Download - Ask Vera Newsletter April 2010

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Ask Vera Newsletter April 2010

April 2010 Volume 1, Issue 2

ASK VERANewsletter

Hello, and welcome to the Ask Vera

newsletter!

Over the past few months Ask Vera has

been continuing our work to help people

with disabilities.

We have hosted some training workshopswith members of our team with disabilities

or support needs taking leading trainer

roles.

We held a Disability Awareness workshop

last October, and two Easy Read

workshops in January and March, they

went really well and the feedback was

very good. We have another Easy Readworkshop coming up in May. Get in touch

to book a place or find out more.

We have worked with many organisations

including NHS trusts, Thurrock Council,

Essex Cares, Linked Employment,

Bradford Metropolitan District Council,

Anglia Ruskin University, Essex Police

and Paramount Support Services among

others. We are making more connections

all the time.

Ability, not disability

We have also worked hard to get Ask

Veras message out there. We

attended the Ways 2 Work

Conference held at the Charter Hall,Colchester on 12th February 2010.

Ways 2 Work help disabled people in

Essex find jobs.

Ask Vera gave a presentation

describing our mission to make

information more accessible andpromote equality for disabled people.

Some people who came said it was

inspiring.

Ask Veras team has been getting

bigger and we want to grow and do

even more in 2010. Find out about

the people who work with Ask Vera

in the Meet the Team section, and

maybe also find out what Vera can

do for you!

Fiona Reynolds (left) and Sam Sanders

(right) smile for the camera!

Vicky Cole, Project Manager for Ask Vera


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Back in June 2009, to coincide with the Learning Disability

Week, Mencap launched a campaign to get more Changing

Places toilets in the UKthese toilets have special facilities

to help people with profound physical and/or learning

disabilitiesotherwise in normal toilets, carers are forced to

change their disabled loved-ones on dirty floors; which Im

sure you will agree is not acceptable.

These toilets could make life so much easier for people with profound disabilities,

as well as people with spinal injuries, muscular

dystrophy, multiple sclerosis or other conditions. They

have changing benches and hoists that normal

disabled toilets usually lack, and can make life and

days out possible for the people who need them.

The problem is there simply arent enough of theChanging Places toilets in the UK. However, the

Changing Places Consortium has set out to try to put this right. The campaign is

also supported by celebrities, including Craig Kelly ofCoronation Streetand

Strictly Come Dancingfame. He helped put together a petition and presented it

to Members of Parliament in London. It is hoped this will lead to installation of the

toilets being made compulsory in Westminster and Holyrod.

The campaign has encouraged people in the UK to write to their local MP and

bring this issue to their attention; many people did this through Mencaps websiteduring Learning Disability Week. It is hoped that MPs around the country will

take action and make the installation of Changing Places toilets a compulsory

part of new public building projects.

Our nearest Changing places accessible toilets are in Thurrock, Southend and

Cambridge... Thats not good enough for the East of England. Ask Vera would

like to see one in every major town!

Find out more and see how you can get involved in campaigning for a truly

accessible toilet near you checking out:

www.changing-places.org

By Stuart Peacock, Easy Read Coordinator for Ask Vera
http://www.changing-places.org/http://www.changing-places.org/http://www.changing-places.org/


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Nicky Clark, the mother of an actress with Asperger Syndrome has

recently launched a campaign to stop actors from playing disabled

Her daughter, Lizzy Clark, starred in the BBC film Dustbin Baby

(broadcast in 2008, based on Jacqueline Wilsons novel of the same

name). Lizzys character is Poppy, who has Asperger Syndrome: just

like Lizzy herself. The BBC purposefully searched for an actress withAsperger Syndrome to play this part . Clark auditioned for the after

her mother spotted an advert on an autism website.

Her mother Nicky believes that the disabled are not portrayed accurately when

played by people who do not suffer from any impairment related to the part.

