Peter Bazeley writes -
big
leap for local Project
A project intent on breaking
down barriers and helping to raise disability awareness within
local communities across South Warwickshire, is celebrating after
another successful year.
The Inclusive Leisure Education
Activities Project (ILEAP) aims to include disabled people and
people with learning difficulties into mainstream leisure and
education activities. It does this by identifying the individual
needs and aspirations of members, and then with the assistance
of a youth worker or a support friend empowers them to be able
to take part in leisure activities of their choice, in the knowledge
that they will be welcome and safe.
ILEAP was launched in January
2000 following a £62,000 cash boost from BBC Children In Need.
This enabled the project to employ a fulltime manager, Peter Bazeley.
“The Project has made some
terrific advances over the past four years. Our members are empowered
to take part in their chosen leisure pursuits throughout the year.
This raises awareness of disability within the non-disabled community
and empowers disabled people to have the same opportunities for
leisure as their non-disabled peers. ” says Peter.
The Project has just secured
a further 3 years funding from the National Lotteries Community
Fund totalling over £90,000. "This is great news for the
project," says Peter "we have established a professional
person centred approach and our current team of Youth Workers
and Support Friends provide a first-class service to our members,
which can now continue and develop."
“Our aim is to be able to
assist our members in any leisure activity that they wish to pursue,
anytime throughout the year. During the summer holidays 2004,
for example, we successfully included over 70 disabled young people
into summer schemes of their choice."
Recently, we have launched
an additional service called "Let's Go", funded through
a Carers Grant from WCC Social Services this service has been
developed by adults with learning disabilities and their parents/
carers. It is aimed at adults with learning disabilities, in South
Warwickshire, who live at home with their parents/carers. The
service empowers its members to take part in community leisure
activities and provides a break to parents, helping them to care
more effectively.
"We would like the
people who assist us to be called our Support Friends," said
one adult member.
The level of support required
means that the project is continuously recruiting Youth Workers
and Support Friends, whose role is to be-friend the ILEAP member
and accompany them to their chosen activity, providing support
to the leisure provider and assistance to the disabled person.
“ILEAP offers Youth Workers
and Support Friends a competitive hourly rate, employment based
around their availability in the evenings and at weekends and
during school holidays, continuous training and development, as
well as a multitude of worthwhile and enjoyable experiences.”
The project is strongly supported by Stratford-on-Avon
District Council, who provide office space, dministrative and
financial support.
"Without the support of Stratford-on-Avon
District Council the project would not be able to be as cost effective
as it is. We can currently spend almost 100% of our fundraised
income on service delivery rather than costly running costs, which
is great news for our members and potential members." Says
Peter
The success of a number of funding applications
including £34000 from Barnardos Inclusive Play and £40000 from
the Warwickshire Children's Fund means that from April 2004 the
project will widen its catchment area.
"Thanks to additional funding from both
the Statutory and Voluntary Sector we can now work with communities
throughout South Warwickshire. We are hoping to replicate our
Stratford-on-Avon District service to young people living in Warwick
District from this April." Says Peter.
The project is also strongly supported by Stratford-on-Avon
Council for Voluntary Service and Volunteer Bureaux, Warwick District
Council, Warwickshire County Council’s Social Services and Community
Education Departments and other organisations.
For more information about the project, please
contact Peter, who will be happy to discuss opportunities and
service proposals with you.
Contact: Peter Bazeley, ILEAP Project Manager
on 01789 260644, mobile 07980 004381
e-mail: ileap@stratford-dc.gov.uk
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