Latest News and Information

2008 - Deaf Awareness Week

Waterside House,
Sale Waterside, Sale, Manchester M33 7ZF
10am - 4pm Wednesday 7th May 2008

Information / advice available from:

• RNID Tinnitus
• National Deaf Children Society
• North West Hearing Dogs for Deaf People
• Genie Networks & signed stories with Molly the puppet
• British Sign Language Course & Equality & Diversity
• Trafford Health & Disability - Equipment Service Development
• Trafford Health & Disability Re-habilitation
• Trafford General Hospital Audiology
• GMP Victim Support & Hate Crime/Crime Prevention
   
• Deaf Awareness Week - May 2008 - (Word Format)

British Sign Language interpreters will be there and everyone is welcome

2008 - Disability Equality Scheme - One Year On

This is the first annual review of Trafford’s Disability Equality Scheme. During 2007, we continued to work with Deaf and disabled people through the Disability Advisory Group, Deaf Partnership and Disability Partnership Board. In addition, we held a ‘drop-in’ in December to inform people of progress and check on any new issues which may have arisen or which we needed to tackle.

We have made a really good start: there remains a lot to do. An important area of work in 2008 will be assessing the impact of Council projects, policies or decisions on disabled people as part of our equality work. Impact assessments are public documents, so people who are interested can have access to these.

We also want to set up an editorial board of Deaf and disabled people to get more involved with the detail and review of the Disability Equality Scheme. We want to ensure the Scheme remains useful and tackles the areas which make an important positive difference to the lives of Deaf and disabled people in Trafford.

• Disability Equality Scheme - One Year On - Action Plan

 If you are interested in being part of the editorial board or just want further information about the work we are doing with Deaf and disabled people, please contact:

Anne Tober
Team Manager
Equality & Diversity
Trafford Council

Tel: 0161 912 1379
Minicom: 0161 912 1312
Email: anne.tober@trafford.gov.uk

Please also contact Anne if you require this information in an alternative language or format (e.g. Braille, Large Print, Audio Tape, Easy Read)

2006 - Disability Equality Duty Workshop

• Disability Equality Duty Workshop - Report  (PDF)
• Disability Equality Duty Workshop - Summary (PDF)

More than 80 disabled or Deaf residents of Trafford attended the Disability Equality Duty Workshop organised by the Disability Equality Team in November.

The purpose of the day was to consult with disabled and Deaf people. What barriers do people with disabilities face in everyday life? What difficulties are there with accessing Council services?

For people interested in greater involvement with us, how would they like this to be organised? The workshop also raised the profile of the Disability Equality Duty with a wider audience and provided information to help the council to priorities its actions.

People attending the workshop included Chief Executive David McNulty; Leader of the council, Councillor Susan Williams; Mike Conney, Executive Director, Community Services and Social Care; Councillor John Lamb, executive Member for Adult Social Services and Health, David Hanley, Corporate Lead for Disability Equality, and Lorraine Gradwell, Chair of the Disability Partnership Board.

More info: anne.tober@trafford.gov.uk a detailed report on the workshop will be available by mid- December.

2006 - Chief Executive Newsletter Report

"The new Disability Equality Duty that comes into effect at he start of December is a scary moment for me. It's scary because it's such an important responsibility and it will have huge consequences for us.  I realise just how much here is to learn and understand both for me as an individual and for us as an organisation.

I think we've made a good start on preparing to make this duty work properly in Trafford. I am very grateful for the way disabled staff and residents have worked with us this year to put their knowledge, skills and energy into developing an improved approach for us. I was particularly impressed with the recent conference at Lancashire cricket club. I realise we're only at the start of a journey but together we have made a very good start. 

I think that all people who work for Trafford MBC or use our services will increasingly require our organisation to respond to their different and personal needs and expectations.  So the work we do with disabled residents and staff will encourage not only improvements for them as individuals but for all residents and staff.

