Be Inspired! Shirley Ayres Consulting

Young people’s mobility charity Whizz-Kidz has launched its innovative online learning Kidz Unlimited website. Around 60 young disabled people were consulted during the development of the elearning modules, through online surveys and face to face steering group meetings. Whizz-Kidz priority throughout has been to reflect the interests and unique perspectives of disabled young people. The programme will be evaluated at three yearly steering groups.

“Our new Kidz Unlimited website complements Whizz-Kidz’s offline training, and hosts interactive elearning modules and video topics featuring young disabled people themselves. The friendly sessions support young disabled people with advice – expressed in the language and voices of their peers. Topics include dealing with your feelings, food and fitness, and relationships.

Also on the site is our ‘Ambassador Forum’ which we designed to be somewhere safe for young people to talk to one another about issues important to them, in a different medium than they might speak to their friends on Facebook or other social media.

We’ve had several hundred unique visitors in the first week or so of launching, and are on track to hit our end target registered users for 2011 (around 1,000 young people).”Ruth Giller Project Manager Kidz Unlimited

The site has been reviewed by the NSPCC and steps have been taken to ensure young people will be safe whilst chatting online, including a forum moderator at Whizz-Kidz and links to the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, where young people can report inappropriate online behaviour.

Impressively the project has not cost Whizz-Kidz any of its voluntary income to produce. The website portal was funded by Accenture; three eLearning modules including Healthy Living were funded by the Department of Health’s Innovation Excellence and Strategic Development Fund; and additional video production such as the wheelchair skills guides were made in conjunction with the BBC’s training academy Connect & Create.

http://www.kidz-unlimited.org.uk/

Tags: disability, free online learning, whizzkidz

Related Posts:

• Guest post: The Disability Diamond Theory and thoughts @martynsibley
• Left Out In The Cold – the Broken of Britain Campaign #tbob
• Disabled people at the forefront of resistance against the cuts
• TED inspirational ideas worth spreading
• Can the public sector be more entrepreneurial?

Thank you to Shirley for the privilege of allowing me to guest blog on this site. As a fellow digital advocate, it is great we can stick together, and share each others projects for disabled people.

For over 2 years I have been running my blog http://martynsibley.com/. I enjoy writing articles, tweeting, sharing videos and pictures on my life: some would say a life less ordinary, while others would not feel the need to clarify. Having a disability; always striving for new challenges and living life to the full; my articles often highlight the lighter/social side to life. Having gained a masters degree, travelled to Australia, learnt to drive a car with my hands and now living independently in London; I have crammed a lot in to my 28 years. My website mantra is inspire, inform and change.

I have always said how grateful I am for those who fought for and won independence for disabled people 20+ years ago. Moreover, I remain ever grateful to those campaigning on prevalent issues today. I have also dipped my toe in the political writing arena http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/have-your-say/guest-column/putting-the-personal-into-personal-care and attended political marches http://martynsibley.com/the-professionals-video-from-the-march

For the past 2 months I have been self-employed (having worked for Scope in various capacities for 5 years) and I’m now running my own online projects for disabled people. Beyond my blog I co-launched the disability magazine http://disabilityhorizons.com/, created a series of ‘webinars’ (online seminars) http://martynsibley.com/online-learning and have other ‘new media’ plans.

The webinars are being run for my social media audience, and also in partnership with Hackney council http://www.hackney.gov.uk/disability-webinars.htm and Scope http://www.scope.org.uk/news/blogs/martyns-blog/free-disability-webinars (for their respective service users). Each series has 5 topics, which vary with each contract, and include: being a parent to a disabled child, a session for disabled teenagers, giving assistance with independent living (accessible housing, equipment, care and finance), accessing local leisure and world travel. In one hour the attendee can log on from home (or their nearest computer), absorb the 45 minute presentation I deliver and then ask specific questions in the 15 minute Q&A session. They see my screen and therefore can view powerpoint slides, websites, word documents and other useful/relevant materials. Meanwhile I explain all by talking into a microphone.

The benefits are seen by free attendance, useful information on a manner of disability related topics, personal goals to be taken away and my own theory which can be applied to all future concerns. To sign up and try one for yourself please click here http://martynsibley.com/online-learning

So, what is the theory I mentioned? It is called the Disability Diamond Theory. I created this theory because I could see the need for a disability model that focuses on an individuals’ impairment, needs, aspirations and life choices. It also encourages disabled people to aim higher, helps them along with some useful resources and explains my philosophy too. By my own admission it derives from personal experiences and is not an academic thesis. My experiences have, however, been influenced by many other disabled people and my only professional work was in the disability sector. A pretty solid foundation to write such a book I hope.

