Tag Archives: All Wales People First

National Council Meeting

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Report written by member Ffion Poole:

Amy Jones – supported by Ffion Poole – recently attended the All Wales People First National Council meeting at The Grand Hotel in Swansea. After introductions, the first agenda item was to go through the minutes of the last meeting. Next came the Chief Executive’s Report during which, in Joe Powell’s absence, Kurtis gave an update on LD Mag.

National Council reps then spoke about national actions, during which Amy provided feedback we have received from our members. Amy said that our members would like longer GP appointments, easy read letters from their doctors, and more annual health checks for people with learning disabilities. She also shared that our members said there needs to be more support in mental health services for adults with mental health issues, as well as people with learning disabilities.

Kelly then gave a communication update and said All Wales People First are in the process of making updates to how Talkback is distributed to members. We also spoke about the WhatsApp group for National Council reps, and came up with some rules the reps had to agree on.

After lunch Tracey shared the draft manifesto that All Wales People First has been putting together, and members shared their experiences with Direct Payments, and answered some questions from a consultation document about Direct Payments. It was a really interesting meeting and it was lovely to see everyone!

Meeting about Benefits Reform

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Yesterday afternoon, Ffion, Nat, Gethin, and Amy joined an online meeting with other People First groups across Wales. The meeting was run by All Wales People First and was about Benefits Reform.

We talked about:
Changes to benefits money from the government
The Access to Work scheme that helps disabled people in jobs
Getting good jobs and being treated fairly
Health and safety at work

What is Access to Work? Access to Work helps pay for things like:
Travel to work
Job coaches or support workers
Special equipment or changes at work

We also talked about:
Making benefits easier and fairer
Getting faster help from Access to Work
Helping people move from volunteering to paid jobs

And organisations like the Equality and Human Rights Commission which:
Makes sure disabled people are treated fairly
Protects people’s rights
Helps stop discrimination

The government should:
Give money to these organisations
Listen to disabled people’s voices
Follow equality laws

We also spoke about Health and Safety at work:
Some people need changes to help them stay safe
Staff should get health and safety training
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) checks if workplaces are safe

Next steps:
Kelly will fill out the consultation form from All Wales People First. This means our group’s voice will be heard and shared!

All Wales People First National Council Meeting Report

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Yesterday, Amy Jones attended the All Wales People First National Council meeting via Zoom. The meeting started with introductions and a check of the last meeting’s minutes to spot any mistakes and hear updates.

Updates:
Joe shared what he’s been working on.
Reps talked about the Mirror Principles to see if they need changing and how to check if self-advocacy groups are following them.

After Lunch:
We talked about important issues like transport and benefit cuts. Lynne Griffiths, who knows a lot about learning disabilities, was chosen for the board.

Adfest Update:
Day One: Joe’s introductions, four workshops, talent show for members, stalls, Mirror Awards, photo booth, and disco in the evening.
Day Two: AGM, four more workshops to choose from, another talent show (with voting for winners), and more stalls.

Geraint’s Request:
Make a video answering questions like, “How do you want to be seen, heard, and valued?”
These videos will be shared on social media. Other Zoom participants can also make videos and send them to Tracy.

Day Two of the National Council

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Amy started the morning with a fascinating tour of the Senedd, which she really enjoyed. Next, we had an update from Geraint and the research staff from Cardiff University about a project that will employ adults with learning disabilities to become researchers. We also discussed how we would like to be consulted, with most people preferring face-to-face meetings but also open to using Teams or Zoom.

In the afternoon, we focused on communication with members. We explored ways to improve All Wales People First’s social media and make Talk Back more cost-effective, as printing and posting it is expensive. We also talked about campaigning against the proposed benefit cuts, how they would affect everyone, and what we want to include in our position statement. Members discussed writing to local MPs to voice their concerns.

It’s been an amazing two days – great discussions and lovely to see members from other People First groups! The hotel and food were fantastic, and a big thank you to Jess for organising train tickets and transfers. Also, a huge thanks to all the staff for making the meeting engaging and easy to understand.

All Wales People First National Council

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Exciting News! This week Amy Jones is attending the All Wales People First National Council for the first time as a new representative. As a rep, Amy will share important issues from our group that might impact people across Wales and could need national action. This is a fantastic opportunity to make sure our voices are heard loud and clear. Wishing Amy the best of luck in her new role!

Yesterday, Amy and Christy had a great first day at the National Council Meeting. Chief Executive Joe Powell gave a talk about what National Council reps do and the jobs of the Chair and Vice Chair. After lunch, we had elections, when the following people were elected:

Lucy – New Chair
Kurtis – New Vice Chair
Neil – New board member

We also looked at the last meeting notes and talked about important actions. Amy spoke for Caerphilly People First and said our members want:

Better healthcare
Mental health support that is easy to understand
More information about health checks

A great first day—looking forward to more!

