SURGe Meeting Minutes 28th August 2008
SURGe Members Meeting
28th August 2008
The Gap Community Centre, Warwick
Present:
Bettina Hendey Theodore Holland
Mary Bowie Dawn Urso (Support Worker)
Ron Lenton Josephine Judge
Sharon Hill Bernadette Sheehan
Paul Urmston Sionnain Buckman-Bromford
Amanda Walker Support
Apologies:
Richard Chidzik Mark Carter
Alec Watson Murray Pick
1. Introductions of SURGe members
New members were warmly welcomed and introduced to the group and given a brief outline of what SURGe do and who Supporting People are.
•2. Supporting People update
- Strategic reviews, on Elderly and Learning Disabilities services, had taken place in the 5 districts this month feedback to follow.
3. Voices 4 Choices update
- Amanda gave an outline of Voices 4 Choices' role within SURGe to new members.
- Advocacy and empowerment service is available to all Service Users.
4. Core Strategy Group update
- Amanda and Bernie updated the group on the last meeting
- All 5 districts presented their homeless strategies.
- Discussion took place about where to bring new ideas on new builds, sourcing surplus money.
Amanda also gave Feedback on Local Area Agreement where comments from our last working group ‘Narrowing the Gap' were included and it has been agreed in order to improve positive outcomes the Local Area Agreement will Develop and implement the District/Borough ‘move on'. Consideration for Housing staff to attend services when Services users ready to move on or threatened with eviction.
Group Activity 1: What would you like to see on Voices 4 Choices Website?
The group spent time in the PC suite to look at the V4C website and give feedback.
Members liked the colour and some found it easier to navigate but that the fact that the layout could be changed to suit needs should be made clearer.
It would be useful to have a link to Supporting people website.
Good idea to have a SURGe section and could include success stories of service users/ good experiences.
Minutes of SURGe should be included.
Give out information on how to join SURGe and terms of reference/criteria.
Contact numbers for Amanda and Tricia etc
Some information on Mental Health and other services that is applicable to members.
Members enjoyed using the computers and wanted to include on a regular basis. Paul discussed looking at Service user providers. Mary wanted to look tat other user involvement sites. Amanda mentioned the user involvement site which is set as a bench mark for all user involvement groups. This could be included in the next months Agenda.
Feedback on Voices 4 Choices website was welcomed and will be addressed soon.
Group Activity 2: Making SURGe more accessible
The group were asked to think of how the meetings could be more accessible to all
Members thought that to reflect cultures an interpreter may be needed.
Members also agreed that a projector would be a good piece of equipment. So that information and diagrams could be explained in detail.
9. Any other business:
Amanda asked whether any SURGe members would like to participate in training to help with service user reviews. Josephine was interested but didn't want to have all day training. Amanda said that she would look at the delivery and duration of training programmes.
10. Date of next meeting:
Thursday 25th September 2008
10:30am-12:30pm
The Gap Community Centre