My personal ambition is for Trafford residents and staff to be proud of their council for the excellence of its work. Having a serious and focussed commitment to the Disability Equality Duty is a crucial way of being excellent. It won't be easy, not least because of the very limited resources we have in Trafford. With your continued support I'm sure we can do it. "

Best Wishes 
David McNulty- Chief Executive
Trafford MBC

18/01/2007 - Ouch! Newsletter no 167

Ouch!....  it's a disability thing

Go to the Ouch home page, open all day every day: www.bbc.co.uk/ouch/

If you received a copy of this newsletter from someone else and would like to subscribe to it yourself, visit: www.bbc.co.uk/ouch/newsletter/

04/01/2007 - Trafford Direct presents: A Job Application Seminar

Are you aware of anyone finding difficulty in applying for council vacancies?
Are they having trouble getting interviews for the jobs that they want?

Trafford Direct are hosting a seminar to provide guidance on how to fill out application forms correctly to help gain an interview.

The seminar will focus on 3 main areas:

• The need to prepare thoroughly
• The difference between a Job Description and a Person Specification
• The need to sell yourself in an application

To book a place, contact Norma on 0161 912 4426, between 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 3.30pm.

16/05/2006 - Make It Clear - making information easy to read

MENCAP have produced the 'Make it clear' guide to making information easy to read and understand for people with a learning disability. Please use this for producing information for customers and staff who have a learning disability. See attachment.

CLICK HERE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

09/05/2006 - Deaf Awareness Week

Trafford Deaf Partnership , NCH Genie Project and Trafford Borough Council would like to say a big thank you for your support and hard work !

We had overall 1756 residents visiting us during the week.

20/04/2006 - Deaf Awareness Week

Information Stalls will be at:

• Tuesday 2nd May 06 at Urmston Precinct 9am to 3.30pm
• Wednesday 3rd May 06 at Stretford Mall 9am to 4pm
• Thursday 4th May 06 at Stretford Mall 9am to 4pm
• Friday 5th May 06 at Old Trafford Community Centre 10am to 2.30pm

Fully accessible venues & BSL Interpreters available

For more information please contact Mike MacDonald
Disability Equality Officer, Room 6a TMBC
Minicom 912-1312 & Fax 912-1385 or Email: mike.macdonald@trafford.gov.uk
 

29/11/2005  - Disabled People Like To Party Too

It was a cold windy and wet Saturday afternoon outside but inside the fully accessible Waterside Arts Centre the atmosphere was full of energy and ambition as local disabled people together with disabled musicians and poets came together to celebrate the International Day of Disabled People on 3rd December 2005. The original idea of having a party came from the Disability Advisory Resident's Group, because, believe it or believe it not, disabled people like to party too.

Inspired by the theme of 'nothing about us without us' it was a truly diverse group of people who supported the event. People from different backgrounds, different cultures, and different ages, with differing impairments came together to party, united in their desire to see the world change, to become a more welcoming place for disabled people.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

23/11/2005 - International Day of Disabled People

Trafford Disability Advisory Group Invites you to celebrate the International Day of Disabled People and the launch of
The Disability Partnership Board.

On Saturday 3rd December 2005 from 1pm to 4pm at Sale Waterside Art Centre.

There will be entertainment and refreshments throughout the afternoon. Fully accessible venue and British Sign Language Interpreters available.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

10/08/2005

The Disability Advisory Group (DAG) is just one year old but already it has been very busy advising the council on such matters as employment, building design and access to parks. DAG aims to provide a way for Trafford Council and residents to work together to improve facilities and services for local disabled people. Currently 10 local disabled people sit on the DAG to advise and work with council officers on a range of services and policies.

Trafford now wants to start a "disability debate" to find out what people want and need and to let people comment on Trafford’s plans. Working with the council the DAG is planning a questionnaire to residents seeking their views on a variety of matters. This questionnaire can be made accessible to people in different formats, such as braille. We are also planning an Open Meeting in December where people can come together to meet other disabled people and share experiences. There will be a chance to meet the current members of the Advisory Group, and even to consider joining it!

We'd like disabled people who live in Trafford to make contact so that we can include you in the questionnaire. You can do this by ringing Anne Tober or Michael Macdonald, Disability Project Group 912 1379 or minicom 912 1312.

