’Disabled people working for inclusion’.
- Volunteers with disabilities
- Information to improve choice
Derbyshire Coalition for Inclusive Living (DCIL) provides a range of services to disabled people across Derbyshire including
- Information
- Advocacy
- Volunteering opportunities
- Training to businesses, schools and colleges
- Training to individuals to promote their personal and skills development
DCIL works with anyone in Derbyshire who defines themselves as disabled, rather than having its own definition of disability. Most of its funding comes from local PCTs and Social Services, with some project funding from the Lottery and similar sources.
Direct Payments is a scheme where an individual who has been assessed needing services can receive money from the local authority to purchase services to meet their care needs, rather than having those services provided directly from the council, or their contractors. It provides greater choice, flexibility and control over the support the person receives. The scheme is available nationally to people with physical disabilities, people with learning disabilities and some elderly people. To be eligible for the scheme, an individual has to be able to manage their Direct Payments either alone or with support.
Since September 2006 DCIL has recruited a team of volunteers whose role is to raise awareness of Direct Payments, help individuals make an informed choice about whether to apply for Direct Payments, and then support them through that process. The volunteers provide support in a variety of ways, according to their own skills and experiences, which can include:
- Outreach volunteers who promote Direct Payments in various settings such as Community Hospitals, CABx and the Unemployed Workers Centre
- Developing publicity materials to promote Direct Payments, such as a disabled volunteer who has created a photo diary explaining what Direct Payments have meant for him
- Running community conferences to promote Direct Payments and provide information to people who are seeking work as Personal Assistants, employed by an individual in receipt of Direct Payments
- Supporting individuals to manage their Direct Payments by providing practical help such as filing and accounting to enable them to be competent to manage their Direct Payments
- Some volunteers also support individuals in Direct Payments , although the paid DP Co-ordinator at DCIL does the nuts and bolts of the WORK.
Recruitment and Support
Volunteers are recruited through the local CVS/Volunteer Centre, Social Services and groups such as Leonard Cheshire and Derbyshire Carers. All volunteers are disabled or have experience as carers but DCIL does not define disability for other people and thus does not exclude potential volunteers. Potential volunteers undertake 20 hours of training over four weeks which enables them to decide whether this kind of volunteering is for them, while references are taken and CRB checks made. The training includes information about
- DCIL – what it does and its values
- Independent living
- Direct Payments
- Volunteering
- Equal Opportunities
- Counselling
Volunteers also identify additional areas for training, both at the end of their induction and as part of their ongoing supervision. Once a volunteer has been accepted they are closely managed for the first six weeks and then receive regular individual supervision, peer group meetings and contacts to relevant national agencies where relevant.
Rewarding Volunteers
As part of its approach to inclusive living DCIL sees volunteering as another opportunity for disabled people to be part of a wider society, so the benefits of volunteering for DCIL should reflect that.
- Some of the volunteers have joined the Social Services Implementation Group which enables them to comment on direct payments locally in Derbyshire
- Volunteers are involved in making decisions about the kind of training and development they need
Further information
Rita Hodkin: Direct Payments Volunteers Co-ordinator
01773 740246
rita@dcil.org.uk
www.dcil.org.uk
