Kidz to Adultz Transition Supplement May 2019

A Focus on the Transitional Years

Thursday 16th May 2019 9.30am – 4.30pm Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre

Are you aged 16-25 years?

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Charity number: 224742

Congratulations to Caroline on Winning Our Prize Draw at Kidz to Adultz Middle 2019

What a fabulous time we had at the game, Jordan really enjoyed himself, as did Mum and Dad. The food and service in the Premier Club was excellent, the atmosphere buzzing (get it!), the hotel fab and comfy and great choice for brekkie, plus Jordan got to meet The Sting! Thanks to you all for organising this truly unique experience, one for our memory box.

Caroline, winner of prize draw

Details of the prize package is below: A table of four at a Saracens match at the Ricoh Arena Premier Hospitality Lounge A three Course, Choice Menu Champagne reception on Arrival Complimentary Selected Wines, Beers and Soft Drinks until the Final Whistle Pre-Match Commentary from a Wasp first team player A Complimentary official match day programme Complimentary Tea & Coffee Direct access to the corporate balcony On-site match day parking Hotel accommodation – 1 night (twin or double room with breakfast)

More Prizes to Be Won at Kidz to Adultz South!

Date: Thursday 16th May 2019 Time: 9.30am until 4.30pm Venue: Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre

From School to UK Disabled Entrepreneur Award winner

Hi, I’m Josh Wintersgill. I’ve been living with Spinal Muscular Atrophy – Type 3 for 25 years now.

Its inherent progressive muscle wastage throws constant varying challenges. Please excuse the pun but it has been keeping me on my toes ever since – in a good way!

In 2009, I left school to go to college, realising with SMA it was impossible for me to become an RAF pilot – it was a childhood dream. So, I picked a course I could make a career out of.

Computers were the obvious option and I pursued a National Diploma in Software Development, obtaining the equivalent of 3 A*.

This was good enough to get me into University!

The transition from home to University was interesting. Leaving home after 18 years of having your family doing your personal care, putting dinner on your plate and having to do your washing is luxury… well good job, because that is what carers are for! Although carers are not always plain sailing.

I will never forget the iconic moment my dad put me into bed at university and the door closed. The sense of initial isolation, no uni friends and not having your parents to just call on when you want something.

The following morning, I had a random carer coming in to get me out of my bed and having to explain my routine in absolute detail was tedious! The following 6 months were to be the biggest test for me, to the point I nearly quit university. My family however told me to stick it out – they just didn’t want me home shouting on the Xbox.

I stuck it out, which proved to be the best decision I ever made. I must thank my social worker as I believe the transition to Direct Payments, getting a care agency in place and liaising with University West of England (UWE) was as smooth as I could have imagined.

My local council agreed to pay £40,000 for me to stay at this centre, acknowledging my prospect of employment and quality of life could be greatly enhanced by gaining this experience. I later went on to graduate from UWE with a 1st class honours degree.

3 months after graduating, I landed a fulltime job working for Hewlett Packard as a Cyber Security manager. However, the job was not enough of a challenge for me.

In the summer of 2017 I was in Tenerife, sat by the pool drinking Corona and reading a favourite book of mine – ‘Start with the why’,

by Simon Sinek. This sparked brain waves around the many issues I have faced with travelling on and off aircraft and what could be done to improve it.

After googling some ideas, it quickly became apparent there was a huge opportunity to create a product to help improve the uncomfortable, unsafe and undignified processes disabled passengers with physical reduced mobility go through just to go on holiday.

At university, I studied IT management for business and low and behold I was the first person in a wheelchair to study this degree across the country and still am to this day – unbelievable! The course allowed for an industrial placement, involving work for 1 year. I successfully managed to secure a placement with Hewlett Packard which meant moving to Reading!

The process of finding accessible accommodation, getting care in place and agreeing the funding within 2 months was like trying to find a needle in a hay stack, again I have my social worker here to thank. I ended up having to live in a Neuromuscular rehabilitation centre for 1 year because there was no accessible accommodation available near work, this came with 24/7 care.

On return from holiday, I started researching and putting plans in place to develop my idea into a prototype whilst working on intellectual property and a business plan.

