New Vision trainer Ruth McCoy
A group of seven strong people with learning disabilities in Gateshead are using their personal experience and skills to deliver training about disability awareness across the borough.
From their base in Winlaton, the seven-strong group set up a social enterprise known as New Vision, made up of Dorothy Searle, Anne Richardson, Lynda Rutter, Jackie Cohan, Lisa Kelly, Andrew Knox and Ruth McCoy. Together they offer training sessions to raise awareness of issues and organisations within Gateshead.
Deputy leader of Gateshead Council, Councillor Ian Mearns said: “When it comes to delivering important messages about disability issues, the best people to do this are those who have personal experience and that's just what this group is doing.”
The team at the Council helped New Vision tap into funding sources - helping them to get over £4,700 from the Council's Community Chest fund which was used to buy equipment. They also offered support to create a bank of photography for use in their publicity, gave advice on book keeping so that they can monitor funding and income and organised training sessions to give them advice on how to run a training for other people.
Now, because of the success of New Vision and the increase in work, more people have joined the enterprise to deliver training to keep pace with the demand for their services.
Renee Laybourne manages services for people with disabilities at Gateshead Council. Her team supports the group in the work that they do and is delighted at the success of New Vision in delivering training. The group use a more interactive approach by training using personal examples to make complicated information much easier to understand.
She said: "The group have had to learn new skills and take on responsibilities that have led to them being more independent and active in the community. By setting up the social enterprise they are able to provide a professional and business-like service with on-going support from the Economic Development service."
October 2005
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