Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Disability Service Users Forum

Options
  • 25-02-2010 3:27pm
    #1
    Annasopra
    Registered Users Posts: 41,072 ✭✭✭✭


    Hi

    I am looking for some help

    I am currently doing a course in advocacy - as part of the course I have to do an advocacy work placement.

    I am currently undertaking the advocacy course work placement in a disability organisation for people with intellectual disabilities. The organisation wants to set up a "service users forum"

    I am wondering - has anyone any experience of setting up something similar or know of any organisations that have something similar? Do you have any links?

    What do you think should be done to set up a service user forum? how do you think it would work

    It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was us, what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.

    Terry Pratchet



Comments

  • Options
    #2
    The Black Oil
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 18,427 CMod ✭✭✭✭The Black Oil


    That's a difficult one, but it's also a good idea, I think. Maybe you would need to pilot it to assess its viability. You'd probably also have to see if posts would be live or if they'd need to be pre-screened by a mod or admin. Is there a particular atmosphere or ethos you'd like the forum to adhere to in certain respects, what ground rules would you have and how can they accessible and understandable for all, procedures for complaints, child protection, etc etc. There are many issues to consider.

    TCD's online forum is the closest thing I can think of at the moment.

    Moderator: Television, Psychology and Dublin County North.

    CMod: Entertainment



  • Options
    #3
    Annasopra
    Registered Users Posts: 41,072 ✭✭✭✭Annasopra


    Sorry - I didn't mean an online forum - I meant a representative group that meets to discuss the service and feeds into the decision making processes within the service - similar to say a group of shop stewards within one company or a student council in a university

    It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was us, what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.

    Terry Pratchet



  • Options
    #4
    The Black Oil
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 18,427 CMod ✭✭✭✭The Black Oil


    Ah right, sorry. :o

    Might something like this be closer to what you mean? http://www.bodywhys.ie/getInvolved/youth-panel/

    Moderator: Television, Psychology and Dublin County North.

    CMod: Entertainment



  • Options
    #5
    LadyMayBelle
    Registered Users Posts: 5,095 ✭✭✭LadyMayBelle


    Scroll down to 'General'
    http://www.pwdi.ie/useful_links/index.htm

    Might help


    Oh and this:
    http://www.voicesireland.com/Home.htm


  • Options
    #6
    Olduvai
    Closed Accounts Posts: 47 ✭Olduvai


    Johnnymcg wrote: »
    Hi

    I am looking for some help

    I am currently doing a course in advocacy - as part of the course I have to do an advocacy work placement.

    I am currently undertaking the advocacy course work placement in a disability organisation for people with intellectual disabilities. The organisation wants to set up a "service users forum"

    I am wondering - has anyone any experience of setting up something similar or know of any organisations that have something similar? Do you have any links?

    What do you think should be done to set up a service user forum? how do you think it would work

    Peamount Hospital was looking to develop an advocacy service for its clients (intellectual disabilities) a couple of years ago. The project was suppose to be run in conjunction with the local citizens information service (I think Clondalkin). The vision included the development of a service user forum who would directly feed into services. I would definately contact Peamount and ask for the advocacy worker - presuming the project is still ongoing. They might be able to tell you how they implemented the project.

    Another avenue is to contact Comhairle and ask them for a list of the advocacy projects that they fund for persons with an intellectual project.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    Annasopra
    Registered Users Posts: 41,072 ✭✭✭✭Annasopra


    Olduvai wrote: »
    Peamount Hospital was looking to develop an advocacy service for its clients (intellectual disabilities) a couple of years ago. The project was suppose to be run in conjunction with the local citizens information service (I think Clondalkin). The vision included the development of a service user forum who would directly feed into services. I would definately contact Peamount and ask for the advocacy worker - presuming the project is still ongoing. They might be able to tell you how they implemented the project.

    Another avenue is to contact Comhairle and ask them for a list of the advocacy projects that they fund for persons with an intellectual project.

    Thanks

    I've heard that Peamount is closing down or is going to close down

    It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was us, what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.

    Terry Pratchet



  • Options
    #8
    Annasopra
    Registered Users Posts: 41,072 ✭✭✭✭Annasopra


    The Black Oil wrote: »
    Ah right, sorry. :o

    Might something like this be closer to what you mean? http://www.bodywhys.ie/getInvolved/youth-panel/

    No - not really - from what I read the people involved in that don't necessarily have to avail of bodywhys services

    I was more talking about something like Enable Irelands
    SUF but also wondering if anybody knew of any organisations in Ireland that had introduced something similar

    http://www.enableireland.ie/adults/council

    It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was us, what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.

    Terry Pratchet



  • Options
    #9
    Olduvai
    Closed Accounts Posts: 47 ✭Olduvai


    I didn’t know about Peamount.

    Anyhow, there is a service user’s forum was established in the Gateway Project. The client group is persons who may experience mental health. Its part of Rathmines Pembroke Community Partnership. The contact person is Sandra at 01 496 5558 Email: sandra@rpcp.ie.
    I would also contact Shine which is an organisation for persons with mental health. They have an advocacy worker and I believe that clients also feed into its services.

    Comhairle has done a good few publications on advocacy – some tell you what is needed in establishing a service.... havent got the titles to hand but have a look at their website.


  • Options
    #10
    Annasopra
    Registered Users Posts: 41,072 ✭✭✭✭Annasopra


    Thanks for that, the Citizens Information Board (formerly chomhairle) actually assisted in setting up the course that I'm doing

    It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was us, what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.

    Terry Pratchet



  • Options
    #11
    newman10
    Registered Users Posts: 975 ✭✭✭newman10


    Johnnymcg wrote: »
    Hi

    I am looking for some help

    I am currently doing a course in advocacy - as part of the course I have to do an advocacy work placement.

    I am currently undertaking the advocacy course work placement in a disability organisation for people with intellectual disabilities. The organisation wants to set up a "service users forum"

    I am wondering - has anyone any experience of setting up something similar or know of any organisations that have something similar? Do you have any links?

    What do you think should be done to set up a service user forum? how do you think it would work

    Are you going to do the work with the Service Provider or with the Disability Charity


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #12
    Annasopra
    Registered Users Posts: 41,072 ✭✭✭✭Annasopra


    Sorry - missed the reply -doing some voluntary work with the service provider

    It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was us, what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.

    Terry Pratchet



Advertisement