Large print (Arial 20) Partners in Communication Newsletter Edition Three September 2013

Transcription

1 Large print (Arial 20) Partners in Communication Newsletter Edition Three September 2013 Welcome to the third edition of the Partners in Communication newsletter. We will use this newsletter to let you know about the project. We will share information and good practice that will support people who have complex communication support needs. This newsletter has been created using Bonnington symbols, Photosymbols 4 and photos. Please contact us if you require a copy of this newsletter in another format. We have versions in Braille, Audio CD, Large Print and Text. 1

2 Telephone: Fax: Text: Website About Partners in Communication The Partners in Communication Project aims to support people who have complex communication support needs. We are funded by the Scottish Government Equality Fund. Who are we? The people who work in the Partners in Communication Project are 2

3 Dr Paul Hart Paul is our Project Manager Tina Yu Tina is our Policy Officer Jacky Smith Jacky is our Communication Development Practitioner Dr Stuart Aitken Stuart is our Communication & Policy Advisor 3

4 Project update Trades School Glasgow Jacky and Tina delivered a training session at Social Care Ideas Factory, Glasgow Trade School on 8 th August The training was called Making Sense of Communication: An introduction. The training looked at Communication barriers, video clips on communication, presentation on the principles of Inclusive communication. If you are interested in any resources from the training please contact Partners in Communication staff. 4

5 The trade school idea is based on a model from USA and all classes are free to attend and open to the public. In return for the training the Teacher asks for Barter items from pupils. We asked people who attended the class to let us know what changes they have made to their workplace on inclusive communication. If you would like information on future trade school classes or to become a teacher, go to Trades School Glasgow website for more information. s The Partners in Communication team are hoping to run other classes with Sense Scotland staff and staff from other organisations. We also ran a communication training session with TouchBase café and admin staff and One Giant Leap volunteers in July. 5

6 Events North Ayrshire Council Jacky and Tina attended an event with Linda Reid, Head of Operational Services West at James Watt College. Sense Scotland had a display stall and we spoke to many people on the day interested in the work that we do. North Ayrshire Council launched a new web portal called CARENA. This stands for Care and Support in North Ayrshire and is a new website for people in North Ayrshire to find out information on self-directed support and the different organisations which provide services. The website is 6

7 Tina attended a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual (LGBT) awareness day at Leverndale Hospital, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are currently doing an awareness campaign with their own staff called Tackling homophobia. Sense Scotland had a display stall where we gave information to NHS staff on communication and the work we do. The awareness day had master classes on LGBT awareness, Good Practices working with Trans patients and data collection. More information is available on NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde s equality website on 7

8 Homophobia is an irrational fear or aversion to, or discrimination against people who are lesbian, gay or bisexual and towards homosexuality. Working with public sector organisations Tina has been meeting with Improvement Service and through this meeting other meetings with North Lanarkshire Council and Scottish Fire & Rescue Scotland were held. Improvement Service(IS) was set up but the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) and the Scottish Government to provide support to those working in Local Government. One role of Improvement Service is to encourage and provide tools to Local Authorities for them to meet the indicators for Inclusive Communication within Public Sector Improvement Framework (PSIF) 8

9 For more information about Improvement Service and PSIF go to their website on mponent/option,com_is_blank/itemid,985/ The PSIF framework is based on the Principles of Inclusive Communication which is a toolkit for local authorities to help them to make their communication more inclusive. More information about PSIF is available from the website 011/09/ /0 9

10 Scottish Fire & Rescue Scotland Help us keep you safe from fire It s a fact that fire can happen to anyone. Part of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service s job is to try to make everyone as safe as possible from fire. This involves providing free Home Fire Safety Visits. Firefighters also fit smoke alarms free of charge if your home requires them. Visits are easy to arrange and can be organised for at a time that suits you, day or night. 10

11 Firefighters can help you spot a possible fire hazard as it s often easy to miss something in your home, like an overloaded socket. They will provide advice and guidance and talk to you about some simple tips that can reduce your chances of being affected by fire. The Service also works closely with local providers of Telehealth/Telecare and deaf alerter alarm systems The Service would like community members to think about anyone they know who could be at risk from fire. It could be a friend, relative, or neighbour. To arrange a free Home Fire Safety Visit for you, or someone you know Call Text check to Visit our website on 11

12 The Partners in Communication Project will be working in partnership with the Scottish Fire & Rescue Scotland to help them to make some of their information more accessible to people with communication support needs. We will update you as the project progresses. Review of iphone app Taptapsee by Lori My name is Lori, I m 30 years old and am totally blind, living in Scotland UK. The App I would like to tell you about is called Taptapsee, and is developed by Image Searcher Inc. 12

