Disabilities

Physical Disability

We have worked closely with the Horizon Centre (area disability centre) on developing activities for the physically disabled at the community allotment. We have two groups from the centre who meet on a Tuesday and Thursday to do some work on their own plot and then have lunch.
 
Last year they kindly paid for a large polytunnel. We got the Portsmouth Dockyard safety team to erect it for us as a project for their annual awayday. The polytunnel is of course an excellent growing area, but it is also a great place for the groups to have lunch in if the weather is bad.
 
Many team members have worked individually with clients with a physical disability, particularly the home economists. So we are well able to signpost people to any relevant services and community groups that are working in this area
 

Learning Difficulties

People with learning difficulties can refer themselves to the community allotment or a social worker or care manager can refer them.
 
We can also signpost people with a learning difficulty to a number of community groups including Portsmouth Self-Advocacy group (helping people with learning difficulties to advocate for themselves) and The Friendship Zone drop in.
 

Self Advocacy

Key elements of Self Advocacy are:

• Being able to express thoughts and feelings, with assertiveness if necessary.
• Being able to make clear choices and decisions.
• Having clear knowledge and information about rights.
• Being able to make changes.
• Being able to assert one's own rights as an individual and as a member of a group where experiences or beliefs are shared.

Self Advocacy is concerned with peoples personal and political needs, offering warmth, friendship and support. The range of decision making and self determination possible means that everyone can take part at some level, regardless of the degree of learning difficulty.
 
For more information e-mail Tony Keen
or, e-mail the group on ports-sa@supanet.com
or, visit the web site http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/sailport