Page 3 - Community Living Issue 31-3

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Making a visible difference

issN 0951-9815
Volume 31, No 3, spring 2018
ome remarkable achievements by young people with learning disabilities in the
Published by
CL Initiatives Ltd world of TV, film and theatre are highlighted in this issue. Actors, dancers,
No 6 The Square schoreographers, film directors, animators and musicians are making their mark
Waterhouse Green on the British cultural scene in unprecedented ways, and which were probably
Whittle-le-Woods, Chorley
Lancashire PR6 7LF unthinkable even 20 years ago.
Tel 0125 727 0430 We are proud to showcase and celebrate their great talent and the brilliant work of
those who have worked alongside them to achieve these breakthroughs. The efforts of
Subscription enquiries
Rosemary Trustam Oska Bright in film, Creative Minds in theatre and dance and the Open Theatre Company
Tel 0125 727 0430 in TV and theatre performance have all been fundamental to this cultural shift.
rosecli@btinternet.com Most importantly, these creative young talented people have themselves put in the
CL Initiatives Ltd
(address as above) hours, hard work and dedication to perfect their craft and, as the old axiom has it, have
probably had to work twice as hard to show they are half as good.
editor Many barriers remain, some of them explored (pages 18-19) by Richard Hayhow, the
Simon Jarrett
simonj@jarr.demon.co.uk pioneering director of the Open Theatre Company. Nevertheless, this is a success story
and, hopefully, one that will change perceptions across the wider public. Nothing
Production editor serves the cause of inclusion better than the routine appearance and involvement of
Christy Lawrance
www.clcomms.com people with learning disabilities in things we all talk about and around which we build
our shared experiences. There are encouraging signs that this is gradually becoming the
social media editor norm rather than the exception.
Rosemary Trustam
t @CommLivingmag Alongside this positive
f www.facebook.com/ development are other
CommunityLivingMagazine being denied the right to “ Nothing serves the cause of
ways in which people are
Digital marketing consultant seen. People are still inclusion better than the routine
Anna Roper appearance and involvement of
anna@fieldmouse.co exercise their vote, while
Research others are labelled as people with learning disabilities in
Julie Ridley “challenging” – and still things we all talk about
Reader in social policy and practice, University more are treated with
of Central Lancashire ”
the “chemical cosh” of
Photographer overmedication to keep them quiet and passive. We report on campaigns to address
Seán Kelly each of these pernicious assaults on the fundamental rights of people with learning
www.seankellyphotos.com
disabilities to be part of society, and to live fulfilled lives.
Legal correspondent As we rightly celebrate the achievements of a confident new generation, for whom
Belinda Schwehr LLM the incarceration and inhumanities of recent history are remembered (if at all) as a
Legal framework trainer and consultant
Care and Health Law distant horror story, we must not forget those who are still mired in the legacy of that
belinda@careandhealthlaw.com past. Not everyone can be a star, but everyone can live a life without the straitjacket of
a label, without the denial of basic rights and without having their minds subdued for
Publisher
Rosemary Trustam the convenience of others. We must fight relentlessly for their right to do so.
rosecli@btinternet.com
Tunnel vision commissioning
editorial Board
Jo Clare, CEO, Three Cs It is more than 10 years since the Department of Health launched the “world class
Noelle Blackman, CEO, Respond commissioning” framework in 2007, which it billed as “a statement of intent, aimed at
Tony Bamforth CEO, The Elfrida Society delivering outstanding performance in the way we commission health and care services
Jo Adshead, CEO, Linkability
Sue Pemberton, CEO, Integrate Ltd in the NHS”.
Jane Lloyd and Debbie Forde, senior lecturers, The idea has been quietly shelved in recent years, retrievable only from its resting
School of Social Work, University of Central place deep in the department’s digital archives. It was, perhaps, overambitious. Most of
Lancashire
Beth Tarleton, senior research fellow, Norah us today would settle for something like “pretty good commissioning”. Sadly, even that
Fry Research Centre seems hard to achieve, not only in health services but also in social care.
Sally Warren, MD, Paradigm In this issue, we feature the story of the Engine Shed in Edinburgh, an excellent social
Rosemary Trustam
Gill Levy enterprise that provided training, work experience and pathways into employment.
Gabby Machell, CEO, and Mandy Crowford, Much loved by the public, generating 60% of its income through trading and getting up
adult services manager, Westminster Society to 80% of its trainees into fully paid work, it was the epitome of what is sometimes
Isabelle Garnett
Simon Jarrett called “social capital” – the networks of social bonds, relationships, goodwill and
bridges that build healthy, functioning societies.
Designed and printed by But a change in commissioning approach meant that it no longer met the local
Character Graphics, Taunton,
Tel 01823 279008 authority’s criteria for funding, and it exists no more. That was certainly not world class
commissioning. It wasn’t even pretty good.
© CL Initiatives Ltd 2018
Registered Charity No 1141176
Company No 7530680 Simon Jarrett
Editor
www.cl-initiatives.co.uk Community Living Vol 31 No 3 | Spring 2018 3