Archive | September, 2014
CONSULTATION ON THE COUNCIL’S DRAFT LEARNING DISABILITIES COMMISSIONING STRATEGY
26 SepCONSULTATION ON THE COUNCIL’S DRAFT LEARNING DISABILITIES COMMISSIONING STRATEGY
The strategy sets out a future vision for learning disability services and support, and we would very much like to hear your views about it and ideas for taking the vision forward. We would also like to know your views on current services.
Please note that the strategy is about services provided or purchased to meet people’s needs – it is not about assessment services. The consultation is open until 4 November.
What happens after the consultation
Your views will go into our consultation report, which we provide for Cabinet to inform their decision on the strategy. When the final version of the strategy is approved, we will publish and consult on our more detailed plans. Your views will also help influence these plans.
How to find the strategy
The strategy is available on-line at www.sheffield.gov.uk/ldcs, where you can also find an easy ready version (‘The Big Plan’). We can post a copy of either strategy out if required – please contact us on (0114) 2734119 or at PracticeDevelop@sheffield.gov.uk and let us know if you’d like the full version of the strategy or the easy read version (‘The Big Plan’).
How you can respond to the strategy
You can respond to the consultation in one of a number of ways.
Please let us know if:
- You are interested in coming to one of the consultation events below
- You are interested in us coming along to present to your group/service
- You are interested in delivering a focus group yourself and would like support materials to enable you to do this
- You are interested in promoting this consultation through your networks and/or news bulletins
Consultation events
If you can, please come along to one of our events and discuss what the strategy means for you, your relatives or your customers. We really want to hear your thoughts and ideas.
Have a look at the events below and decide which is best for you. Note that the events are aimed towards different people. Please see the below information for alternative ways to take part, if you cannot come to one of the events.
| Event designed for people with a learning disability and open to all
|
Monday 22 September 2014
11.00-1.00 Learning Disabilities Partnership Board Sheffield Town Hall Reception Room
|
How to book on
Please contact Julie Hossell at Sheffield City Council:
(0114) 2734119 or PracticeDevelop@sheffield.gov.uk
This event is open to all. |
| Family carers meeting
|
Wednesday 1 October 2014
10.30-12.30 Sheffield Mencap & Gateway Norfolk Lodge
|
How to book on
Please contact Sharing Caring Project:
(0114) 275 8879 or scpoffice@sheffield.org.uk
This event is for family carers of people with a learning disability.
|
| Direct Payment customers
|
Friday 10 October 2014
10.00-12.00 Sheffield Town Hall Reception Room
|
How to book on
Please contact Julie Hossell at Sheffield City Council:
(0114) 2734119 or PracticeDevelop@sheffield.gov.uk
This event is for people with a learning disability (and family members) who receive a Direct Payment.
|
Consultation sessions with groups and services
We’d like to run consultation sessions at a number of groups/services for their customers or members. These will include community groups, supported living services and day services.
Want us to come to you? Please let us know when your group/service or meeting is taking place and if any additional support will be required – e.g. staff skilled in Makaton or other forms of communication. We’re really keen that as many people as possible can respond to the consultation.
Want to run your own session? We can provide you with an information pack to help you run your own consultation session if you’d prefer.
Please contact us on (0114) 2734119 or at PracticeDevelop@sheffield.gov.uk.
If you are a customer of a learning disability service, or a family member of someone who is, please check with the service about any session that is planned.
On-line survey
If you are unable to take part in one of the consultation events or sessions, you can complete an on-line survey. You can find this at www.sheffield.gov.uk/ldcs, where you can also find the strategy and easy read version (‘The Big Plan’). If you prefer a paper version of the strategy, please ring us on (0114) 2734119.
However you decide to respond to the strategy, we look forward to hearing you.
HELP US TELL THE REAL STORY OF WELFARE REFORM IN YORKSHIRE AND HUMBER
26 SepAction Trackers – Autumn 2014
Help us tell the real story of welfare reform in Yorkshire and Humber
Involve Yorkshire & Humber has been monitoring the impact of changes to welfare on voluntary and community organisations and the people they serve in its Action Trackers project. For more information about the project and reports follow this link
We are now launching the second survey. Whether you are a community group run by volunteers noticing people getting poorer, an advice organisation with increasing demands or a big charity seeing your beneficiaries under pressure or encouraged to find a job – we want to know!
By completing the survey you will help Involve tell the story of the impact of welfare: good and bad. You will help us to gather information about the impact of welfare reform, feed it to policy makers and politicians and give you useful facts about how the region’s voluntary sector is responding.
It is a short survey. The closing date for responses is 5pm on Wednesday 8 October 2014. All information given will be treated in confidence.
NEW ENTERPRISE ALLOWANCE
24 SepFind out what you can get and if your business is eligible
Organiser – Jobcentre Plus
Eligibility
You must be aged 18 or over, have a business idea and get one of the following benefits:
- Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income Support as a lone parent
- Employment and Support Allowance, if you’re in the work-related activity group
A Jobcentre Plus adviser can refer you to the scheme as soon as you get a qualifying benefit.
You don’t qualify if you’re part of the Work Programme, but you can still get help setting up a business elsewhere.
Help you can get
Finance
You could:
- get a weekly allowance paid for up to 26 weeks (up to a total of £1,274)
- apply for a loan to help with start-up costs
The loan has to be paid back, the allowance doesn’t.
Any money you get doesn’t affect your Housing Benefit, tax credits, Income Tax, or Access to Work grant.
Support
You could get:
- a mentor to help you develop your business idea and write a business plan
- ongoing support from a mentor in the early months of trading
How it works
A specialist will assess your business idea and if it has potential:
- you’ll be signed up to the scheme and get a business mentor
- your mentor will help you write a business plan
You’ll be able to claim financial support if:
- your business plan is approved
- you start working at your business for 16 hours or more per week
The Department for Work and Pensions has more information about the New Enterprise Allowance.
GET HEALTHY, WEALTHY & WISE ONLINE
22 SepLet’s get digital together!
Whether you want to get healthy, wealthy or wise,
doing it the digital way by getting online could
make everything quicker and easier.
It doesn’t matter if you’ve never touched a
computer or been on the internet before or if you
know a little already, we could help you do more
of the things you do every day by doing them
digitally.
Interested ? Click on the attachment below to find out more:
THE LAUNCH OF SHEFFIELD LIVE TV!
22 SepSheffield’s local television channel Sheffield Live! Television will begin broadcasting, via Freeview channel 8, Virgin Cable and the internet, on Tuesday 23rd September.
The TV channel will broadcast news about Sheffield alongside programmes covering Sheffield music, sport, culture and much more. It promises unique, high quality content, “Made in Sheffield, Made by you.” A flagship daily news programme will cover Sheffield news in depth. Other programmes will cover Sheffield’s “rich, varied, and diverse” music, events, culture, arts, and sports.
The channel is part of a society set up for community benefit which earlier this year raised over £165,000 of investment through a “community share issue” in which ordinary Sheffielders became part owners of their local media.
The channel will collaborate with existing community radio station, Sheffield Live!, which has been broadcasting via FM for nearly seven years; and will offer an inclusive platform for local talent, as well as great opportunities for local businesses and social enterprises to engage with its audience. Over 450,000 people will be able to access SLTV through Freeview Channel 8 if they are tuned to the Crosspool transmitter and Virgin Cable in Sheffield. And others will be able to watch the channel, live, through the internet from www.sheffieldlive.org – anywhere in Sheffield, South Yorkshire and across the world.
Sheffield Live! TV is locally owned and run for community benefit. Find out more at: www.sheffieldlive.org
South Sheffield 