dimi, and myfavourite part was when we got to have a nice bigconversation at night. I would really like to go onholiday with my friends again!

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Photo

Finish

Dancers at Sherrick House’s Navjyot Gala, which took place at the Shree Aden Depala Mitrimandal Centre.The event featured Bollywood dancing, music and a buffet.

1st - 7th October 2017Silver Sunday Week 2017As part of the ‘Silver Sunday’ over-50s initiative,there will be a range of activities across thecountry. We will be providing artwork andChristmas cards from our Over-50s art group as well as hosting someeventsFor more information on Silver Sunday Week events in Barnet, searchfor ‘Barnet Silver Sunday’ or contact us on the address below.

If you are unable to come along but would like to purchase some artwork or Christmas cards, please contact the office on 020 8349 3842or projectsupport@barnetmencap.org.uk

Wednesday 8th November 2017Barnet Mencap’s AGMEverybody is invited to come along to our Annual General Meeting, ata new venue!10:30am-12:30pm at St Paul’s Centre, Long Lane, Finchley N3 2PU

For more information, please contact Project Support onprojectsupport@barnetmencap.org.uk or 020 8349 3842

How to find us35 Hendon Lane, Finchley, London N3 1RTTel: 020 8349 3842 Fax: 020 8349 2192Email:projectsupport@barnetmencap.org.ukWebsite: www.barnetmencap.org.uk

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The next newsletter, with all the latest news and features, will appear in December 2017

Diary Dates

General Information

You can also view this newsletter on your computer! It’s on our website inthe ‘Newsletters’ section, or please email james.wheatley@barnetmencap.org.ukto be added to the emailing list, so you’ll save paper and never miss an issue!