By November 2018, I was in a position to apply for the UK Disabled Entrepreneurs Award. After submitting the application, I was shortlisted down to 5 out of 82 applicants. I then presented to the Founder of easyJet, Sir Stelios Haji-Iaonnou and his board of trustees about the business idea I had. In the evening, we were invited to the awards ceremony, which to my amazement, I found out I had won £30,000 to kick start the business.

“The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.�

- Albert Einstein

After the awards, Sir Stelios invited me back to his HQ in London. Where we discussed a brand license and investment deal with his easyGroup family of brands.

I have since left my job and I am now looking to grow the business in the UK and subsequently globally over the coming years.

In the 21st century everything around us is changing extremely fast and our ability to adapt so critical. Living with SMA, or in fact any disability, we subconsciously learn how to adapt.

I try to use this experience to my advantage in the real world whilst helping others to solve real world problems.

Please check out our business at www.easyTravelseat.com and come to our stand at Kidz to Adultz South in Farnborough. stand G5.

Josh will also be exhibiting at Kidz to Adultz Wales & West and Kidz to Adultz North.

Josh Wintersgill Director of easyTravelseat

Do you need to access the toilet urgently?

Bladder & Bowel UK (BBUK) have launched a new Just Can't Wait Card Recognised and supported by many retail and service organisations, giving you access to toilets not normally available to the general public.

FREE pocket sized plastic card BBUK confidential helpline Available from BBUK - a charitable service Get your card from: bbuk@disabledliving.co.uk

www.bbuk.org.uk Registered Charity No: 224742

We Want to Hear From You! We do listen, value and take on board our visitors’ feedback around what they would like to see more of at our events. We are constantly looking at ways to develop and meet our growing visitors needs and bridge those information gaps, particularly as a large number of the children we support are now entering their teenage and young adult years and moving on to adult services. We are currently working on expanding our remit further to include more information on transition in terms of services, education (colleges, university process and support) training, career information, holidays and travel including driving with a disability 16+.

Are you an individual going through the transitional period?

What would you like to see more of at our Kidz to Adultz Events?

Are you a company or organisation who supports the transitional age group and want to be a part of the Kidz to Adultz experience? Please do get in touch.

Do you have a child, who is going through the transition to adult services? We would love to hear about your experience whether positive or negative and if you encountered any barriers along the way?

We do look forward to supporting our visitors over many years to come.

Carmel and The Kidz Team at Disabled Living Contact: info@disabledliving.co.uk 0161 607 8200 www.kidzexhibitions.co.uk #kidztoadultz

What Information Can I Expect to Find for People

Spotlight on a seminar you might find interesting

What should education look like for adults with an Education, Health and Care Plan?

2.00pm, Seminar Room 2

David Anthony, BA Hons PGCE QTS NASENCo, Head of Post-19, BeyondAutism. Stand No: V15 Should EHC plans for adults be focused on the qualifications they achieve, and how well they fit the neurotypical model of education, or is another approach needed? Here we explore other measures of success such as Essentials for Living. We’ll show how Individual Education Plans can be mapped against Literacy, Numeracy and the four strands of Preparation for Adulthood. We’ll share how increasing community-based learning helps students use skills learnt across different environments, settings and people, better preparing them for the transition from education to adulthood, to become more independent and increase their opportunities to have choice over their life.

MORE INFORMATION ON WHAT YOU FIND AT KIDZ TO ADULTZ SOUTH CONTINUES ON THE NEXT PAGE.

of my Age at Kidz to Adultz South?

Signposting Organisations Support when employing covers & PA's

Further Education

Vehicles

Holidays & Travel

Higher Education

Support at University

Social Activities

Leisure

Equipment

Next Step Residential Care

Funding

Driving

For more information please visit www.kidzexhibitions.co.uk/kidz-south or contact the Kidz Team on 0161 607 8200

Student Spotlight on Dylan

This month, the Ruskin Mill Trust student spotlight focuses on Dylan, a learner based at Plas Dwbl College with an inspiring story to tell.

Background: Arriving from his former education placement in Cardiff, Dylan returned to his native Pembrokeshire and immediately took to his new surroundings in the wilds of West Wales. Dylan settled in well to college life, commenting that Plas Dwbl offered a sense of being ‘home’ and part of a supported environment. The benefits for Dylan have been evident in his progression. As well as being offered a biodynamic apprenticeship, Dylan has engaged with learning and language, including working in a local shop to joining a rugby team. Let us hear from Dylan himself.