13 It is designed as a camera for the blind and visually impaired community and enables the user to take pictures of what is in front of them by double tapping the screen of their iphone or ipad. The app is very simple to use, with each option being explained by the voice-over from your device. I use it daily for identifying things around the home or outside, and the results I ve had back have been very good. I used it a lot on holiday to get pictures of the pool and our villa, which I was then able to save to my phone s album. The app also allows you to upload the pictures you take to Facebook, Twitter, or share them with a contact in your address book. You also have the option to export pictures which have been taken using your phone s own camera into the app, which will then try 13

14 and identify the image and give you spoken feedback on what it is. Some of the descriptions I ve had have been quite detailed, such as colours of things I m wearing, or what items are on my desk, which by the way, is very cluttered. The app has also helped me to find a can of coke in the fridge full of other cans which all felt the same. My parents say they can t hide anything from me when I m using Taptapsee, and they are right. I have contacted the developers of this amazing app and have found out they are still working on it to make it better than it is already, so I m very much looking forward to the results of the next update. If anyone would like to download and try out the app, just go to the 14

15 app store on your iphone or ipad, and look for taptapsee, which is all one word for anyone listening to this article via a screen reader. Once you find the app, just install it and start taking pictures. The best thing about this app is it s totally free!! Having said that, I d have gladly paid something for it as its well worth paying for, but then if sighted people can take pictures for free, then why can t we. Many thanks for reading and happy photo taking. Practice Sharing Sessions The Partners in Communication team are hoping to run some practice sharing sessions and we would like staff to write in to us to let us know or to be involved in delivering a session. 15

16 If you have an area of work of communication that you would like to share with others or have a topic that you would like to find out more please let us know. Some of the ideas we have so far is on accessible information, using ipad apps in services as visual planner or schedules. Upcoming events Communication Drop in sessions Come along to our sessions in the West at TouchBase, Glasgow 29 th October and in the East at Sangobeg House, Dundee on 13 th November. 16

17 Speak to the Partners in Communication staff to find out information about Ipad Apps, switches, inclusive communication resources and information, demonstration of inclusive communication equipment, learn how to make information accessible, different symbols such as PCS as used in Boardmaker. Drop in anytime during the sessions. - Drop in Session in the West 29 th October 2013 TouchBase Glasgow Room 210 1:30 4:30pm - Drop in Session in the East 13 th November 2013 Sangobeg House in Dundee Training Room 10:30 2:30pm 17

18 How to make tactile books workshop We have some interest from staff wanting to learn how to make tactile, sensory and memory books. Please contact Partners in Communication for further information. Sharing Practice We would like to hear from you if you have anything you would like to share in future editions of the newsletter. This would be helpful for everyone in Sense Scotland. It will allow people to know what is already happening in your service. Do you have any ideas for topics you would like us to write about? Would you like further information about the project? 18

19 Stuart leaving Sense Scotland After many years working with Sense Scotland, and having been involved in the Partners in Communication project right from the start, my introduction to everyone is also an announcement that I'll be leaving both the project and Sense Scotland. It's been a difficult decision as I have worked with deafblind children, teenagers, adults, families and professionals for very nearly thirty years. I was proud to be associated with Look I'm Here, published in From that early analysis of the numbers and needs of deafblind people in Scotland, the organisation Sense Scotland grew. We now reach out to families across Scotland and it is tremendously heartening to 19

20 have watched and contributed to this progress. We are recognised nationally and internationally for the work we do while continuing to hold and promote our core values. I'm proud to have been associated with that work, often in a small way but trying to do my bit. My association with Sense Scotland has been long, deep and hugely enjoyable. In that time I have appreciated the opportunities I've been given, the professionalism demonstrated, the support I have had from many people over the years. I have felt I was part of a vibrant forwardlooking organisation that is making a positive contribution to society and, most of all, I've valued the contact with the many people we have supported and that Sense Scotland will continue to support. 20

21 I wish the very best success in future years to Sense Scotland, the families and carers we support - many of you I've known personally for many years - the staff who work hard to help them and most of all the children, young people and adults who are the reason I first started and stayed so long! Much to be done but much has been done. So I wish Paul, Tina and Jacky well in seeing the Partners in Communication project through to fruition. I look forward to reading about it and seeing it in action! With very best wishes and appreciation. Stuart Aitken (Stuart will be working full-time at CALL Scotland from October 2013) 21

22 How to contact us Sense Scotland Partners in Communication Project TouchBase Room Middlesex Street Kinning Park Glasgow G41 1EE Telephone: Fax: Textphone: Website: o Project funded by the Scottish Equality Fund 22

23 Sense Scotland is a Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered in Scotland No: Registered Scottish Charity No: SC