What is the Leadership Stream about?

As part of RADAR’s Empowerment Project, the Leadership Stream is a series of four Leadership Development Days per annum. These are attended by 100 aspiring leaders with ill health, injury or disability (IID). There are coaching sessions and workshops at the events to help develop their leadership potential, with follow up coaching after the events. The programme is particularly interested in participation from people from black or minority ethnic backgrounds, people with learning difficulties, people with neuro-diversity conditions and people with mental health conditions, as these groups are particularly under-represented in leadership and influential positions.

What do I get from attending the Leadership programme?

The Leadership Development Days equip you with some of the skills crucial to being a leader and influencer in public life. The programme includes sessions on:

• Understanding your inner strengths and making them work for you
• Successful networking
• Personal presentation
• Building confidence and self-esteem              
• Interview techniques, CV writing and job application
• Making the most of mentoring
• One-to-one coaching on your personal priorities

There are inspirational speakers, professional coaches, diversity employment consultants and plenty of tips and advice from other disabled people who have experience in leadership and influential positions.

How do I know if I have the right experience?

RADAR are not looking for in-depth experience of leadership already, more for ambition, willingness and aptitude, so the advice is, if you’re interested, put in an application – don’t exclude yourself because you feel unsure!

So if you are interested in participating in RADAR’s Leadership Programme please contact RADAR on:

David Stocks - Empowerment Manager (david.stocks@radar.org.uk),

Carina Schmoldt – Empowerment Officer (carina.schmoldt@radar.org.uk) or

Anne-Marie Desmond – Empowerment Assistant (anne-marie.desmond@radar.org.uk) or

call on: 0207 566 0114 / 0207 566 0111

fax: 0207 250 0212 

Minicom: 02072504119

For more information, and to apply, see the application pack (word doc.) and equal opportunities monitoring form (word doc.).

Applications need to be recieved by Friday 10th September

Did you know?

By employing a Personal Assistant (PA) YOU are an employer and you need to be aware of your responsibilities and the rights of your PA.

Why not come along to the PASS Employer Training on the 4^th October 2010 at SAVS Southend. The training is FREE to all Direct Payment users & Personal Budget holders

We have listened to your comments and this training course covers the essential information you need to be a responsible employer, the training will be delivered by one of ACAS’s highly experienced trainers and will give you an insight into being an employer, with a chance to discuss privately any particular employment issues you have and will also give you a chance to update yourself with any changes in employment law

For more information and to book a place please contact Debbie Frisby, Essex PASS PA Coordinator on 01245 392321 or email dfrisby@ecdp.org.uk

The coalition Government has announced a review of benefit entitlements for disabled people. Following from this the UK’s Disabled People’s Council (UKDPC) has created a questionnaire to discover the views of Disabled Peoples’ Organisations in relation to the government’s proposals.

UKDPC intend to use the results of this questionnaire to produce a report which will be submitted to the government to influence any decisions they may make.

Please take a few minutes to complete this questionnaire. It should not take any more than ten minutes of your time.

All returns should be made by September 3, 2010.

Here is the link to the questionnaire: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/QT85FJT

Essex Coalition of Disabled People (ECDP) is looking for talented individuals to join their Board. Established in 1995 ECDP is a dynamic and vibrant organisation run by, and for, disabled people. It has become a powerful and credible voice of disabled people in Essex.

All Board members need to have a self-declared disability as defined under current disability law. ECDP is keen to engage with the widest pool of talent and therefore alongside the ‘traditional’ view of disability – which includes those with physical or sensory impairments or learning disabilities – we hope this will provide an attractive opportunity to those with, for example, diabetes, HIV/AIDs, cancer or other long-term illnesses.

We are particularly interested in individuals with a background in law, investment, HR, marketing, communications/PR and accounting.

For an introductory pack please email Gemma Dobson, Board and Company Secretary, on gdobson@ecdp.org.uk or calling on 01245 392324.

General applicant pack (PDF 2,972KB)

At the end of July we were delighted to host two ministerial visits; the first from Maria Miller, Minister for Disabled People, and the second from Paul Burstow, Minster for Care Services.

Mike Adams, Chief Executive, gave an overview of ECDP and introduced the different projects and services we run to enhance the everyday lives of disabled and older people. 

We were able to put forward some of the concerns and questions our members had about the new government and its services for disabled people, and members kindly gave their time to give their perspective on this too. 

Both Ministers then enjoyed a tour of the ECDP office. They met staff - who spoke about how ECDP services and projects work and their role in running them - and service users - who spoke about how ECDP’s work has supported them directly.

The visits gave us an opportunity to share with Ministers our members’ concerns about issues like DLA and ILF and other changes to benefits. It was also a good opportunity to show what a positive difference a user-led organisation like ECDP can make to the everyday lives of disabled people.

Following the visit from Paul Burstow a joint press statement with Essex County Council was released and can be read here.

To view photograhs of the two Ministerial visits, please visit the ECDP on Flickr website.