The Bradford Learning Disability BME Champions group was formed in September 2004. It is one of eight subgroups that reports to the Bradford Learning Disability Partnership Board. The group meets on a bimonthly basis at different community based locations throughout the year. At present there is a membership of over 20 people coming from the length and breadth of the district representing Bradford’s diverse BME communities including, (service users, parents and carers from Bradford District Care Trust). The aim of the group is to:
• Have an influencing role on mainstream planning and development initiatives ensuring that all services are appropriate and accessible to people with learning disabilities that are from BME communities.
• Assist BDCT in the impact assessing of its policies and functions.
• Support, assist and encourage two-way communication between service users and service providers.
• Work towards achieving and maintaining a membership that reflects a broad representation of age, faith, gender, disability and ethnicity.
• Guide and support other Partnership Board subgroups.
In the short time that the group has been running it has managed to submit several bids to the LAADF for a number of community activities including a base budget for sundries.
The following comments are from members of the group who wanted to share their experience of being a member and their long term vision for the group:
I see the group as a channel for raising awareness in Bradford. Africans and African Caribbean people do not like to talk about disabilities of any kind because they see it as private so we have a lot to do to encourage them. In the interim, I feel that publicity workshops are needed to show them that they are not alone. We want to feedback to our communities. We want this group to look at the needs of people with learning disabilities who experience domestic violence and forced marriages.
Joel Fagborun, Representing Afribiz and The Peace
Makers
A
good opportunity to meet different people from other
communities. They make us feel welcome and I feel
comfortable speaking out in the group. I feel that the
group could help me and other people who do speak English
to access information about
services.
Asif Akram service user of The 119 Project & Mohammed
Amin service user of Bradford People
First
A
good bunch of people from across Bradford. This is the kind
of meeting I always wanted to attend. One that represents
people from different organisations including day services
for people with learning disabilities, and people from
different cultural backgrounds as this is something you
don’t usually see. This is particularly useful for sharing
information about different
communities.
I would like to
see more staff from day services and residential provisions
bring more services users with them to the meeting. I think
it would be a good idea to have an open event where the
community ( local people) could get involved with the group
to access information and raise awareness in the wider
community (BME groups)
Asmaa Hans representing Bradford People First
The
Council for Mosques sees this as an excellent opportunity
for different community groups and individuals to support
and plan inclusive services for people with learning
disabilities.
I feel that the people in the group have a wide range of
experience and are well focused on the purpose of the
group. They are very committed to the aims of the group and
will share information in their communities. As members of
the group are in positions of influence I feel that they
will be able to influence the service providers to provide
accessible services for the needs of people with learning
disabilities and their families.
Mohammed Saleem Khan representing the Bradford Council for
Mosques
As
a parent of a young service user who recently moved into
adult services, I am currently happy with the respite care
that my daughter is receiving. However, I would like to see
a wider choice of activities for people like my daughter
and for such activities to be available at weekends and
evenings. I feel that such opportunities would enable her
to get out into the community where she could develop a
wider range of skills for the promotion of greater
independence. Although I am a new member of the group I see
the group as part of a wider community network supporting
the needs of service users, parents and carers.
Paulette Terrylong A Parent of a Service User
Minutes of all meetings will be displayed on the Bradford
Learning Disability Cultural Competence Webpage SEE:
http://www.bdct.nhs.uk/ld/cultural.htm
To help us maintain the enthusiasm and determination of all
members to be major campaigners for the Rights of people
with learning disabilities, who are from BME communities,
we would value your comments after viewing our webpage.
George.
G. Deane
Bradford District Care Trust