Can you say a little about life before coming to Coleg Plas Dwbl?

As a student in a mainstream school I found the classroom environment really difficult to deal with. I felt confined, which made me act out. I couldn’t understand why I was feeling this way and it obviously scared staff and students around me. I was aggressive, violent, and emotionally unstable.

I got kicked out of school; I didn’t have a very good relationship at home. I was getting restrained on a daily basis. I thought there wasn’t going to be much choice in my life. It’s now been over two years since I’ve been restrained. It’s been a massive, massive, change. I think that’s due to the hands-on education method.

from Ruskin Mill Charitable Trust If you are working in the forge, you are working with the metal and the hammer; you actually get something out of it. You can see your progress as you go along, and at the end you have something that you can be genuinely proud of.

I think there are people out there who aren’t designed to go through mainstream education. I think that places like this are absolutely vital. Two years ago, I thought I was going to end in a cell, but now I’ve been offered a place on the biodynamic apprenticeship. I now do a lot of travelling to the other Ruskin Mill Trust sites. This is the first time in my life, or at least for a long time, I feel like I am doing something with purpose.

I owe my life to Plas Dwbl. It’s completely changed me for the better.

What skills have you have acquired through being a student a Ruskin Mill?

There is way too much to list! I’ve learned all the crafts, where I’ve been able to make spatulas, chairs, pokers and felt mats, I mean where else can I do all that as well as take part in Shakespearean dramas and travelling to Germany! I’ve learnt how to cook and appreciate food. Looking after the animals and growing crops has made a big impact on me. I didn’t realise this would become so important to me.

What inspired you to take up Biodynamics?

Being at Plas Dwbl with all the history that jumps out at you! This gave me an interest in druids and the natural world.

I talked to tutors who explained biodynamics to me while in session. This really struck me and held a big interest. I talked to Brad (our principal) about taking this interest further and what I wanted to do after college.

He showed me some ideas including the biodynamic apprenticeship that Ruskin Mill Trust run and I felt that it was something I could do.

What does the future look like for you?

Like something I never thought I’d have!

When I finish my course, I have a future. I’ve been speaking with the Trust about being part of a Welsh faculty for biodynamics and that is something that’s really exciting. More importantly, I can see a future for myself. I can do things that I never thought would be possible before.

To see more of Dylan’s story please visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=N9FcfPnXgTc Or the Ruskin Mill Trust website www.rmt.org Ruskin Mill Trust are exhibiting at Kidz to Adultz Wales & West on 4th July 2019 at Thornbury Leisure Centre.

Dylan, Ruskin Mill Trust

Raising Awareness of Bladder and Bowel Problems in Teenagers

Bladder and bowel problems are common in people of all ages, but are rarely discussed. This increases embarrassment and anxiety and makes it more difficult for teenagers to ask for help.

For some, wetting or dribbling of urine during the day, bedwetting, constipation and soiling (leakage of poo into the pants) has been a problem throughout their childhood. If this is the case, there can be a feeling that nothing can be done to help.

We know that about 900,000 children and young people have problems with their bladder or bowel. Some teenagers try very hard to hide the problems from family and friends and some have been bullied because of their problems. This results in many feeling socially isolated, unhappy and many don’t seek help. One teenager described the problem in a new report published in March 2018 as “not life threatening, but life ruining” Is there anything I can do to help myself?

There are some things you can do that are good for you, but also might help the problem, although this can take time.

Drinking plenty of water based drinks helps by ensuring that urine (wee) remains dilute and pale. Concentrated urine irritates the lining of the bladder and makes wetting problems worse. Fizzy drinks and drinks that contain

caffeine (tea, coffee, hot chocolate and energy drinks) also irritate the bladder and can make wetting worse, so should be avoided. A good fluid intake can also help prevent wee infections (also known as urinary tract infections or UTI).

Drinking well also helps poos to remain soft and prevents constipation. Constipation can cause bladder problems or make them worse.

Teenage girls should be drinking about 1.5 –2 litres of water based drinks per day.