There are so many good, disabled actors who are ready and willing to take on

these roles

Because of this she started the Dont Play Me, Pay Me,campaign in late 2009. Targets of the campaign include

setting up a forum for learning disabled actors, and "to see

disabled actors playing parts where the least interesting

thing about them is their disability."[She also hopes that

through the campaign that disabled people will be depicted

more frequently in brochures and advertising material.

More television shows are beginning to see Nickys aims

realised. Slowly but surely, disability is being represented more by actors thatactually have the impairment their character does.

For example, David Proud who stars in Eastenders has Spina Bifida which requires

him to use a wheelchair. His character Adam Best also has the same condition.

Hopefully the campaign will put an end to actors playing disabled and lead to

disability being represented more positively on television in general!

Find out more about the Dont Play Me, Pay Me

campaign by going to www.dontplaymepayme.com

Is Disability being misrepresented on TV?

Lizzy Clark

David Proud plays

Adam Best in

Eastenders

By Jack Stevenson, Easy Read Assistant for Ask Vera
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lizzy_Clark#cite_note-Hill-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lizzy_Clark#cite_note-Hill-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lizzy_Clark#cite_note-Hill-1


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This is a question absolutely nobody has ever asked me and therefore Ithought it the perfect time and place to air my views and give a fewanswers! At present I am working hard at trying to get the RNIB ReactSystem up and working in Colchester using Ask Vera as a fantasticbaseboard. This great system is an audible signpost which is activated

by fobs held by visually impaired, print disabled or even foreign tourists!Our belief in this project and its benefit to Colchesters disabledcommunity as well as its great tourist trade would enable freedom oftravel and guidance to many people hitherto kept at a disadvantage.

For further information on this please either contact Ask Vera direct or go tohttp://www.rnib.org.uk/

I can also highly recommend the Ask Vera website as a great way to spend your teabreak, why not go to www.askvera.organd view their Services and aims or to brush

up on your knowledge of the DDA (Disability Discrimination Act). After this andactivating ze little grey cells I can (for personal reasons) fully recommend the VeraBlogs which are aimed at being thought provoking, tantalizing and dare I say it . . .even humorous, indeed the perfect way to end a relaxing and informative tea breakwhilst looking for all the world to the boss as though you are doing somethingproductive! Yes fans (fanfare) . . . I am the Vera Blogger! (unless of course you dontlike them!) In which case I am just a poor helpless volunteer for Ask Vera with greatdelusions of grandeur.

Take care guys and dont forget . . . when in doubt . . . Ask Vera!

Who is Vera Blogs and What Does She Do?

By Terri Sawkins, volunteer for Ask Vera

Have a read of our blog: www.askvera.org/blog

Ask Vera is now also on Facebook!www.facebook.com/askvera

You can also follow us on Twitter!www.twitter.com/AskVera
http://www.rnib.org.uk/http://www.askvera.organd%28/http://www.askvera.organd%28/http://www.askvera.org/bloghttp://www.askvera.org/bloghttp://www.facebook.com/askverahttp://www.twitter.com/AskVerahttp://www.twitter.com/AskVerahttp://www.facebook.com/askverahttp://www.askvera.org/bloghttp://www.askvera.organd%28/http://www.rnib.org.uk/


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The Ask Vera Easy Read Dictionary

Iwant to tell you about something that me and

Stuart Peacock have been working on: its called the

Ask Vera Easy Read Dictionary.

I made it because I want to help people with

learning disabilities and people who have trouble

reading the words. I am getting fed up with the

jargon and the big long words, for example Ive seen them in documents for

the NHS and other health services. I try and put them into Easy Read so I

try and find easier words and get rid of the

jargon.

I feel confused and a little bit annoyed when I cant

understand certain words. With the dictionary, we are

trying to point out the jargon and the bad words youshouldnt use. The dictionary has pictures that explain

the words for people who cannot read very well.

The dictionary also has easier words that you can use

instead of the

jargon. We did the complicated words in red and the easier words in green.

