Engagement in the Community

Community is so important in overcoming and removing barriers in life. At LSLCS we strive to improve community engagement with services like Dial House at Touchstone and our groups that have a specific focus like the LGBT+ group and the Deaf group. Having shared voices reduces that sense of loneliness or isolation, builds better links with people, and helps to empower us to take action.

Ree Young works with Scope as a Community and Youth Engagement Officer and is here to talk about new developments in Leeds that will help to improve a sense of community for people with any form of disability. They come to this work with intersecting identities as someone who is non-binary, working class, and disabled.

---

 

Welcome to the Scope Community Engagement Programme!

We are bringing two exciting programmes to Leeds:

• The first is the Community Engagement Group for disabled people and unpaid carers who are 18+.
• The second is the Youth Community Collective for 18–25-year-olds who are disabled as well as their allies.

Scope is introducing these groups through their work that serves the social model of disability. This means that rather than something being wrong or different about you, it is society that is disabling you from being able to strive fully. 

An example of this is when you are attending school, college, or university and doing your best. Yet you can’t help but notice areas where you feel isolated and left out. This could be because your university doesn’t have lifts into the library or lecture halls for you to access the campus like other students. This could also be because your teachers at school see you as “difficult” or “challenging” and remove you from lesson instead of working with you, further damaging your educational development. Or it could be when you enter work and feel accomplished of yourself, only to have awkward conversations around your disability.

Both groups invite you to explore what is good about your community and what barriers exist. 

We are doing this to increase socialisation, so we can all make friends and feel less lonely. Sometimes we can feel like we are the only person with an experience, but once we come into a safe space and chat, we can realise this isn’t true after all.

For example: in our group recently, we discussed how exhausting and frustrating it is to have a free disabled bus pass that we can’t use before 9:30am. This is a barrier to employment because it prevents us from arriving at work for 8:00am, while we take the blame.

Being in a room which acts as a safe space to share your experiences, just have a cuppa, or share your hobbies outside of “labels” is cool because you realise our voices are so important! All while learning from each other!

Turning ideas into action

At these groups there will be funding available for initial ideas, to turn them into projects. This is to put the power of decision making and development in our communities with local people.

Those who come to the group will be able to enjoy different layers of engagement: to lead, to join in, to volunteer, and to relax. Whichever you are more comfortable with! There is a place for everyone. 

Examples of potential projects include:

• Having dropped kerbs put in place
• Having a specific support group (e.g. gamers with epilepsy…)
• Creating an accessible allotment 
• Disability pride 

The groups meet once a month, where we do introductions, discussions of projects, upcoming events, and a chance to share anything else with a light lunch provided!

Click on the thumbnails below to see the full image.

If you think this sounds like something you’d be interested in, you can contact me through my email ree.young@scope.org.uk and by joining our facebook group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1173334380189584

If you’d like to read more about our programmes or register online you can…

To read more about the Community Engagement Group (18+):

https://www.scope.org.uk/community-engagement-programme/

To read more about the Youth Community Collective (18-25):

https://www.scope.org.uk/youth-community-collective/