Another Amazing Session at Reconnect Through Music!

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Yesterday, we had a special visit from the lovely Gerraint from All Wales People First, who came along to meet some of our new members – and he didn’t just stop there! He also signed up some of our members to All Wales People First, making sure their voices are heard. And if that wasn’t enough, he even blasted out a few tunes and absolutely smashed it! We also welcomed some new members again today!

It was also a bittersweet day as we said goodbye to our lovely Lexy at her final session. We’ll miss you so much, Lexy — thank you for everything! This group just keeps growing, and it’s so incredible to see so many people singing, dancing, and making new friends. Next week, Belle will be running the session, so get ready for more fun! See you all then!

Homes Not Hospitals Protest

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Last week Caerphilly People First staff and members were at the Senedd in Cardiff Bay for a peaceful protest arranged by All Wales People First, titled ‘Homes Not Hospitals: Stolen Lives’.

The aim of the protest was to bring publicity to the campaign of families for the release of people with learning disabilities and/or autism, who are trapped in mental health hospitals in Wales.

Our members Ffion, Gethin and Natalie were there with their banners, protesting about this awful policy which condemns people to hospital, just because the resources aren’t there to entitle them to live in the community.

It was great to see so many people there, and it is hoped that decision makers in the Senedd will listen to our pleas and do something about this inhumane policy where people with learning disabilities are locked up like prisoners.

National Council Meeting

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On the 5th and 6th of March Ffion and Christy attended the All Wales People First National Council residential meeting at the Clayton Hotel in Cardiff. On day one, Joe Powell, Director of All Wales People First spoke about the role of the National Council, which was followed by the group going over the minutes of the previous meeting.

We then broke up into small groups and had a discussion about what we like and don’t like about being National Council representatives. Some people said they like being a rep because they get to have a voice for their members, while others said the meetings can be too long and it’s hard for people with autism to process all the information.

After lunch we talked about National Actions (when reps bring up issues from their groups). Caerphilly People First’s national action was that some our members receive limited care hours, which means they have to choose which activities they attend, and then miss out on other activities.

We then played a team-building game called Human Bingo which involved asking people questions like: Have you got a pet? Do you like cocktails? Have you sung at karaoke?

We finished day one with an item called Sub-Groups, where Reps were able to decide which sub-group to join. The groups were: Members (how more people can be self-advocates), Campaigning (what campaigns Reps want to start or join), and Position Statements (what Reps want All Wales People First to say about big issues).

Day two began with Joe Powell giving his Chief Executive’s report, followed by proposals to make changes to the All Wales People First rules at their next AGM. Reps unanimously voted yes to this proposal.

Next we heard from Simone Aspis from the Free Our People Campaign. This is a UK-wide campaign to get people with learning disabilities and autism out of inappropriate hospital settings. Reps voted yes unanimously to join this project.

Our last speaker of the meeting was Dan Biddle, a social entrepreneur who has written a proposal for an All Wales People First business. Reps and board members talked about how All Wales People First can start a business, and Dan presented ideas for the All Wales People First trading arm. Reps agreed with the proposals and All Wales People First will take these ideas forward.

‘Through Our Eyes’ Photography Project

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On Wednesday 5th October Ffion and Christy attended the shortlisting session for the All Wales People First ‘Through our Eyes’ photography project, at the Marriott Hotel in Cardiff.  Through Our Eyes shares the stories of people with learning disabilities in Wales through photographs and videos, and they will be staging an exhibition at the Senedd in Cardiff Bay, on November 24th, which will be attended by Mark Drakeford MS and Jane Hutt MS. The group at the shortlisting session decided which pictures they liked best, and which pictures best represent the project, which challenges perceptions and stereotypes by highlighting the valued roles and activities of people with learning disabilities in our communities.

Focus Group Activities

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This week the group made their weekly visit to the garden plot at Taraggan Educational Gardens, and although the weather was too hot to do much physical work, the group dug up some of their potatoes and took them home.  One of our volunteers, Morgan, sent us a picture of the meal he made that evening using the potatoes.  

During the afternoon the group welcomed Geraint, Tracey and Kelly from All Wales People First.  Geraint did his SATV (Self Advocacy TV) roadshow with the group, and we covered subjects such as: what we want that we haven’t got now, day centres, and COVID.  We then played Family Fortunes and Wheel of Fortune, answering general knowledge questions, which the group really enjoyed.  We also sang happy birthday and presented a birthday cake to Chris, Anthony and Morgan who share the same birthday.  Happy Birthday, boys!