We are going to keep adding to the dictionary as time goes on, and you

can look at it on the internet through Ask Veras Facebook group.Please do go online and take a look at the dictionary, we hope youll find it

useful.

Just go to the Ask Vera Facebook page on www.facebook.com/askvera

and then look for the Dictionary in the Links section.

Thanks for reading, and one more thing:

By Lee Bone, Easy Read Assistant for Ask Vera

Stop using jargon, and start using easier words!
http://www.facebook.com/askverahttp://www.facebook.com/askvera


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There is some debate as to how Disability Hate crime is defined,many people simply see it as bullying or picking on others thatthey see as weaker than themselves.Many claim that it is an unrecorded problem that is much more

prevalent than we think.Depending on the impairment, the discrimination can vary such asa wheelchair user being accused of faking it disabled people canend up being targeted like the case with David Askew.

He was targeted by youths for over 17 years and sadly died of aheart attack in September 2009 due to the stress it caused him.The Manchester Police made attempts to resolve the issue butwere criticised for not making a stronger response to the incident.

3 years ago, a similar incident alsohappened with Fiona Pilkington and herdaughter Francesca Hardwick, living inLeceistershirewho were also suffering abusefrom a gang of youths.Unfortunately they too were killed after Fionaand her daughter committed suicide in theircar.

Both of these incidents have seen police inthe UK get a lot of criticism over how they handle issues like these.

An interesting and informative Panorama special has also been aired on the BBCaround the issue of Disability Hate Crime, and is still available to watch on BBCiPlayer.:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00qykm2/Panorama_Why_Do_You_Hate_Me/

By Jack Stevenson, Easy Read Assistant

Disability Hate CrimeAn unrecognised crime?

Fiona Pilkington and Francesca Hardwick

David Askew
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00qykm2/Panorama_Why_Do_You_Hate_Me/http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00qykm2/Panorama_Why_Do_You_Hate_Me/


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What can we do about it?

Ask Vera wants more people to be aware of the suffering thatsome disabled peopleare forced to endure , and for abuse and bullying of disabledpeople to be fully recognised as a hate crime.

The Crown Prosecution service have recently stated that they

will try and do more to help disabled people. However, hatecrimes concerning race, religion and sexuality have arguablybeen given more attention and the police and prosecutionservices have been more successful in combating thesecrimes, but this is not always so in the case of disabledpeople.

Why not come to Ask Veras Focus

Group to have your say about thisissue?

Simon Green, who shared

his experiences in the

moving BBC Panorama

special.

We are holding a focus group meeting about the issue of Disability Hate Crime on 10thMay 2010 at 1:00pm

We will have Emma Tierney from victimsupport.org talking about the issue and what

we can do about it. You will also have the chance to ask her any questions you like.

We will also have PC Simon Page from Essex Police giving a talk.

place on:Monday, 10th May 2010, 1:00pm

n the Training Room at the COLBEA Business Centre, Colchester

Please e-mail us at [email protected] you would like to attend or for more details.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Hi, my name is Vicky Cole and I am the project

manager for ASK VERA.

ASK VERA wants to tackle issues for people that face barriers to

accessing services.

We believe that its the people that face these obstacles that are the

experts in finding solutions to these barriers.

Much of our work involves finding solutions to accessing services andbreaking down the barriers that people face.

We are a multi skilled team of people that deliver cost- effective,

creative and meaningful ways to solve problems.

Vicky Cole (Project Manager)


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My name is Stuart Peacock. I have been on the Ask Vera team

as an Easy Read Coordinator since November 2008.

My name is Fiona Reynolds and I joined Ask Vera as an

Administrator in October 2009.

Stuart Peacock (Easy Read Coordinator)

I started my job shortly after graduating from the University of Essex with an

English Literature degree. I have always enjoyed reading, and even write a few

things of my own in my spare time (I hope to be a published author someday!)

