Shane Malster

From Blog-Heads

Shane Malster: Chair and Sports Coordinator

Training Days Provided by SAP

SAP provides training to other organisations. We are used as a resource due to our specialised knowledge on handicapped and learning disability issues. We provide training to Norfolk County Council Cultural and Library Services as well as other voluntary organisations and statutory sectors. This is to help professionals on improving services they provide to people with learning disabilities. Improving services for people like us improves access to these services for all. It also means that services provide more value for money from the income they receive from public money.

We were hired for our most recent training event by Norfolk County Council Library and Cultural Services. This happened last Autumn 2009. The event was held at Gressinghall Open Air Museum. We provided four trainers, two with learning disabilities and two members of staff. The purpose of the day was to help the Library Service raise awareness amongst it’s managers and front-line staff on Disability Issues. More specifically, how to provide a more inclusive and accessible service for everyone in Norfolk.

The staff from Library Services came from all over Norfolk, many had interesting ideas and experiences on improving services in libraries in Norfolk. A Librarian from Yarmouth already provided a weekly group for people with disabilities. Many others had disabled users they were trying to help, but needed more help and direction on how to do this.

To start off the day we made presentations to discuss learning disability issues. In the morning we gave them exercises to evaluate how they support the public. They also brainstormed why they thinks it’s important to support inclusion. The trainees also contributed ideas on new and improved ways to include the public from all different sectors, not just the disabled.

The training events we provide are all day events and a lot of work gets done. This also helps the trainees to add to their Professional Development Records, as they earn a certificate at the end of these events. The feedback we get from these events are always positive and Council staff who are sent to these events always say it is worthwhile and insightful.

SAP has been providing training to other Sectors and Organisations for six years and it something that is always in demand.

Changes we have seen that have arisen from these events are:

·    Library staff are increasingly proactive and positive towards people with learning disabilities.
·    IT and computer availability and training is available at all libraries.
·    More large print books.
·    More audio books.
·    More explanation of how to find books and information inside libraries.

Robin Pearson

From Blog-Heads

My name is Robin Pearson I am a student part time, I have not been coming here for too long and now I am feeling better I like to come here, and I especially like to be the treasurer.

At the last AGM I said I would like to be an officer and the members said they wanted me to be treasure, I had never done this before but I was not worried about this because everyone supports each other and I knew I would not be on my own. I am enjoying this, I like meting other people all the other members are all right, they are very good, everyone helps each other. Claire helps me in my English class, I do stories and poetry, I also do films.

My hobbies are bird watching, going out with Val, going to the pictures, going to other clubs like bird club and the Peace of Mind.  the lady helps me at Peace of Mind, this is a free course and I like it a lot.

I left school at 15 and I did not learn much there, I have had lots of jobs but now I am 60 I am retired, its now nice to learn things that I didn't learn at school.

I am getting married to Val, I have known her for years and she is a good girl. We will get married in August this year and then we will get a house together.

I want to come on these courses, and I want SAP to do an archaeology course because I get an archaeology magazine and this very interesting. Me and Val go to the museum a lot and SAP will do things like this as well.

Robin Pearson

Val Jones

From Blog-Heads

My name is Valerie Jones and I am a member of SAP and I work in the English and Maths class. I enjoy coming here and I get a lot of pleasure from learning new things. It has made me want to learn lots more and this is something I want to keep doing.

I like the group and I think they are all very nice, we have fun and sometimes the members wined me up but its all fun. I am getting married soon to Robin and I think this is going to be the best year of my life and I love Robin so much.

SAP makes me feel very happy, everyone helps each other and if I get stuck we all work together and the teacher will spend time with each of us until we understand what is happening and understand our work. I am going to go to the Compass Group on the last Wednesday of each month, the next trip is a history trail around Kings Lynn, the meeting after that is in Old Hunstanton because this is a very old part of Norfolk. This will be at the end of May.

Coming to SAP makes me feel very happy and I am doing lots more for myself and my confidence is getting much more better, I am going to keep coming. I do sometimes get very stressed out when I cant get a word right of if I cant get the sums right. But everyone spends time and helps me until I can do it. Soon I will be able help other people as well.

In the future I want to continue learning new things and I want to do more classes, SAP will be starting a new group in Downham Market and I am going to be the lead member for this, it will be very hard because I have not done this before but I think it will be good to learn this new job and I will work hard for the group. It will be good for me and will make me stretch my brain for new things.

I will write more for the blog when this new work starts and if I have anything else to say.

Valerie Jones