20/06/2005 - Celebrate 05 Programme of Events

Programme of events on Friday 8th July 2005 at the Trafford Centre

10.30  Mayor of Trafford - Official welcome.

10.35  Delamere School - Flixton

10.50  Thorn Grove School – Stockport

11.20  Royal School for the Deaf Manchester – Stockport

11.50  Brentwood / Sale Grammar School - Trafford

12.00  Lunch Time

13.00  Kerry Firth - Loreto Grammar School (Solo Clarinet)

13.30  Delamere School - Flixton

13.45  Brentwood / Sale Grammar School - Trafford

14.00  Trophies

BSL Interpreters for Deaf people will be there on the day

01/06/2005 - Trafford Residents' Disability Advisory Group

Are you a disabled resident of Trafford?

If so would you be interested in joining Trafford's Disability Advisory Group?

Here in Trafford MBC we view disability as an equality issue and we recognise that we do not have enough representation of disabled people in the workforce. We are currently looking at the employment opportunities of disabled people within the local authority and need your expertise as a disabled person to help us to remove the barriers to employment that many disabled people experience whilst seeking employment.

Recent statistics released by the Department for Work and Pension state that 'there are 6.9 million disabled people of working age in Great Britain accounting for nearly a fifth of the working age population; 50% of disabled people of working age are in work, compared to 81% of non-disabled people.

The income of disabled people is, on average, less that half of that of non- disabled people'.

The only 'qualification' that you need to be part of DAG is to be a disabled resident. If you are interested and would like to find out more please contact Anne Tober, Manager, Disability Project Team.

Telephone 0161 912 1379
Textphone/minicom 0161 912 1312
E mail anne.tober@traffford.gov.uk

16/05/2005 - Look at Me

'When we lose our hearing, we lose contact with other people'
Immanuel Kant Philosopher

The above quote illustrates to the hearing world what it is like for nearly15% of the population who have some degree of deafness. When we lose our hearing we lose contact with other people: in the classroom: in the tutorial: in the workplace: in the meeting: in the shop: in the restaurant: in the theatre: in fact with mainstream life.

Starting in January plans were put in place by Trafford's HearHear Group, to support the national Look at Me, Deaf Awareness Campaign. Held at the fully accessible Stretford Mall in May the event was also sponsored by Boots, BT, The Genie Project, Greggs, RNIB, Tesco's, Trafford Area Board & the UK Council on Deafness.

During the campaign over 400 people visited the HearHear display to learn about adjustments that can be made to help deaf and hard of hearing people access products and services.

My thanks go to the HearHear resident's who volunteered to 'man' the displays they did a tremendous job with great empathy, enthusiasm and commitment.

And a great lesson to be learnt by us as service providers working for the local authority, the value of having the involvement of disabled people at the heart of the process.

All in all quite an achievement, quite a lot of contact.

Anne Tober
Disability Project Team

10/06/2005 - Celebrate 05

Festival of Drama and Music - 'Celebrating the achievements of disabled people'

Friday 8th July 2005 in The Orient at The Trafford Centre
Time 10.30am till 3pm

Featuring performances
By Trafford's

Brentwood & Sale Grammar Schools
Delamere School
Victoria Park Junior School
&
Royal School for the Deaf & Communication Disorders
Thorn Grove School Stockport

For further details please
Tele 0161 912 1386
Fax 0161 912 1385
Minicom 0161 912 1312
E-mail: mike.macdonald@trafford.gov.uk

02/06/2005 - Deaf Awareness Week

Deaf Awareness Week is about raising awareness to hearing people about people who are Deaf, hard of hearing and deafblind. This week gives us an opportunity to educate people that it is okay to be Deaf we are proud of it! Trafford NCH Genie Project and Trafford Disability Project Team have been working together with Trafford Deaf Partnership to present the local community with information about promoting Deaf Awareness. Trafford Deaf residents have been volunteering all week on the stall at Stretford Mall. The stall consists of information about communicating with Deaf people and sign language courses. The NCH Genie Project handed out information leaflets about communication and Deaf people, Trafford Disability Project provided information about sign language courses at North Trafford College and signing pictures for people to learn and teach their children. Deaf Awareness Week was very successful and we would like to thank our volunteers for all their hard work and support.

 
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