Equal People is one of the charities that will benefit from the KTF fund raising gig on July 16th.
There are over 300 adults with a learning disability living in Kensington & Chelsea. Many still feel harassed and abused with name-calling, violence and theft an all too common experience. Many, once they have left school have no idea what choices are available to them, and worse, they are not asked what they want.
Equal People (Kensington & Chelsea – Registered Charity No 298609) was formed thirty years ago by two parents who wanted their children to have more choice as they became adults, and the support in place that meant they could play a full part in community life.
Since then Equal People has worked hard to listen to each individual and their families and carers. Our mission statement, chosen by our service users, is “turning dreams into action at the pace of the individual.” Our dedicated staff team and volunteers strive to do this each day, working alongside each individual and at their direction to improve their quality of life.
Our Supported Living Service currently supports over thirty people to live independently, managing their day to day lives.
Our Resource Centre in St Charles Square, Ladbroke Grove, opened in 1996, currently has a membership of 156. Here each individual can find a safe space, a welcome, advice and support or take part in one of fifteen-plus weekly activities. The “Stand & Deliver” Activities Project, run at the direction of our service users includes a Café Project, multimedia, arts and crafts, yoga and relationship workshops. Activities have seen to increase self-confidence, skills and independence. It is important that many groups take place out in the community too, enabling each person to build links and contribute to community life.
The future:
Our service users have clearly told us they want the Resource Centre to continue as a safe space and launching point for their community lives and different and varied activities to be supported each day.
However, traditional funding routes in social care are facing drastic cuts, we anticipate 25%-40% of funding set aside for people with learning disabilities will be lost; without this many of the most vulnerable people in our community will lose their support, lose their voice and lose their chance of a positive future. Equal People work hard to keep our costs to a minimum but the cost of our Resource Centre, so valued by our service users, is increasing.
People with learning disabilities make a valuable and committed contribution to your local community, please support us to continue working with them to live independently, stay safe, work, rest and play just like you do. Check out our website on www.equalpeoplekc.org.uk for ways to contribute. Also, come along to the Kensal Town Fund gig at the Mason’s Arms on 16th July 2010.
Interested in becoming a volunteer, using our service or finding out more about us? We would love you to join us. Contact Wendy Autumn on 0208
964 0544 or come for a Café Project lunch on term-time Friday’s between 12 noon and 1.30pm
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT
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