What is One Voice doing?
If you want to know what projects or work we are engaged in at the moment, you are on the right page.
Here you can find information on what we are doing, including ways in which you or your group can be involved.
Developing the Disability network
We have some funding to develop the disability network and we have been going out to groups of disabled people and others. We have 5 new member organisations and 14 new member individuals so far.
The Network is holding event on Health & Fitness, and also an Event with partners on International Day of disabled people.
To find out more about what the network is up to, visit the network page here> or follow the blog here>
Involving the Public Resource Pack
We were asked to contribute a section to this pack with advice on how to involved disabled people. the pack goes out to neighbourhood workers, participation officers, and other officers who consult citizens.
You can download our contribution here>
Building Schools for the Future
We have had meetings with the Access Officer on Highfields and Tettenhall Schools. We have also met with the architects who have agreed to change design elements as a result to make facilities more accessible. You can see our comments on Highfields School here>>
We have had a response to our comments on Highfield school and the Tettenhall Project.
We have had further meetings to raise some outstanding concerns.
Bilston Leisure Centre
We are commenting on the Bilston Leisure Centre plans and pushing for improved access. We have had meetings with the project leaders, and with other organisations who have an interest, such as BBAP, and the Women's Design Group, to work together on improving the design.
You can find out more about the Bilston Link here>>
Wolverhampton Homes
We continue to work with Wolverhampton Homes on improving their service to disabled tenants, we took part in the Diversity Peer Challenge in May. This is where Councillors and officers from other authorities interview their partners to assess how well they are doing in the services they provide.
You can find out more here>>
Election Newsletter
We sent your questions to General Eelction candidates, and put their answers in a special newsletter.
You can find out their answers here>>
ULO's
We attended a meeting of disabled people's groups and others on User Led organisations, there will be more meetings on this in the future, looking at becoming a network of disabled user led organisations. We have applied for funding from Wolverhampton network consortium to develop this.
Interchange Project
We had another meeting, attended by disabled people from a variety of groups to discuss this. The meeting focused on the temporary new bus stops that would be in force for the 16 months while the new bus station was being built.
Disabled people were very unhappy at not being consulted on these decisions, since many buses that are used by a lot of people with mobility impairments and older people (543, 510, 501) will now be stopping at the bottom of the long hill into town (at Darlington Street or Waterloo Road).
Disabled people also wanted to see samples of the materials they wanted to use to build the new bus station, so we could advise on accessiblity - this was refused.
New Cross Visiting Hours
We had a say about the proposed new policy to cut visiting hours from 2-4 and 6-8 to 3-4 and 6-7. We only had one day to respond, so we couldn't consult as many people as we would have liked, but you can download our response here>>
EHRC Consult
We had a say in the Equality and Human Rights Commission consultation on how to conduct the hate crimes/harassment research.
Womens design group
We are working with the women's design group on access issues. We are exploring the idea of doing some access audit training with them.
Disability Freindly
A group of One Voice volunteers wrote a guide to be sent to shop owners in Wolverhampton, called "How to be disability Friendly". The leaflet is with the printers.
Drop-ins
We have been doing drop ins at A2#b, Seetec, WEAD, and the Well-Women's centre in All Saints. Disabled people are able to come and talk to us privately about any things that One Voice can help them with. If your group would like us to do a drop-in every couple of months - let us know.
Recycling
We met with officers responsible for running the City domestic recycling schemes to advise them on how to make this more accessible to disabled people. We talked to disabled people's groups and told them what you said.
Visual Evidence for Victims
We have recieved training from Victim support and the police on their Visual Evidence for Victims project - we are now able to offer this service to disabled victims of hate crime and abuse. You can find out more about the project here>>
Education Access Initiatives Group
We are looking at a sample of Disability Equality Strategies from Wolverhampton Schools. We provided the One Voice access audit client checklist to be adapted and sent out to the builders, architects and others involved in the new school builds happening in Wolverhampton.
Wolverhampton Homes Equalities Circle Forum
We are looking at WH polices and advising them on implications for disabled tenants and staff