Caerphilly
Project: Disability Can Do (employment of an Advocacy Officer)
Grant awarded: £49,383
Date: April 2009 - March 2010
About
A priority within the Caerphilly borough was to give disabled people and those who care for them a voice to enable those with disabilities to access the services which everyone else in the borough takes for granted. Through consultation and representation at the various disability and carer forums it was recognised that disabled people and their carers did not want to be separated from but rather integrated into the Caerphilly community. They didn’t want special provision but a general provision of services which recognised their needs.
Funding from the Fair Share Trust paid for an Advocacy Officer to work within the local community, and while in post, the Officer has championed the rights of the local disabled community and has spoken to local and Welsh Assembly government representatives to ensure that necessary policy changes are recognised and prioritised by councillors and ministers.
Impact of the project:
- The community of Caerphilly has greater recognition of the needs and the input of disabled people and their carers.
- Recent changes in Local Authority and Social Services funding for provision of care has left many disabled people and their carers in a state of limbo as they fall between the two. The impact on these lives without someone to act as an advocate in situations where assessments of the person’s eligibility for service provision are being judged, would be devastating and incomprehensible.
- An important lesson learnt by the Fair Share Trust Local Agent is in the importance of supporting pilot schemes like this, and supporting the organisation to grow and expand their capabilities.