Project leads

Helen Goddard
helen.goddard@norfolk.gov.uk

Marcia Derbyshire
marcia.derbyshire@norfolk.gov.uk

Norfolk Leadership Programme
event, 29-30 January 2010

On 29-30 January 2010, young people and families taking part in the Getting a Life programme in Norfolk met up together with Christine Burke and Jill Davies from the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities for a leadership workshop. Although it was snowing, lots of people came along.

Ames, John and Melanie from Speaking Up in Cambridge led exercises to help the young people speak up for themselves.

Ames, John and Melanie helped the young people to think about their dream job.

They used stickers representing lots of different jobs to make a collage of the different jobs. The young people presented their ideas to their families.

Christine talked with the families in another room about what makes a good life. People said that friends, things to do, having money and good health are all part of having a good life.

Families then talked about what stops people having a good life. They looked at this for themselves and for their sons and daughters. They talked about some of the barriers that are about how things work now and are not to do with the young people or their impairment.

For example:

•   not having the right information to get a job
•   being excluded from mainstream life
•   not being allowed to do things like everybody else

Marcia Derbyshire told everyone about Project Search. This is a work experience based programme linked to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. Eight young people did work experience in different departments and six young people have found jobs since completing the year-long course. Later this year there will be four different Project Search sites in Norfolk.

 

James Smith from Norwich is one of the young people who was a student on Project Search and now has a job. He works 16 hours per week at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. Although James uses a wheelchair, he now uses public transport and says that going everywhere by taxi is boring. He told the group how having a job has really changed his life for the better.

New Beginnings

On the 2nd and 3rd October, the Getting a Life (GAL) programme really got going in Norfolk. Thirteen young people and families met in Norwich and Dereham to find out more about the programme and talk about what they want to do in their lives.

They met Linda Jordan and Nicola Gitsham (GAL programme managers) who described the purpose of the programme. They were also joined by Helen Goddard (GAL lead, Norfolk) and Christine Burke and Jill Davies from the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities (FPLD) who spoke about their plans for the young peoples’ workshops.

For full news story please click here >>

 

 

 

 

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