It is free to download here http://martynsibley.com/philosophy. My vision is that the Disability Diamond Theory will encourage disabled people (especially the next generation) to use the resources available (that were not around 20+ years ago) and excel in life.

I would love for you to read this ebook and feedback your views – good, bad or indifferent http://martynsibley.com/give-me-a-shout

Martyn Sibley – Managing Director Sunnier Days Ltd

Website - http://martynsibley.com/

Online magazine - http://disabilityhorizons.com/

Email - martyn@martynsibley.com

Tags: advocacy, digital engagement, disability, Disability Diamond Theory, social care

Related Posts:

• Whizz-Kidz launches new elearning portal
• Welcome to DropBy the online community for people over 60
• Social learning, social media and social services at #emtech11
• Left Out In The Cold – the Broken of Britain Campaign #tbob
• #socialcare #socialwork You are not engaged with #socialmedia because?

“We don’t want to be ‘Left Out In The Cold’ ”, say Britain’s disabled people.  On the eve of the second reading of the government’s controversial Welfare Reform Bill on 9th March, a stark image of disabled campaigner Kaliya Franklin aims to convey how vulnerable some of the bills proposals will leave sick and disabled people across the UK.

The photograph depicts a naked Franklin lying on the sand on a wintry beach, next to her empty wheelchair.

Just like Franklin’s wheelchair in the image, social care and support will be left out of reach for many of those most in need if these reforms go ahead, literally leaving many “Left Out in the Cold.”

“We decided to use one thought provoking image to make our point,” explains Franklin. “Sick and disabled people are often left voiceless in society, so we hoped using a single image might reflect this.”

Says Franklin, “It’s vital we all remember we are just an accident or illness away from becoming disabled. Many people think if they do become disabled that the state will look after them.

“But the fact is that even under current provisions, disability benefits are not enough for disabled people to live on. If the Welfare Reform Bill is passed, the situation will become unimaginably worse.”

In January, Franklin released a video on YouTube that explained how able-bodied people would be in for a major shock if they found themselves needing to apply for disability benefits. The video can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7EXSpmrVMU.

The Broken of Britain group has been campaigning since summer 2010 to raise awareness of the government’s wider anti-disability policies. The group has consistently drawn attention to disabled people being the target of unjust government rhetoric and sham consultations, tabloid slander and political myths.

It says: “We are now the targets of deep and damaging cuts to disability services that are contained in and symbolised by the Welfare Reform Bill. The Bill disguises cuts and changes to a number of benefits, from housing benefit to Income Support that will punish disabled people.”

Tags: disability, social justice, social work and social care, the Broken of Britain campaign

Related Posts:

• Whizz-Kidz launches new elearning portal
• Disabled people at the forefront of resistance against the cuts
• Guest Post: The Power of the Elder
• A guide for care organisations developing a social media strategy
• Social Networking Basics for Social Care

Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) sponsored the event Disabled People at the Forefront of Resistance at which this footage and interviews were shot. The event was held at Friends Meeting House in Euston on February 12th 2011. It was part of a day of events focused on organising opposition to the cuts to public services.

For more information about the People’s Convention visit: http://righttowork.org and for more about DPAC go to http://dpac.net

Tags: disability, Disabled People Against Cuts

Related Posts:

• Whizz-Kidz launches new elearning portal
• See Me Now

“I have a life like everyone else. I deal with the problems we all have. I am not a person to be put in a box. Just because I am disabled does not mean that it is any different for me.”

See me now, see me now
The person they said no
The person they said could never do,
See me now, see me now,
The person with a home,
The person with a family,
The person with a life,
See me now  

I first met Shirley when she was running a pilot programme for Skills for Care London region to encourage service users and carers to contribute to the education and training of social workers. My poem was inspired and written at one of the sessions.

I was subsequently invited to participate in the Social Workers Educational Trust conference. I have trained as a mentor and contributed to a number of working groups.

But I do have a number of challenging questions about how all the principles of service user involvement and participation in social care will become a reality. I am told by one organisation that they cannot pay me as a trainer because this will affect my benefits but another organisation is able to make a contribution towards my costs. This needs to be sorted out. I do not know if the new guidance published recently by Skills for Care will really make a difference to me. In the meantime if you would like an independent voice on your committee, board or panel get in touch!!

Tags: be inspired, communication, conference, disability, engaging people who use services, involving service users, janet jackson, swet

Related Posts:

• Whizz-Kidz launches new elearning portal
• Guest post: The Disability Diamond Theory and thoughts @martynsibley
• Sharing wisdom and knowledge with thanks to my guest bloggers in 2010
• New online Guide demystifies children’s services
• Why social media is important for social care – the challenges and opportunities