Pembrokeshire People First
By and For Adults With Learning Disabilities or
Autism in Pembrokeshire
Advocacy: 01437 769135 Everything Else: 01437 762524 [email protected] www.pembrokeshirepeople1st.org.uk Registered Charity Number 1091201
Follow us on and (pembspeople1st)
Pembrokeshire People First Portcullis House Old Hakin Road Haverfordwest Pembs SA61 1XE
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Pembrokeshire People First
Referrals
Pembrokeshire People First is an independent charity, run by and for adults with learning disabilities and/or autism. Our members set our remit every two years, providing us with a “manifesto”. This focuses on developing skills and resilience, and independence. We do this through:
Advocacy Training Groups Campaigning We focus on Respect Confidence Having A Stronger Voice Being member-led in everything we do
For any of our projects, anyone can make a referral. You can come and see us, and one of our members will tell you what we do, and help you decide what you fancy doing. Call us on 01437 762524. For advocacy, anyone can make a referral too. Call us on 01437 769135.
Volunteers
Volunteers are vital to the work of PPF, providing members with encouragement, emotional support,
and sometimes just a chat over a cuppa! We need volunteers to help with our groups; work 1:1 as Citizen Advocates, and help in the office. If you would like to volunteer, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator on 01437 762524.
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Our Issues Our Voice
Advocacy We provide specialist issue-based advocacy for adults (16+) with learning disabilities and/or autism. We work with anyone in this group, but have additional specialisms in working with parents with learning disabilities; people with learning disabilities with additional mental health issues; and people on the autistic spectrum.
We run a Campaigns Group that brings important learning disability and autism issues to local politicians and statutory bodies like the Health Board and the Council.
PPF co-chairs Pembrokeshire Voices for Equality; holds the Vice Chair for the Advocacy Strategy Group; and is an active member of the Pembrokeshire Access Group.
PPF is also a Third Party Hate Crime Reporting Centre for people who don’t want to report a crime direct to the police.
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Citizen Advocacy This matches volunteers with some of our more vulnerable members to provide companionship and encourage integration into the community. This project is currently unfunded so running on a very small scale.
Peer Advocacy Peer advocacy is a powerful tool to build confidence, with trained peer advocates who have experienced similar situations to their partners – social isolation; issues with travel; health and wellbeing etc. Our project is for people on the autistic spectrum and we are recruiting both peer advocates and partners.
Coming Soon Our Voice
Young Tudor Project We are hoping to develop an early evening youth group specifically aimed at teenagers on the autistic spectrum, alongside NAS Pembrokeshire. Schools work In autumn 2015, members will be trained to deliver workshops in schools and youth settings, challenging ideas about learning disability and focussing on hate crime. Counselling We currently have a small provision for counselling for members, and would like to expand this.
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We have two groups, one for women and one for men. They run every Thursday from 9.30 to 12.30. They alternate each week. The groups provide a safe space to make friends and explore issues, particularly around feelings and relationships. The groups are open to anyone, and operate on a project basis –currently the groups are exploring their life
stories, using mixed media and movement. We also host a family group which meets to provide parents who have learning disabilities with a safe space to discuss
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Our Time Our Space
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The PPF Drop In This is a popular project that runs every Thursday afternoon from 12.30 to 3.30 in Johnston. It’s a place for people to get
together, cook a meal, take part in social activities, and engage
with statutory services. Again, it is open to all. There are also “pop up” drop-ins in other areas, particularly Milford Haven.
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Our Living Skills Project
Our Projects
The Tudor Project This is our member led living skills centre, focussing on practical skills and emotional resilience. The activities vary, from practical home-based cooking and budgeting and community activities (hosting a tea for the elderly; National Parks walks); to developing micro enterprises such as a small food co-op and a fair-trade stall. The project is currently in its pilot phase, but will be open to commissioned places from November 2015.
We’ve just started a project on Thursday morning all about gaming and computers. We play games on the big screen. We are hoping to do a podcast and set up a games swap shop. And we hope to look at computers and gain skills in mending them. It’s free and everyone is welcome.
Our members ask us to look a the big issues. We will soon be working with a psychology masters’ student to research bereavement, loss and learning disability.
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Sharing Our Skills Our Living Skills Project
Accessible Literature PPF can be commissioned to provide accessible versions of letters; brochures; policies and consultations. We will be expanding this part of our work with a user-led easy read project. Training PPF has trained members to co-deliver on a wide range of subjects including Equality and Diversity; Keeping Yourself Safe; Learning Disability Awareness; and Human Rights. Room rental PPF has a variety of rooms available for hire at reasonable rates.
Joint Working We work closely with our neighbours in Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion, as well as other advocacy providers, and hope to expand this.
The Tudor Project Wednesdays are “taster sessions” where anyone is welcome to come to (largely) free sessions, from art to social media, and from mindfulness to “Ready Steady Cook”. Tudor Project joint working We welcome working with other organisations on specific training projects; using our Tudor Project space for drop-ins etc.
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Sharing Our Skills
Anyone with a learning disability or autism can be a member of PPF. It’s free, you get a
Membership
Events and projects PPF holds regular events on specific themes such as sex and relationships and employment. We have also worked in Pembrokeshire College and Pembrokeshire Social Activity Centres, and welcome further joint working.
Consultations PPF can be commissioned to hold accessible, interactive and fun consultations. For example, we recently worked with Dyfed Powys Police on barriers to crime reporting.
regular newsletter & invites to events. We hold an annual conference on issues that
are important to our members—like work, computers and relationships. We get involved with All Wales People First to make contacts and look at national issues. PPF member Lucy is the chair of All Wales People First.
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