The Council has launched a new website to engage with people with learning disabilities – providing a platform so they can explain the things that are important to them, and how they would improve current day services.
The ‘My Day, My Way’ website, launched on Monday, September 6, will explore several themes and activities over the coming weeks, allowing people with learning disabilities – and their parents and carers – to find information about current services and to complete a number of surveys exploring six themes. The first theme, called Choices and Decisions, is now underway.
Access the new ‘My Day, My Way’ website here
Click here to see the Easy Read version of this article
The website follows on from Cabinet Members’ decision in July, to undertake wider engagement over the coming months that will help develop a new day opportunities strategy. This includes engaging with local people to inform clear, future options for investment that will improve the current day services available within our communities, and better meet local people’s needs.
During August, the Council worked alongside Cwm Taf People First in the ‘What Matters to Me Now’ Roadshow 2021 – which saw the charity meet up with people with learning disabilities at face-to-face events in Ystrad Rhondda and Aberdare, along with an online event which was hosted on Zoom.
A series of fun workshops were carried out to help understand the things that are important to people with learning disabilities in their community, to capture the good things and not-so-good things that have happened to them during the pandemic, and to gain their views on the current daytime opportunities.
With the ‘My Day, My Way’ website now up and running, there will be weekly surveys being uploaded (with the next one due on September 13), along with six themes to explore up until the end of October. Participants can complete surveys online, in person, via a Zoom session, via telephone, or by receiving a paper copy – with Easy Read versions also available for all of the content.
The website will also contain a number of videos – hosted by autistic people or those with a learning disability, their parents and carers – who will describe the engagement process and introduce each theme. Links to content from partners are also included, including websites, videos and further information.
Councillor Geraint Hopkins, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member with responsibility for Adult Services, said: “The new ‘My Day, My Way’ website that has launched today aims to provide a valuable resource for people with learning disabilities, and their parents and carers – providing a platform for regular engagement to help us better understand where our current day services are effective, and how they can be improved.
“In July, Cabinet agreed to continue the Council’s community engagement in relation to the current day service offer, which has been ongoing throughout the pandemic. This will help to further inform future options for investment and modernisation. Up to this point, it is clear that our services are well-valued, but feedback has suggested that we should place more emphasis on community opportunities in the future, to promote independence and social inclusion.
“The ‘My Day, My Way’ website will act as a hub for engagement and information – being regularly updated over the coming weeks and offering a number of opportunities for feedback to be provided across several themes. There are a number of ways in which you can get involved, and I’d urge as many people as possible to participate, so we can gain an accurate reflection of people’s views and focus our investment in the right areas going forward.”
As well as contacting the Council via the new website, residents can also comment upon the current day service offer via email, using the following address: LearningDisabilitiesTransformationProgramme@rctcbc.gov.uk.
Posted on 06/09/2021