As well as working on making information easier to read and

understand, I also support members on the team who have a

disability. I truly believe in what Ask Vera do and really hope we can make adifference to how disabled people are seen in todays world.

Fiona Reynolds (Administrator)

As an administrator my role is to give secretarial support to the team and carry out

filing, typing and dealing with any assistance that is required.

Previously I have done different secretarial and administration jobs including work-

ing at an estate agents and solicitors. I have completed several courses in

Administration and Secretarial Procedures, studying at Colchester Institute and

Chelmsford College.


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My name is Phil Lee, I have a visual impairment and am a

guide dog owner. My dogs name is Nan.

Phil Lee (Trainer)

I have had some bad experiences working for employers because of my disability.

But over time I have come out of my shell and have used my experiences to help

others.

I have also recently set up a group called Fair Access to Colchester which meets

up to discuss accessibility issues for disabled people in Colchester, and also to find

solutions for what we can do about it!

I have worked for the RNIB as a senior project assistant and part of my role was

being the REACT Co-ordinator. I have also worked for the NHS and was the

disability officer for the local branch of Unison and also have worked for Essex

County Council.

My hobbies are spending quality time with my family, home computing and taking

my dogs out.

Sam Sanders (Volunteer)

Hi, my name is Sam and I am a volunteer for Ask Vera.

I am here to help with the marketing of Ask Vera and to promote

our workshops.

My background is Hospital Administration but I am now trying to

gain my NVQs in Healthcare so I can train to become a Mental

Health Nurse. I really want to help people who have disabilities

or high support needs.


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I have 13 years experience of working for both the public andvoluntary sector in roles from Inclusion Worker to Service

Manager, working with people that need support.

Hi my name is Ben Pelham. I am 21 years old.

I want to help more people understand about being disabled.

I also think that people should know more about the

difficulties that people face every day.

Ben Pelham (Volunteer)

My work helps people understand more about me. I do lots of conferences

and presentations to tell others what to expect.

feel very strongly about having information easy to read, as I cannot read words that

are too small. I need big writing please!!

hope one day to be rich and famous. One day I also want to go to

Parliament and talk to MPs, and also to meet the Prime Minister at number

0 Downing Street. I also want to meet Harry Potter! (Daniel Radcliffe)

Ryan Jones (Volunteer)

I am an experienced trainer, person-centred planner and graphic facilitator. I am

currently working as a Personal Assistant with Brokerage functions to Ben Pelham.

Although I am not receiving support from social care, as a person with Multiple

Sclerosis I hope I can empathise with people who need support.


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My name is Colin Aldridge.

I have a learning disability and can read and write, but I

struggle with hard words and small print.

I joined Ask Vera as a volunteer in April 2009.

I am currently collating and preparing information on the

RNIB React System for distribution to local Business and

charities in order to create interest and possible funding to

set up the system in Colchester.

Colin Aldridge (Volunteer)

I have always done my best to help other people with disabilities. I

volunteered for Royal Mencaps Listening to Us project and this later

became a paid job as a Consultant Project Worker. I worked with other

people with a learning disability to make information easier to understand

and to help services be more focused on peoples needs.

At Ask Vera I help with putting information into Easy Read. I point out the

long and complicated words and suggest easier words that could be used

instead. It has really made me realize that there are ways of finding easier

information. It gives me something to do and something to come out for,

and I have made lots of friends.

Terri Sawkins (Volunteer)


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My name is Linda and I have a secretarial

background and currently work with people withlearning disabilities.

My name is Glenn Chapman

I like working at Ask Vera because they are a nice

friendly team to work with.

Linda Canham (Admin and Secretarial)

did a Sociology BA at Essex University and my link with Ask Vera cropped up

because I supported tenants at Ling Trust.

2 years ago I had mental health issues, however this has not stopped me finding a

ob.

My hobbies are travel, reading, visiting Art Galleries, most types of music, socialisingand film.

particularly enjoy my work at Ask Vera because disability is considered a strength

ather than a hindrance.