Boys should be having about 2- 2.5 litres per day. If you are taking plenty of exercise or the weather is very hot, you should have more than this.

Eating plenty of fruit and vegetables is not only good for health, but helps prevent constipation.

Going to the toilet as soon as you feel the need helps. You may need to ask your school nurse to help you arrange a toilet pass if your school does not let you go when you need to. Many schools use a ‘time out’ card or ‘medical pass’ so others will not find out about the problem.

Can anything else be done?

Bladder and bowel problems rarely get better on their own, but with the right treatment most can be helped and many can get completely better. The first step is to talk to a health care professional who understands the issues and knows the best route for accessing treatment locally. School nurses usually have a drop-in clinic at school, which teenagers can go to for confidential advice, support and referral on if required. The GP is another person who should be able to provide help and referral. If you don’t understand or are not clear, then don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions. It can help to write down a list of things you want answering before you go to see someone.

When you see a health care professional they may ask you lots of questions about your bladder and bowel and should then be able to explain the problem to you. They should discuss the options with you, so that you are involved in decisions about which treatments to try. Sometimes they may suggest something you have tried before and which did not work then. However, we know that treatments can work that have not worked in the past, so try to keep an open mind.

Further information and getting in touch Bladder & Bowel UK have developed a range of information leaflets about various continence problems and these are all available on our website. The leaflets are in our Children and Young People Resources section via www.bbuk.org.uk.

Come along to BBUK's stand P1.

Davina Richardson Children's Specialist Nurse

Visit Bladder & Bowel UK's Online Shop

Visit: www.bbuk.org.uk/online-shop or call: 0161 607 8219

We are delighted to be working in partnership with Complete Care Shop to provide you with a comprehensive online shopping facility for equipment and products to make life easier.

Complete Care Shop has over 250,000 in stock items at competitive prices offering you choice from a wide range of manufacturers including disposable pads, pants, urinals, bedding protection, disposal and reusable bed and chair pads, wipes, gloves and a whole lot more.

The main advantage of purchasing via the Bladder & Bowel UK website, is the opportunity for you or your clients to speak to Continence Specialists for free impartial help and advice, ensuring unnecessary purchases are not made.

Disabled Motoring UK

For those who are relatively new to driving it can be a daunting task and this is particularly true for disabled motorists. Fortunately Disabled Motoring UK (DMUK) is dedicated to improving the motoring experience for disabled people and in this article you will find out more about our campaigning work and how DMUK can help you.

Blue Badge Enforcement DMUK is the charity that campaigns on behalf of disabled motorists, passengers and Blue Badge holders. If you are new to driving with a disability you may not know how regularly disabled bays are used by people who do not have a Blue Badge, but unfortunately it is a very common problem that can cause a lot of inconvenience for disabled people. This is why we run a number of initiatives to try to make sure that the integrity of the Blue Badge Scheme is upheld and disabled bays are available to those who are entitled to use them.

Our Disabled Parking Accreditation (DPA), for example, is a certified accreditation awarded to car park operators who run accessible car parks and enforce their disabled bays effectively.

This means that when you enter a DPA accredited car park you can be sure that it is fully accessible. Visit www.dpaccreditation.org.uk to find an accredited car park near you.

When tackling disabled bay abuse we also think it is crucial to educate the general public about the importance of respecting the Blue Badge scheme. Our Baywatch campaign helps us to achieve this goal.

Throughout the campaign we ask members of the public to complete a survey relating to the amount of Blue Badge abuse that occurs at their local supermarket. We then contact the supermarkets to bring the problem to their attention and try to improve their enforcement practices. If you would like to take part in Baywatch this June please visit our website.

Joining Disabled Motoring UK as an online member is free. Simply go to our website www.disabledmotoring.org and sign up using our online form. Once registered as an online member you will receive an electronic newsletter once a month keeping you up-todate on our current campaigns and will be able to access our members’ only area of the website. Most importantly you’ll be lending your voice to our vital campaigns.

Refuelling For many disabled people who are getting ready to start driving, the most pressing task is finding out what adaptations they will need to have fitted to their vehicle to enable them to drive.

Therefore you would be forgiven for not giving much thought to how you are going to refuel your vehicle. Disabled people who need assistance at petrol stations often have to sound their horn and wave their Blue Badge in the air and this can cause a lot of distress. DMUK is working with two companies who have developed promising solutions to this problem, one is Fuelmii and the other is MyHailo.

