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Enabling Living Independently Today & Everyday - Staffordshires peer support group for direct payments and personal budgets

DIRECT PAYMENTS USER GROUPS

The Direct Payment Users Groups give people using Direct Payments or Personal Budgets the chance to meet and discuss issues of common concern, share experiences and learn from each other.  People who use Direct Payments are the real experts and they learn from each other on independent living  working together to make us all stronger and more independent.

As users you are the experts about how it is working. The groups are for you to set your own agenda and priortities. Living independently in the community as a disabled person or carers can be very isolating and lonely. Peer support groups give  you the opportunity to share these feelings and make new friends and to discuss concerns or issues affecting you.

INFORMATION AND AWARENESS EVENTS

Are these events for me - will I gain anything from attending?

Are you confused and go round in circles trying to access support for social, leisure, educational or employments activities?

Would you like to know what is going on in your area?

Are you accessing or thinking about accessing Direct Payments and need to talk to other users and share experiences or concerns?

Then the answer is YES

They are the places to be for information, activities in your area, support and guidance for all disabled people and carers.

Mini events are informal events held in local areas where E.L.I.T.E and other local community and voluntary organisations and support providers gather to answer any questions and provide information and awareness of what is happening in your area. Or you can simply come along have a cuppa and a chat and meet new people.

For further information and dates of forthcoming dates please click the following links or see our contact details

Cannock                East Staffordshire                Lichfield       Newcastle under Lyme         Stafford     

Staffordshire Moorlands         South Staffordshire          Tamworth

 

Members comment;

"You can't stay at home, 24 hours in the house. [If] you don't come to the meetings or go out, you don't know what's going on. [It's] something different to do."

"... I'm living on my own ... sick and bored of watching TV as well”

“....develop independence through a number of leisure and social activities”

“...Being able to meet and talk to others is important, particularly for those who live on their own or had limited communication with their families”

"If [the group supporter] didn't tell us the information about things ... we wouldn't have any information, we wouldn't develop."

“.....meet other people and make friends.....do something different from home.....”

“.....somewhere we can be ourselves, feel comfortable, and express ourselves easily.....”

“...discuss things that matter to us....get information and learn new things”

“....get more confidence, self-esteem and independence...”

“....go out to clubs, the cinema or on trips”

“.....have fun and not be serious.....”