Case Study of The A Team: the work of learning disabled trainers

Case Study of The A TEAM: The work of learning disabled trainers.

This case study is a demonstration of effective use of grant funding, highlighting the ground breaking work of the A Team.

Introduction: The aim of the group is:  To support our members to learn training skills through a train the trainer course  To work across different boroughs providing safeguarding training to people with learning disabilities  Develop a variety of disability communication and safeguarding training to carers, professionals and services  To continue to develop our training profile to work towards paid work for our members  To work in ways that are inclusive and powerful and break down barriers to reporting abuse

What the ÂŁ50,000 has paid for: 1. project supporters and coordinator 2. room hire, refreshments, transport, resources for weekly planning and additional practice meetings 3. publicity and promotion work 4. transport and travel cost, resources or training sessions 5. transport costs for members with a disability to attend awareness sessions 6. equipment including a laptop, projector, I pads 7. holding a large event: Safety in Numbers 8. producing a film of the event (the link to film is below): Safety In Numbers Film

What we have achieved: Weekly planning and additional practice meetings for the A Team to create and deliver the following: 1. created a job description and job specification for the new A team project support worker; induction by coordinator and A Team members 2. facilitated an event with Bromley Council’s safeguarding team to gather the opinions of people with a learning disability about safeguarding 3. attended Oxleas health event to promote the A team and run a series of mini workshops 4. created 1-1 format for supervision with A team members to

work on individual portfolios for reflection and further employment and use as part of end of project event 5. worked at the Carlton Centre over 4 sessions to support day centre members to make a short film about speaking out 6. big open meeting held. Invited friends of the A team to plan our big event with us, people want serious discussion and information as well as a disco and a pub meal 7. presentation at Bexley Safeguarding Board about the A Team work 8. presentation to Shared Lives scheme in Bexley to tenant and carers 9. A Team participated and delivered at Advocacy for All’s Having a Voice in Bromley event. Shared a key game we have played as part of our work

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meeting with Bexley safeguarding board; attended an A team planning meeting about future input

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delivered training to Bexley Volunteer Bureau focusing on young people including people who are members of Bexley Speaking Up Group

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A team training with the Young Adults Bromley Sparks

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meeting at Oxleas Safeguarding Board for all the neighbouring boroughs

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meeting and work by our publicity worker helping to promote the project and highlight the skills and experience of the A Team as well as develop the business opportunity to sell the training once funding ends

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established 4 contacts for future training and have introduced a pricing system and are in talks about how to move towards a business model such as a social enterprise

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training new people with learning disabilities

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training people we have trained before

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making contact with professionals who provide safeguarding support

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creating a forum for people to speak out and shape services called Friends of the A team

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organising and delivering a big event called “Safety in Numbers�

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making contact with services to plan future training

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developing individual training skills and personal ways of delivering creative training

We have through our big end of project event made contact with a variety of professionals 

Women’s aid- who we will be working with in the future to put in a joint bid to do work together to break down boundaries for women with learning disabilities re reporting abuse and seeking support.

“Thank you so much for inviting BCWA and the whole experience of working with you, your team and the delegates has increased my knowledge and understanding of the needs of people with learning disabilities. I so enjoyed the day and felt privileged to be part of it.” Ruth Buckland Bromley Women’s Aid”

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Bexley Safeguarding Team – we are working toward providing paid training to people with learning disabilities and workers to break down barriers and improve services re keeping safe from abuse by helping the council to find out what people’s experiences are of getting help and support

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Bexley police – since the big event we have met with the police to organise work within schools to deliver something called the Respect Campaign to stop Disability Hate Crime

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Bromley Transport Police

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Carlton and Astley Day service