Joining DMUK Disabled Motoring UK will only be successful at campaigning as long as it has a strong membership. The more members we have the stronger our campaigning voice can be.

If you want to be kept more informed you can sign up as a full member of DMUK. As well as receiving the benefits which online members have you’ll also get a monthly magazine and gain access to our fantastic discounts package. Full membership is £24 per year.

To find out more information about Disabled Motoring UK please visit www.disabledmotoring.org Disabled Motoring UK

The Education Journey - been there,

This is Chris writing to you now towards the latter end of a long, interesting and successful career. Although I’ve been a wheelchair user since early childhood, I’ve had a full education and a long career first as a secondary school teacher, inner city comprehensives, Head of Department and so on, and now working all over the UK as a Disability Awareness Trainer and Access Auditor. But how did it all start? Was it all plain sailing? Well, no actually...

After contracting polio at age 7, my parents had insisted that I go back to my school – no home tuition, no Special Units. I passed my 11+ and all my friends went to the Catholic secondary 15 miles away – but there were no accessible buses then so I went for an interview at the local grammar and was accepted for a one-year trial.

That went very well academically so I stayed on for GCEs and A-levels (but lots of being carried up and down stairs).

In fact there were three of us wheelchair users there at that time on our different courses.

Next stage – university. I remember this as a positive interlude with helpful people determined to make things work even back then in 1969. So off I went to Manchester at the height of flower power and global student unrest for a brilliant three years. They sorted out the best room in the best student hall of residence for me, built ramps at the laboratories where I trained and generally looked after me very well indeed.

So, after 8/9 months hitch-hiking around the USA and Canada (gotta be a blog or two there!) I returned, having decided I wanted to be a teacher. All I needed was a one year PGCE course to go with my degree and my future was assured.

On graduation then, like everyone else, I went abroad for some impromptu travel. Gaining employment was relatively easy back then so we didn’t worry about getting a job immediately. We thought we would take the last chance of a long break then come back and slot straight into the job of our choice.

done that, got the t-shirt!

Great response – “I don’t know if you can manage. You don’t know if you can manage.

The only way forward is to have a go. Turn up at ....school for an interview as a supply teacher. They’re desperate and I’ve told them to take you on unless there is some insurmountable physical problem.”

I turned up at The University of Manchester where I had graduated only a few months previously only to be told:- “You can’t come on this course – we don’t know of any disabled teachers.” “You wouldn’t be able to manage.”

And my personal favourite:- “It wouldn’t be fair to let you on the course. You’d be taking the place of an able-bodied applicant.” They could not be persuaded.

This is where you must be resilient. You must not get down-hearted. You are the expert on your condition, what you can and can’t do.

People are often afraid to accept new situations/anyone different in any way, as they might have to take responsibility for their actions later.

This might make them reluctant to take you on.

But “No” is the start of the discussion, not the end.

So, I asked around, wrote letters, made calls and eventually was told to write to the Director of Education for Manchester.

Got the job, had a great term’s teaching and then applied elsewhere for my PGCE. With my new experience I was accepted immediately (by the Poly)! During the course I was offered a job by each of my teaching practice schools, accepted one and the rest is history.

What do we learn from this? Never, ever give in.

I did notice through my career that it was always much easier for me to gain internal promotion than to apply externally. When colleagues see you successfully doing the job, prejudice fades away but when you apply elsewhere the old prejudices remain – how can he manage? What if... happens? Are we covered? What will the parents think?

You have to grit your teeth and push on. It’s all there but you have to be relentless! You only have one chance at life so you can’t let other people make your decisions.

Chris Cammiss Disability Trainer and Advisor Disabled Living

Get in Touch with Us Disabled Living & the Kidz Team Head Office - Disabled Living, Burrows House, 10 Priestley Road, Wardley Industrial Estate, Worsley, Manchester M28 2LY

Telephone 0161 607 8200

Email info@disabledliving.co.uk

Website www.disabledliving.co.uk

For training rooms and sensory rooms contact Redbank House Tel: 0161 214 5959 Email: info@redbankhouse.com Website: www.redbankhouse.com