Glenn Chapman (Easy Read Assistant)

It is a change of scenery for me to be doing something different.

I have been helping Stuart with some of the Easy Read documents

on the computer. when Stuart shows me the pictures and the words

he asks me if the words are right for the document and if I

understand it.


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Jack Stevenson (Easy Read Assistant)

I am Jack Stevenson and I have worked for Ask Vera since

November 2008.

This is my first job and my time here has helped me get

accustomed to a working environment.

I help with the Easy Read transcribing and with the research; I sometimes help out

with the technical side of things when required.

I enjoy working at Ask Vera as it gives me something to work for and somewhere to

go in the day.

Since joining Ask Vera, I have started 2 other jobs, one working for the EssexCounty Council and another at the library in Witham which I will be starting soon.

I have several interests including computing, history (especially classical) and

Japanese culture, which I am currently studying.

Lee Bone (Easy Read Assistant)

My name is Lee Bone. I started at Ask Vera last year and Im

an Easy Read Assistant. I help Stuart with making Easy Read

documents.

I have now completed my travel training so I can come to work independently. It is

brilliant doing work that helps people with learning disabilities. I also go to Colchester

Institute to study, it is great going to college. I also go to Red House which is a day

centre in Tiptree. I had to make a phone call from the office, I was a bit nervous at

the start but then I practiced for a while and nailed it. I have started answering the

phone at Ask Vera too.


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Darren Sewell (Volunteer Designer)

Hi my name is Darren Sewell and I joined Ask Vera in March

2009 as a volunteer designer.

I have a degree in Graphic Design and since graduating I have applied for many job

roles without success. I came across the chance to work for Ask Vera because of

my own disability and the support offered to me through Essex County Councils

employment support service.

In my time at Ask Vera I have designed an information pack for the Participation

Networks Forum based in Chelmsford. Working along with Stuart we aimed to

incorporate easy-read information with eye-catching design and make it easily

Accessible. Because of Ask Vera I have been given the chance to use my creative

skills, doing something to help people, to make the world a little bit better for people

with disabilities.

I hope to continue my work with Ask Vera and one day be a full-time member of the

team. Working for a project such as this has opened my eyes to the problemspeople with disabilities face, and the help they can get. I want to help change things

for the better and champion what Ask Vera is aiming to achieve.


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By Victoria Riley, volunteer for Ask Vera

Hello my name is Victoria Riley, I am 42 years old and I live

in Colchester I have lots of friends and like going on days

out. I love going to places like the beach at Brightlingsea

and Colchester Zoo with my friends and my helpers.

In my spare time I also like to watch the news to know whatis going on in the world. I like other programmes on TV

too, like Doctor Who, Eastenders and Emmerdale. I like

acting too and have been in a few plays. I also enjoy

reading and writing, and write a lot of my own poetry and stories.

I started volunteering at Ask Vera in March 2010.

I have helped Stuart a lot with the Easy Read documents and findingeasier words to use instead of complicated ones. I also helped put

together a folder with all of Ask Veras easy read work in it.

I have also done some work at the Wilson Marriage Centre, which is

an adult community college in Colchester . I had to answer the phone

and use the printer. I want to start doing this at Ask Vera too.

I love coming to Ask Vera, because I was excited to have a job in an

Office, and I really like the people here.I hope you have enjoyed reading the newsletter!


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Ask Vera Workshops

and Training

For training from Ask Vera, you can come to us, or we can come to you!

We hold regular workshop events at our centre but we also offer in-house

training if you would like the team to come to you!

We can offer training for many things

including:

Making information more accessible

How to make reasonable adjustments to

better accommodate disabled people

Get a better understanding of legislation

such as the Disability Discrimination Act

Attitudes towards disability and models of

disability.

Get in touch with us now

to find out more!

01206 769477

www.askvera.org

[email protected]
http://www.askvera.org/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.askvera.org/

Download - Ask Vera Newsletter April 2010

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